A period in the history of Wales from 1267 to 1542
This article is about the feudal polity that controlled part of Wales between 1216 and 1542. For the country, see
Wales
. For the position, see
prince of Wales
.
The
Principality of Wales
(
Welsh
:
Tywysogaeth Cymru
) was originally the territory of the native Welsh princes of the
House of Aberffraw
from 1216 to 1283, encompassing two-thirds of modern Wales during its height of 1267?1277. Following the
conquest of Wales by Edward I of England
of 1277 to 1283, those parts of Wales retained under the direct control of the English crown, principally in the north and west of the country, were re-constituted as a new Principality of Wales and ruled either by the monarch or the monarch's heir though not formally incorporated into the
Kingdom of England
. This was ultimately accomplished with the
Laws in Wales Acts 1535?1542
when the Principality ceased to exist as a separate entity.
The Principality was formally founded in 1216 by native Welshman and King of Gwynedd,
Llywelyn the Great
who gathered other leaders of
pura Wallia
at the
Council of Aberdyfi
. The agreement was later recognised by the 1218
Treaty of Worcester
between Llywelyn the Great of Wales and
Henry III of England
.
[3]
The treaty gave substance to the political reality of 13th-century Wales and England, and the relationship of the former with the
Angevin Empire
. The principality retained a great degree of autonomy, characterized by a separate legal
jurisprudence
based on the well-established laws of
Cyfraith Hywel
, and by the increasingly sophisticated
court
of the
House of Aberffraw
. Although it owed
fealty
to the Angevin king of England, the principality was
de facto
independent, with a similar status in the empire to the
Kingdom of Scotland
.
[4]
Its existence has been seen as proof that all the elements necessary for the growth of Welsh
statehood
were in place.
[4]
The period of
de facto
independence ended with
Edward I
's conquest of the principality between 1277 and 1283. Under the
Statute of Rhuddlan
, the principality lost its independence and became effectively an annexed territory of the English crown. From 1301, the crown's lands in north and west Wales formed part of the
appanage
of England's heir apparent, with the title "
Prince of Wales
". On accession of the prince to the English throne, the lands and title became merged with the Crown again. On two occasions Welsh claimants to the title rose up in rebellion during this period, although neither ultimately succeeded.
Since the Laws in Wales Acts 1535?1542, which formally incorporated all of Wales within the Kingdom of England, there has been no geographical or constitutional basis for describing any of the territory of Wales as a principality, although the term has occasionally been used in an informal sense to describe the country, and in relation to the honorary title of Prince of Wales.
Pre-conquest principality
[
edit
]
The Principality of Wales was created in 1216 at the Council of Aberdyfi when it was agreed between
Llywelyn the Great
and the other sovereign princes among the Welsh that he was the paramount ruler amongst them, and they would pay homage to him. Later he obtained recognition, at least in part, of this agreement from the King of England, who agreed that Llywelyn's heirs and successors would enjoy the title "Prince of Wales" but with certain limitations to his realm and other conditions, including homage to the King of England as vassal, and adherence to rules regarding a legitimate succession. Llywelyn had been at pains to ensure that his heirs and successors would follow the "approved" (by the Pope at least) system of inheritance which excluded illegitimate sons. In so doing he excluded his elder bastard son
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
from the inheritance, a decision which would have later ramifications. In 1240 Llywelyn died and
Henry III of England
(who succeeded John) promptly invaded large areas of his former realm, usurping them from him. However, the two sides came to peace and Henry honoured at least part of the agreement and bestowed upon
Dafydd ap Llywelyn
the title 'Prince of Wales'. This title would be granted to his successor Llywelyn in 1267 (after a campaign by him to achieve it) and was later claimed by his brother Dafydd and other members of the princely
House of Aberffraw
.
[
citation needed
]
Aberffraw princes
[
edit
]
Llywelyn ap Iorwerth 1195?1240
[
edit
]
By 1200 Llywelyn Fawr (the Great) ap Iorwerth ruled over all of Gwynedd, with England endorsing all of Llywelyn's holdings that year.
[6]
England's endorsement was part of a larger strategy of reducing the influence of Powys Wenwynwyn, as King John had given William de Breos licence in 1200 to "seize as much as he could" from the native Welsh.
[7]
However, de Breos was in disgrace by 1208, and Llywelyn seized both Powys Wenwynwyn and northern Ceredigion.
[
citation needed
]
In his expansion, the Prince was careful not to antagonise King John, his father-in-law.
[6]
Llywelyn had married
Joan
, King John's illegitimate daughter, in 1204.
[8]
In 1209 Prince Llywelyn joined King John on his campaign in Scotland. However, by 1211 King John recognised the growing influence of Prince Llywelyn as a threat to English authority in Wales.
[7]
King John invaded Gwynedd and reached the banks of the Menai, and Llywelyn was forced to cede the Perfeddwlad, and recognize John as his heir presumptive if Llywelyn's marriage to Joan did not produce any legitimate successors.
[7]
Succession was a complicated matter given that Welsh law recognized children born out of wedlock as equal to those in born in wedlock and sometimes accepted claims through the female line.
[6]
By then, Llywelyn had several illegitimate children. Many of Llywelyn's Welsh allies had abandoned him during England's invasion of Gwynedd, preferring an overlord far away rather than one nearby.
[9]
Welsh lords expected an unobtrusive English crown, but King John had a castle built at
Aberystwyth
, and his direct interference in Powys and the Perfeddwlad caused many of these Welsh lords to rethink their position.
[9]
Llywelyn capitalised on Welsh resentment against King John, and led a church-sanctioned revolt against him.
[9]
As King John was an
enemy of the church
,
Pope Innocent III
gave his blessing to Llywelyn's revolt.
[
citation needed
]
Early in 1212 Llywelyn had regained the Perfeddwlad and burned the castle at Aberystwyth. Llywelyn's revolt caused John to postpone his invasion of France, and
Philip Augustus
, the
King of France
, was so moved as to contact Llywelyn and propose that they ally against the English king,
[6]
King John ordered the execution by hanging of his Welsh hostages, the sons of many of Llywelyn's supporters,
[7]
Llywelyn I was the first prince to receive the fealty of other Welsh lords at the 1216 Council of Aberdyfi, thus becoming the
de facto
Prince of Wales and giving substance to the Aberffraw claims.
[10]
Dafydd ap Llywelyn 1240?46
[
edit
]
On succeeding his father, Dafydd immediately had to contend with the claims of his half-brother, Gruffudd, to the throne. Having imprisoned Gruffudd, his ambitions were curbed by an invasion of Wales led by Henry III in league with a number of the captive Gruffudd's supporters. In August 1241, Dafydd capitulated and signed the
Treaty of Gwerneigron
, further restricting his powers. By 1244, however, Gruffudd was dead, and Dafydd seems to have benefited from the backing of many of his brother's erstwhile supporters. He was acknowledged by the Pope as
Prince of Wales
for a time and defeated Henry III in battle in 1245 during the English king's second invasion of Wales. A truce was agreed in the autumn, and Henry withdrew, but Dafydd died unexpectedly in 1246 without issue. His wife,
Isabella de Braose
, returned to England; she was dead by 1248.
[
citation needed
]
Dafydd married Isabella de Braose in 1231. Their marriage produced no children, and there is no contemporary evidence that Dafydd sired any heirs. According to late genealogical sources collected by Bartrum (1973), Dafydd had two children by an unknown woman (or women), a daughter, Annes, and a son, Llywelyn ap Dafydd, who apparently later became Constable of Rhuddlan and was succeeded in that post by his son Cynwrig ap Llywelyn.
[
citation needed
]
Owain Goch ap Gruffydd 1246?53 (d. 1282)
[
edit
]
Following Dafydd's death, Gwynedd was divided between Owain Goch and his younger brother Llywelyn. This situation lasted until 1252 when their younger brother
Dafydd ap Gruffudd
reached his majority. Disagreement about how to further divide the realm led to conflict in 1253 in which Llywelyn was victorious. Owain spent the remainder of his days a prisoner of his brother.
[
citation needed
]
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd 1246?82
[
edit
]
After achieving victory over his brothers, Llywelyn went on to reconquer the areas of Gwynedd occupied by England (the Perfeddwlad and others). His alliance with
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
, in 1265 against King
Henry III of England
allowed him to reconquer large areas of mid-Wales from the English
Marcher Lords
. At the
Treaty of Montgomery
between England and Wales in 1267 Llywelyn was granted the title "Prince of Wales" for his heirs and successors and allowed to keep the lands he had conquered as well as the homage of lesser Welsh princes in return for his own homage to the King of England and payment of a substantial fee. Disputes between him, his brother Dafydd, and English lords bordering his own led to renewed conflict with England (now ruled by
Edward I
) in 1277. Following the
Treaty of Aberconwy
Llywelyn was confined to Gwynedd-uwch-Conwy. He joined a revolt instigated by his brother Dafydd in 1282 in which he died in battle.
[
citation needed
]
Dafydd ap Gruffudd 1282?83
[
edit
]
Dafydd assumed his elder brother's title in 1282 and led a brief period of continued resistance against England. He was captured and executed in 1283.
[
citation needed
]
Government, administration and law
[
edit
]
The political maturation of the principality's government fostered a more defined relationship between the prince and the people. Emphasis was placed on the territorial integrity of the principality, with the prince as lord of all the land, and other Welsh lords swearing fealty to the prince directly, a distinction with which the Prince of Wales paid yearly tribute to the King of England. By treaty, the principality was obliged to pay the kingdom large annual sums. Between 1267 and 1272 Wales made a total payment of £11,500, "proof of a growing money economy... and testimony of the effectiveness of the principality's financial administration," wrote historian Dr. John Davies.
[12]
Additionally, modifications and amendments to the Law Codes of Hywel Dda encouraged the decline of the galanas (blood-fine) and the use of the jury system.
[13]
The Aberffraw dynasty maintained vigorous
diplomatic
and domestic policies; and patronized the Church in Wales, particularly that of the
Cistercian Order
.
[
citation needed
]
The princely court
[
edit
]
At the end of the twelfth century, and beginning of the thirteenth century,
Llywelyn ab Iorwerth
(Llywelyn Fawr or Llywelyn the Great), built a royal home at
Abergwyngregyn
(known as
T? Hir
, the Long House, in later documents
[
citation needed
]
) on the site of the subsequent manor house of
Pen y Bryn
.
[14]
[15]
To the east was the newly endowed Cistercian Monastery of
Aberconwy
; to the west the cathedral city of
Bangor
. In 1211, King
John of England
brought an army across the river Conwy, and occupied the royal home for a brief period; his troops went on to burn Bangor. Llywelyn's wife, John's daughter
Joan
, also known as Joanna, negotiated between the two men, and John withdrew. Joan died at Abergwyngregyn in 1237; Dafydd ap Llywelyn died there in 1246; Eleanor de Montfort, Lady of Wales, wife of
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
, died there on 19 June 1282, giving birth to a baby,
Gwenllian of Wales
.
[
citation needed
]
Population, culture and society
[
edit
]
The 13th-century Principality of Wales encompassed three-quarters of the surface area of modern Wales; "from
Anglesey
to
Machen
, from the outskirts of
Chester
to the outskirts of
Cydweli
," wrote Davies.
[16]
[17]
By 1271, Prince Llywelyn II could claim a growing population of about 200,000 people or a little less than three-quarters of the total Welsh population.
[3]
[16]
The population increase was common throughout Europe in the 13th century, but in Wales it was more pronounced. By Llywelyn II's reign, as much as 10 percent of the population were town-dwellers. Additionally, "unfree slaves... had long disappeared" from within the territory of the principality, wrote Davies. The increase in men allowed the prince to call on and field a far more substantial army.
[16]
A more stable social and political environment provided by the Aberffraw administration allowed for the natural development of Welsh culture, particularly in literature, law, and religion.
[17]
Tradition originating from
The History of Gruffydd ap Cynan
attributes Gruffydd I as reforming the orders of
bards
and
musicians
;
Welsh literature
demonstrated "vigor and a sense of commitment" as new ideas reached Wales, even in "the wake of the invaders", according to historian John Davies. Contacts with continental Europe "sharpened Welsh pride", wrote Davies in his
History of Wales
.
[8]
Economy and trade
[
edit
]
The increase in the Welsh population, especially in the lands of the principality, allowed for a greater diversification of the economy. The Meirionnydd tax rolls give evidence to the thirty-seven various professions present in Meirionnydd directly before the conquest. Of these professions, there were eight
goldsmiths
, four bards (poets) by trade, 26
shoemakers
, a doctor in
Cynwyd
, and a
hotel
keeper in
Maentwrog
, and 28 priests; two of whom were university graduates. Also present were a significant number of
fishermen
, administrators, professional men and craftsmen.
[
citation needed
]
With the average temperature of Wales a degree or two higher than it is today, more Welsh lands were
arable
for agriculture, "a crucial bonus for a country like Wales," wrote the historian John Davies.
Of significant importance for the principality included more developed trade routes, which allowed for the introduction of new energy sources such as the
windmill
, the
fulling mill
and the
horse collar
(which doubled the efficiency of horse-power).
[
citation needed
]
The principality traded
cattle
, skins,
cheese
,
timber
, horses,
wax
, dogs, hawks, and fleeces, but also
flannel
(with the growth of fulling mills). Flannel was second only to cattle among the principality's exports. In exchange, the principality imported salt, wine, wheat, and other luxuries from
London
and
Paris
. But most importantly for the defence of the principality,
iron
and specialised
weaponry
were also imported. Welsh dependence on foreign imports was a tool that England used to wear down the principality during times of conflict between the two countries.
[
citation needed
]
1284 to 1543: Annexation by the English crown
[
edit
]
Establishment and governance
[
edit
]
Between 1277 and 1283,
Edward I of England
conquered the territories of
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
and the other last remaining native Welsh princes.
The governance and constitutional position of the principality after its conquest was set out in the
Statute of Rhuddlan
of 1284. In the words of the statute, the principality was "annexed and united" to the English crown.
[23]
The principality's administration was overseen by the Prince of Wales's council comprising between 8 and 15 councillors sitting in London or, later,
Ludlow
in
Shropshire
. The council acted as the principality's final court of appeal.
[24]
By 1476, the council, which became known as the
Council of Wales and the Marches
, began taking responsibility not only for the principality itself but its authority was extended over the whole of Wales.
[25]
The territory of the principality fell into two distinct areas: the lands under direct royal control and lands that Edward I had distributed by feudal grants.
[26]
For lands under royal control, the administration, under the Statute of Rhuddlan, was divided into two territories: North Wales based at Caernarfon and West Wales based at Carmarthen.
[25]
The Statute organized the Principality into
shire counties
.
Carmarthenshire
and
Cardiganshire
were administered by the
Justiciar of South Wales
(or "of West Wales") at Carmarthen. In the North, the counties of
Anglesey
,
Merionethshire
, and
Caernarfonshire
were created under the control of
Justiciar of North Wales
and a provincial exchequer at Caernarfon, run by the
Chamberlain of North Wales
, who accounted for the revenues he collected to the
Exchequer
at
Westminster
.
[27]
Under them were royal officials such as
sheriffs
,
coroners
, and
bailiffs
to collect taxes and administer justice.
[28]
Another county,
Flintshire
, was created out of the lordships of
Tegeingl
,
Hopedale
and
Maelor Saesneg
,
[27]
and was administered with the
Palatinate
of
Cheshire
by the
Justiciar of Chester
.
The remainder of the principality comprised lands that Edward I had granted to supporters shortly after the completion of the conquest in 1284, and which, in practice, became
Marcher lordships
: for example, the
Lordship of Denbigh
granted to the
Earl of Lincoln
and the
Lordship of Powys
granted to Owain ap Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, who became
Owen de la Pole
. These lands after 1301 were held as
tenants-in-chief
of the Principality of Wales, rather than from the Crown directly,
[26]
but were, for all practical purposes, not part of the principality.
[
citation needed
]
The Statute of Rhuddlan also introduced
English common law
to the principality, albeit with some local variation.
[31]
Criminal law became entirely based on common law: the statute stated that "in thefts, larcenies, burnings, murders, manslaughters and manifest and notorious robberies ? we will that they shall use the laws of England".
[32]
However,
Welsh law
continued to be used in civil cases such as land inheritance, contracts, sureties, and similar matters, though with changes, for example, illegitimate sons could no longer claim part of the inheritance, which Welsh law had allowed them to do.
In 1301, this modified principality was bestowed on the English monarch's heir apparent and thereafter became the territorial endowment of the heir to the throne.
[25]
There were few attempts by the English parliament to legislate in Wales and the lands of the principality remained subject to laws enacted by the king and his council. However, the king was prepared to allow Parliament to legislate in emergencies such as treason or rebellion.
[35]
An example was the
Penal Laws against Wales 1402
[c]
enacted to contain the
Glynd?r Rising
and which,
inter alia
, prohibited the Welsh from intermarrying with the English or owning land in England or the Welsh boroughs.
[35]
Some Welshman who were loyal to the Principality successfully petitioned for exemption from the penal laws. An example was Rhys ap Thomas ap Dafydd of Carmarthenshire who was a royal official in the southern part of the principality.
[37]
Castles, towns and colonisation
[
edit
]
Edward's main concern following the conquest was to ensure the military security of his new territories and the stone castle was to be the primary means for achieving this.
Under the supervision of
James of Saint George
, Edward's master-builder,
a series of imposing castles
was built, using a distinctive design and the most advanced defensive features of the day, to form a "ring of stone" around the northern part of the principality.
[39]
Among the major buildings were the castles of
Beaumaris
,
Caernarfon
,
Conwy
and
Harlech
.
[40]
Aside from their practical military role, the castles made a clear symbolic statement to the Welsh that the principality was subject to English rule on a permanent basis.
Beaumaris castle on Anglesey
Caernarfon castle, Gwynedd
Conwy castle, north Wales
Harlech castle, north-west Wales.
Outside of urban areas, the principality retained its Welsh character. Unlike in some of the newly created Marcher lordships, such as Denbigh, there was little evidence of the successful colonisation of rural areas by English settlers.
For the royal shires, Edward established a series of new towns, usually attached to one of his stone castles, which would be the focus of English settlement. These "plantation
boroughs
", often with the castle constable as town mayor, were populated by English
burgesses
and acted as a support for the royal military establishment as well as being an anglicizing influence. Examples include
Flint
,
Aberystwyth
,
Beaumaris
,
Conwy
and
Caernarfon
.
The boroughs were given economic rights over the surrounding Welsh rural areas and prospered as a result. For example, the burgesses of Caernarfon had a monopoly over trade within eight miles of the town.
The burgesses of
Carmarthen
were given the right to raise taxes from the surrounding population to maintain their town walls.
Royal ordinances initially prohibited the Welsh from becoming burgesses, owning land, or even residing in the "English" towns. The enforcement of these laws weakened over time and, although they were temporarily reinforced in 1402 by
Henry IV's penal laws
following the
Welsh Revolt
led by
Owain Glynd?r
, they had largely been abandoned by the Tudor period.
Even so, in the 14th century in particular, the privileged "English" boroughs were a focus of intense Welsh resentment
and the English burgesses continued to hold the Welsh in disdain and sought to maintain their own distinctiveness and settlers' rights.
Nevertheless, there is ample evidence of the gradual assimilation of the two groups, not least through intermarriage.
A town such as Aberystwyth had become entirely Welsh in character by the end of the medieval period.
At the time of the union with England in the 16th century, English migrant ethnic origin ceased to have the same significance, although upward mobility was linked to anglicisation and use of the English language.
Nevertheless, as late as 1532, a group of burgesses from Caernarfon bitterly complained that some of their number had let properties in the town to "foreigners", all of whom had Welsh names.
Plantagenet and Tudor princes
[
edit
]
From 1301, the
Plantagenet
(and later,
Tudor
) English kings gave their heir apparent, if he was the king's son or grandson, the lands and title of "Prince of Wales". The one exception was Edward II's son,
Edward of Windsor
, who later became Edward III.
[52]
Upon the heir's accession to the throne, the lands and title merged in the Crown.
[
citation needed
]
The first "English" Prince of Wales was Edward I's son,
Edward of Caernarfon
. A late 16th-century story claimed that Edward I gave him the title following his declaration to the Welsh that there would be a Prince of Wales "that was borne in Wales and could speake never a word of English": Edward was born at
Caernarfon Castle
and, in common with rest of the English ruling elite, spoke French. However, there seems to be no basis for the story.
[53]
On 7 February 1301, the king granted to Edward all the lands under royal control in Wales, mainly the territory of the former Principality. Although the documents granting the land made no reference to the title "Prince of Wales", it seems likely that Edward was invested with it at the same time, since, within a month of the grant, he was referred to as the "Prince of Wales" in official documents.
[54]
The following received the title while the Principality was in existence:
[52]
Welsh revolts
[
edit
]
Madog ap Llywelyn
led a
Welsh revolt in 1294?95
against English rule in Wales, and was proclaimed "
Prince of Wales
".
[56]
[57]
Owain Lawgoch
, a great-nephew of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Dafydd ap Gruffudd, claimed the title in exile in
France
and supporters revolted in his name across Wales between 1372 and 1378. He was assassinated before being able to return to Wales to lead them.
[58]
Owain Glynd?r
was crowned at
Machynlleth
in 1404 during a
revolt
against
Henry IV of England
. He claimed descent from
Rhodri Mawr
through the House of
Powys Fadog
. He went on to establish diplomatic relations with foreign powers and liberated Wales from English rule. He was ultimately unsuccessful and was driven to the mountains where he led a
guerrilla war
. When and where he died is not known, but it is believed he died disguised as a
friar
in the company of his daughter, Alys, at Monnington Straddle in
Herefordshire
.
[59]
Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542
[
edit
]
The Principality ceased to exist as a legal entity with the passing by
English parliament
of the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542, without any representation from Wales. The act stated that Wales was already 'incorporated, annexed, united, and subjecte to and under the imperialle Crown of this Realme as a very member…of the same’.
[e]
[61]
[60]
The law of England was applied as the only law in Wales,
Justice of the peace
administered the newly created counties and the act also made English the only language of the courts in Wales, and Wales gained a representation in English parliament. However, those using the Welsh language would not be able to take up office in the territories of the king of England.
[61]
[62]
There were four
Court of Great Sessions in Wales
based on the three of the counties, e.g. north, east, south, west.
[61]
The implementation of the act was delayed until a more detailed act was used in 1543.
[63]
[64]
After 1543: union with England
[
edit
]
Later administration
[
edit
]
The
Encyclopaedia of Wales
notes that the
Council of Wales and the Marches
was created by
Edward IV
in 1471 as a household institution to manage the Prince of Wales's lands and finances. In 1473 it was enlarged and given the additional duty of maintaining law and order in the Principality and the Marches of Wales. Its meetings appear to have been intermittent, but it was revived by
Henry VII
for his heir,
Prince Arthur
. The Council was placed on a statutory basis in 1543 and played a central role in co-ordinating law and administration. The council at Ludlow was to have full administrative and legal powers until it declined in the early 17th century and was abolished by Parliament in 1641. It was revived at the
Restoration
before being finally abolished in 1689.
[61]
From 1689 to 1948 there was no differentiation between England's government and Wales's government.
[
citation needed
]
All laws relating to England included Wales and Wales was considered by the British Government as an indivisible part of England within the United Kingdom. The first piece of legislation to relate specifically to Wales was the
Sunday Closing (Wales) Act 1881
.
A further exception was the
Welsh Church Act 1914
, which disestablished the
Church in Wales
(which had formerly been part of the
Church of England
) in 1920.
[67]
[68]
In 1948 the practice was established that all laws passed in the
Parliament of the United Kingdom
were designated as applicable to either "
England and Wales
" or "
Scotland
", thus returning a legal identity to Wales which had not existed for hundreds of years following the
Act of Union
with Scotland in 1707. Also in 1948 a new
Council for Wales
was established as a parliamentary committee. In 1964 the
Welsh Office
was established, based in London, to oversee and recommend improvements to the application of laws in Wales. This situation would continue until the devolution of government in Wales and the establishment of the autonomous
National Assembly for Wales
in 1998.
[69]
Other uses of the term
[
edit
]
Although no principality has ever been created that covers Wales as a whole, the term "Principality" has been occasionally used since the sixteenth century as a synonym for Wales. For instance, the first
atlas
of Wales, by Thomas Taylor in 1718, was titled
The Principality of Wales exactly described ...
,
[70]
and the term is still used by such publications as
Burke's Landed Gentry
.
[71]
[
page needed
]
Publications such as
Lewis
's
A Topographical Dictionary of Wales
,
[72]
and Welsh newspapers in the 19th century commonly used the term.
[73]
In modern times, however,
The Guardian
style guide advises writers to "avoid the word 'principality
'
" in relation to Wales.
[74]
The
International Organization for Standardization
(ISO) has defined Wales as a "country" rather than a "principality" since 2011, following a recommendation by the
British Standards Institute
and the
Welsh Government
.
[75]
The use of the term to refer to the territory of Wales should be distinguished from its use to refer to the title of
Prince of Wales
, which has been traditionally granted (together with the title
Duke of Cornwall
and various Scottish titles) to the
heir apparent
of the reigning British monarch. It confers no responsibility for government in Wales,
[76]
and has no constitutional meaning.
Plaid Cymru
are in favour of scrapping the title altogether.
[77]
The
Honours of the Principality of Wales
are the
Crown Jewels
used at the investiture of Princes of Wales.
[78]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
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Notes
[
edit
]
- ^
The court judge in his chair, a lawbook in his hand.
- ^
The hebogydd, falconer, a hawk or falcon on one hand and a perch in the other
- ^
Examples of the restrictions are:
Englishman shall not be convict[ed] by Welshman in Wales
(this included Welsh through marriage);
Against wasters minstrels etc. in Wales
("Item, to eschew many diseases and mischiefs, which have happened before this time in the land of Wales…: it is ordained and stablished that no waster, rhymer, minstrel nor vagabond be in any wise sustained in the land of Wales…");
Against congregations in Wales
(public meetings were banned);
Welshmen shall not be armed
("no Welshman be armed nor bear defensible armour");
No victual or armour shall be carried into Wales
(it was banned for an Englishman to carry armour to Wales or a Welshman to possess such items of battle);
Welshmen shall not have castles etc
(only the castle's from the time of Edward I were allowed to be used);
No Welshman shall bear office
("Justice, Chamberlain, Chancellor, Treasurer, Sheriff, Steward, Constable of Castle, Receiver, Escheator, Coroner, nor Chief Forester nor any other Officer, nor Keeper of the Records, nor Lieutenant in any of the said Offices in no part of Wales, nor of the Council of any English lord…").
[36]
- ^
A European Armourial; Historic Heraldry of Britain; Heraldry, Sources, Symbols and Meanings; Military Modelling; Knights in Armour.
[
further explanation needed
]
- ^
The 1536 act, according to Dr
John Davies
unified the principality of Wales and the
March of Wales
.
[60]
Sources
[
edit
]
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{{
cite book
}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link
)
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.
52°18′N
3°36′W
/
52.3°N 3.6°W
/
52.3; -3.6