Kingdom of Wales (Welsh History Post Glyndwr)

History
The Kingdom of Wales gained its independance during the 1st War of Independance against England (1400-1408). The war is called the Glyndwr Rebellion in England. Under the Treaty of London Henry IV recognised Welsh independance, under the of the English Crown and the Welsh borders were extended up the the banks of the River Severn for most of its length and then in a line along the Cheshire-Welsh border from Shrewsbury north. The realm recognised by Henry was a Principality, with Owain ruling as Owain IV, Prince of Wales, and the treaty bound both Owain and Wales to the English cause in Europe, even though during the war Wales had been allied to both France and the Avignon Papacy. This in part was the doing of the French king who brokered the Treaty along with the Welsh ambassadors, Gruffydd Young and John Hanmer.

The House of Glyndwr (or to use its title the House of Powys Fadog-Glyndwr) then ruled Wales for another 199 years. The Dynasty fell with internal squables about religion. The Prince of Powys during the reign of Queen Elen had converted to Lutheranism and had made concerted efforts to convert the Crown Prince, Marc. In this he was successful, but when Marc succeeded to the throne war broke out between those who would keep Wales Catholic and those who supported Marc and Powys. In the end both Marc and Rhys (Powys) were killed and defeated and the kings brothers son, Dafydd (Duke of Dehubarth) succeeded to the crown, ushering the House of Dehubarth onto the throne, and whose dynasty would rule Wales for 148 years (although they also lost the country to the English during the 3rd Anglo-Welsh War of 1718).

England would rule Wales for the next 78 years, eventually however, Wales regained its independance under a new dynasty, the House of Morgannwg which gained recognition of this in the 1796 Treaty of Shrewsbury which saw Wales restored to its previous borders, but again, under nominal English suzeraint. The rule of the House of Morgannwg would be interupted by the Welsh Civil War, fought between 1843 and 1849, which saw the House of MacGregor-Glyndwr (the Princes of Gwynedd) attempt to regain the Welsh throne. In the end the House of Morgannwg survived and saw Wales enter the 20th Century as an indpendant Imperial Power (albeit a very minor power).

Recent History
The 20th Century saw some mixed fortunes for Wales. The century opened with the old king Rhisiart IV on the throne amid political chaos. Since the 1796 Restoration politics had changed in Wales. Previously the Senedd in Machynlleth had wielded if not great power then certainly an equalising power with the senior Nobility and the King making up the Welsh political triad. After the Restoration only two sides of the triad were restored. The Monarchy and the Nobility were restored to their rights but the Senedd was not. By the end of the 19th century however, political unrest in Wales was high, in 1857 there had been an assassination attempt on Rhisiart III and again in 1867 and with the succession of his heir, Rhisiart IV there were riots in the capital Cardiff in 1870. Whilst the Senedd had not been reformed in its previous form, it was still used for tax raising purposes, but even in this form it met for the last time in 1880.

In 1901 the political agitators scored their biggest success to date with the killing of Queen Catherine and riots continued at such a pace that the King was forced to remove himself from his Cardiff based Palace (Cwm Hyfryd) back to the more secure Royal Fortress of Caerphilly. In 1903, at last the King reinstated the Senedd "to meet at the King's liberty" in a new purpose built Parliament House in Cardiff (Civic Centre). The 1904 Constitution for the first time detailed the King's powers and perogatives, whilst confirming two Houses of the Senedd, the Ty Uchaf (Upper House) and the Ty Isaf (Lower House).

1904 also saw the more liberal Iorwerth succeed his father to the throne. His reign, whilst brief was important as it saw many developments. Welsh neutrality in the First World War did not prevent the adoption of many of the advances made during that conflict, including the introduction of a Welsh Air Force in 1919. The first decades also saw road building for cars increased, it also saw the first Welsh Communist Party formed. As a result of Iorwerth's Russian ancestry (from his mother Catherine Romanov) Wales also offered refuge for several high ranking Russian nobles in the wake of the October Revolution. The end years of Iorwerth's reign though did see several high profile arrests of political figures and the rising spectre of nationalism, highlighted by the Crown Prince, Iago, something which Iorwerth feared.

The succession of Iago sees dramatic change. The Five Year Autocracy lasts until 1925 with Iago ruling via a complicated Civil Bureaucracy, the Five Year Autocracy only ending with the first Communist Uprising in the south Wales coal fields. 1931 and the Welsh economy collapses and Iago comes increasingly under the influence of Adolf Hitler, resulting in the 1933 Treaty of Berlin which sees Wales become allies of the Nazi State. From 1935 onwards, German "advisors" begin to come to Wales, helping Iago modernise and expand all three branches of the Armed Forces, expand the road networks many other civil engineering projects including powerplants and industrial bases. Riots broke out in 1938 with Iago and his advisors increasingly unpopular. The '38ers main goal was to place the 17 year old Crown Prince on the throne, but Iago, with German help ruthlessly put down the attempt.

1939 and the start of World War Two sees Iago move the Senedd and Cynulliad to Machynlleth and the dismissal of the head of the Army, Field Marshal Thomas. 1940 has Thomas declaring Iago deposed and Iago declaring Wales to be annexed to the German state. Welsh troops clash with both German and English troops as both sides battle for supremacy within the Kingdom. Field Marshall Thomas, working closely with the English manages to retain control of the Armed Forces and by the August of 1940 Iago is a prisoner in Cardiff, though he is not removed from the throne. Thomas is made Chancellor of Wales and Wales formally joins the Allied effort. When the Americans join the Allies the pressure on Wales and Thomas is increased. The Americans in particular push for democratic change within Wales, a country for whom the vote is restricted to over 21's. The prescence of both Americans and the actions of the Monarchy strenghens the Communist Party in Wales as well during this period and when the Crown Prince dies during the D-Day landings many commentators feel that the days of the Kingdom are numbered.

After the end of the war the Communist party attempts a coup which is only partly put down, and 1947 the Americans force through the Act of Parliament making Iago's sister, Marged, the heir to the throne. The Americans also force an election in 1949 in which the Communist Party wins control of the Assembly though not the Senedd, which remains an unelected Second Chamber.

With the death of Iago in 1950 the Communist controlled Assembly seizes control of key sites throughout Wales and declares the The Democratic People's Republic of Wales. It was a moment of pure theatre and bad timing. American troops were able to crush the nascent Republic in days and killed many of the leading protaginists. The 1950's have Wales ruled almost as an American fiefdom, with the frail and frequently ill Marged a titular Queen only. Arthur II ruling in the 1960's 70's and early 80's sees the reduction of the American influence, the gradual curtailing of Monarchial power and the final flowering of Communist rule during the early 1970's.

With the succession of Llywelyn II in 1982 Wales was more secure than it had been for 100 years, but the scars of the last 50 years hung heavily on the country. The reign starts off in controversial fashion though with Welsh support for Argentina in the Falklands War, but relations are soon mended. The last American Armed Forces leave Wales in 1987 and Welsh intregration with the EU continues apace.

Public Holidays
The following 14 days are the Public Holidays observed within the Welsh Kingdom
 * January 1st: Dydd Calan (New Years Day)
 * January 6th: Y Ystwyll (Epiphany)
 * March 1st: Dydd Dewi Sant (St Davids Day - National Saints Day)
 * Thursday before Easter: Dydd Iau Cablyd (Maundy Thursday)
 * Friday before Easter: Gwener y Groglith (Good Friday)
 * Monday following Easter Sunday (Dydd Pasg): Dydd Llun y Pasg (Easter Monday)


 * First Monday in May: Dydd Calan Mai (May Day)
 * Last Monday in May: Gwyl y Gwanwyn (Spring Holiday)
 * August 16th: Dydd Rhyddhad (Liberation Day - Date of the Invasion of Rhisiart I)
 * Last Monday in August: Gwyl yr Haf (Summer Holiday)
 * September 16th: Dydd Annibyniaeth (Independence Day or Proclamation of Owain, Tysog i Cymru)
 * December 25th: Dydd Nadolig (Christmas Day)
 * December 26th: Gwyl San Steffan (St Stephens Day or Boxing Day)
 * Kings Official Birthday. This Public Holiday is usually taken on the date of the coronation. However, under the present king, because that falls on the 30th March and therefore creates too many public holidays at that time it is held on his actual birthday, which is the 20th July

Government
Wales is a constitutional monarchy, with elected officials carrying out many functions of government and the Head of State, King Llywelyn III, wielding less power than any of his predecessors but still with the power to dismiss Parliament and to declare war etc. The heir to the throne (called the Edling) is Owain, Edling Ngymru (in English, the Crown Prince Owain). The Head of the Government is the Chancellor who is the leader of the winning political party controling the Assembly. The Senedd is the Upper Chamber of Parliament, and its members are elected to 6 year terms with half the the house up for election every three years, while the National Assembly's members are elected to 5 year terms. The fundamental governing principles are outlaid in the Welsh Constitution of 1904, which has since been ammeded most recently during the 1970's. The 1975 Welsh Constituition Act was one of the last acts of the openly Communistic Government of Wales, and it was to this constitution that Llywelyn swore to abide by in his coronation oaths. The last elections held in Wales were the 2006 (Upper House) and 2008 (Lower House) Senedd Elections.

Officers of the Welsh Government are as follows (2008)

Canghellor (Chancellor- Head of Government): Carwyn Jones (CDP)

Distain (in English Steward): Foreign Secretary

Trysorydd (Treasurer): Finance Secretary

Penteulu (Defence Secretary - in English meaning Family Head): Andreas Pritchard (FDP)

Pennaf Meddyg (Chief Medic): Health Secretary

Pennaf Tufewnol (Chief of the Interior): Home Secretary

Gwas Ystafell Sennedd (Chamberlain and Head of the Upper House): Ieaun Wyn Jones (CDP)

The Provincial System of Wales
Wales is divided up into the three Principalities, the three Duchies and the Lordships of Wales. The Principalities are Gwynedd, Powys and Morgannwg, with the Duchies being the Duchy of March, the Duchy of Gwent, the Duchy of Penfro and the Duchy of Dehubarth (which contains further sub-divisions including Ceredigion). The Lordships form the remaining Counties of Wales, with Ynys Mon in the north, and in the south, Penfro, Ystrad Towi, Kidwelli, Gower, Brycheiniog, Ergyng, Dean, Henffordd, Gwlad yr Haf and the North Coast.The remaining county is the Lord-Archbishopric (County Palatine) of St Davids

Sport
Within the Kingdom of Wales, sport splits the country almost in two. The Marcher Country (Y Mers, Henffordd, Dean and Ergyng), Gwent, Morgannwg, Tir De (Southlands - Gwlad yr Haf and Goggledd Hwylio Gyda'r Tir) is dominated by Football and Rugby Union with the English game of Cricket imported during the occupation. West and North Wales is an area dominated by Gaelic sports, particulary Gaelic Football and Hurling, with teams from Tydewi,Ceredigion, Llyn and Mon competing in the Irish Leagues of those sports.

Armed Forces - Y Lluoedd Arfog Gymreig
The Welsh Armed Forces (Y Lluoedd Arfog Gymreig) are divided into the Byddin Frenhiniol Gymreig (BFG - Royal Welsh Army RWA), Llynges Frenhiniol Gymreig (LFG - Royal Welsh Navy RWN), and Llu Awyr Frenhiniol Gymreig (LAFG - Royal Welsh Air Force RWAF). The BFG in particular is viewed as one of the most effective in the world, and units from it are often in many far flung areas of the globe serving with both Nato and the UN. The LFG is a medium sized fleet. The majority of its ships being dedicated more to close shore protection than blue ocean action. That said the fleet does still maintain 2 aircraft carriers with the associated close support ships though the political pressure to decommission this aspect of the fleet is now intense in Welsh politics. Unknown to many commentators though is the presence of the strong diesel electric submarrine flottilla. The LAFG is probably the least developed of the Welsh Armed Forces. With England defending the southern,eastern and northern approches to Wales the argument for a strong airforce is a weak one.