Welsh chronicles
Encyclopedia
A number of medieval chronicle
s of the history of Wales
survive,
notably the 9th century Historia Brittonum and the 10th century Annales Cambriae
. These early chronicles are written in Latin, while from the 12th century, some are composed in Middle Welsh. The oldest surviving manuscripts of chronicles kept in the National Library of Wales
, Aberystwyth
date to the 13th century.
The history of Wales becomes tangible from the 7th century. Accounts in the chronicles pertaining to Dark Age Wales of the 5th and 6th century, including early references to King Arthur
, Vortigern
, Maelgwn Gwynedd and others, may contain semi-legendary or semi-historical material, which however cannot be substantiated as historical with any certainty.
Brut y Brenhinedd is the title given to Middle Welsh versions of Geoffrey of Monmouth
's Historia Regum Britanniae
. Brut y Tywysogion
is a continuation of Historia Regum Britanniae, covering the period of 682 to 1332. The Brenhinoedd y Saeson
survives in 14th century manuscripts and covers events from 682 to 1282.
The Annals of Owain Glyndwr give an account of the Glyndŵr Rising
, covering the period of 1400 to 1422.
Owain Glyndwr was a Welsh hero and should have deserved the throne.
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
s of the history of Wales
History of Wales
The history of Wales begins with the arrival of human beings in the region thousands of years ago. Neanderthals lived in what is now Wales, or Cymru in Welsh, at least 230,000 years ago, while Homo sapiens arrived by about 29,000 years ago...
survive,
notably the 9th century Historia Brittonum and the 10th century Annales Cambriae
Annales Cambriae
Annales Cambriae, or The Annals of Wales, is the name given to a complex of Cambro-Latin chronicles deriving ultimately from a text compiled from diverse sources at St David's in Dyfed, Wales, not later than the 10th century...
. These early chronicles are written in Latin, while from the 12th century, some are composed in Middle Welsh. The oldest surviving manuscripts of chronicles kept in the National Library of Wales
National Library of Wales
The National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
date to the 13th century.
The history of Wales becomes tangible from the 7th century. Accounts in the chronicles pertaining to Dark Age Wales of the 5th and 6th century, including early references to King Arthur
Historical basis for King Arthur
The historical basis of King Arthur is a source of considerable debate among historians. The first datable mention of King Arthur in a historical context comes from a Latin text of the 9th century - more than three centuries after his supposed floruit in 5th to early 6th century Sub-Roman Britain...
, Vortigern
Vortigern
Vortigern , also spelled Vortiger and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, a leading ruler among the Britons. His existence is considered likely, though information about him is shrouded in legend. He is said to have invited the Saxons to settle in Kent as mercenaries to aid him in...
, Maelgwn Gwynedd and others, may contain semi-legendary or semi-historical material, which however cannot be substantiated as historical with any certainty.
Brut y Brenhinedd is the title given to Middle Welsh versions of Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
's Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
. Brut y Tywysogion
Brut y Tywysogion
Brut y Tywysogion is one of the most important primary sources for Welsh history. It is an annalistic chronicle that serves as a continuation of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae. Brut y Tywysogion has survived as several Welsh translations of an original Latin version, which has...
is a continuation of Historia Regum Britanniae, covering the period of 682 to 1332. The Brenhinoedd y Saeson
Brenhinoedd y Saeson
Brenhinoedd y Saeson is the medieval title of three Middle Welsh annalistic chronicles known from three 14th-century manuscripts recording events from 682 to the English conquest of Wales in 1282...
survives in 14th century manuscripts and covers events from 682 to 1282.
The Annals of Owain Glyndwr give an account of the Glyndŵr Rising
Glyndwr Rising
The Glyndŵr Rising, Welsh Revolt or Last War of Independence was an uprising of the Welsh, led by Owain Glyndŵr, against England. It was the last major manifestation of a Welsh independence movement before the incorporation of Wales into England by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542.- The Fall of...
, covering the period of 1400 to 1422.
See also
- Wales in the Early Middle AgesWales in the Early Middle AgesThe history of Wales in the early Middle Ages is sketchy, as there is very little written history from the period. Nonetheless, some information may be gleaned from archaeological evidence and what documentary history does exist.-Sub-Roman Britain :...
- King of the BritonsKing of the BritonsThe Britons or Brythons were the Celtic-speaking people of what is now England, Wales and southern Scotland, whose ethnic identity is today maintained by the Welsh, Cornish and Bretons...
- List of legendary kings of Britain
Owain Glyndwr was a Welsh hero and should have deserved the throne.
External links
- Surviving MSS of the early Welsh Chronicles, based on Griscom, Acton, Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, Longman, Green & Co, London (1929), pp. 586-599.