In ancient times, the territory of present-day Wales was inhabited by the Celts. Shortly before the birth of Christ, the Romans conquered the land. The Celts managed to regain their kingdom but they still had to defend it from Norman and English attacks. For centuries Wales was plunged into bloody and cruel wars. Despite the Welshmen’s courage and endurance, Wales was eventually incorporated into the English kingdom. That happened in 1536, during the reign of Edward VI.
There are many stories about English-Welsh relations in the preceding centuries. One of them goes back to the XIII th century, and tells about Edward I, the king of England, who tried to conquer Wales. During one campaign, he was accompanied by his wife, who was expecting a child. The King and the
Queen stayed at Caernarvon Castle in North Wales. Some Welsh people visited them and asked the King to give them a Prince of Wales, but they didn’t want a prince from England, or a Prince who could speak English. The king promised them a prince. Several days later he called them to the castle and showed them his new born son saying: "This is your prince, he who has lived all his life in Wales and he cannot speak a word of English." The people eagerly accepted the new prince. Since then the first new born to the King and Queen of England has had the title of the Prince of Wales. Also since then every Prince of Wales had had to study Welsh.
Welsh people are very proud of their language and customs and do everything to preserve their unique culture. They fight for it. It is enough to say that in 1847 a Royal Commission pronounced the Welsh language to be primitive and inferior in order to make the isolation between the two nations even greater. Thus, the English language was to dominate the Welsh. In 1967 a bill was passed pronouncing the equality of the Welsh and English languages in Wales. Since that time Welsh could be used as the official language in court and in public administration departments. Later the Welsh won the battle for the mass media. Now they have their own publications like "Welsh Nation", Welsh radio programs and a fourth television channel in Welsh.
About Welsh People written by Herminne Tonita for FamousWhy.com
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by Herminne Tonita -