The Celtic Kingdoms

Until recently few historians looked at British history except from an English poimt of
view. But the stories of Wales, Ireland and Scotland are also important, because their
people still feel different from the Anglo-Saxon English. The experience of the Welsh,
Irish and Scots helps to explain the feeling they have today.

Britain c. AD 500

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 Wales

The modern Welsh name for themselves is Cymry, and Cymru is Welsh for "Land of the
Cymry". The etymological origin of Cymry is from the Brithonic word combrogi, meaning
"fellow-countrymen".
By 500 AD, the land that would become Wales had divided into number of kingdoms free from
Anglo-Saxon rule. The kingdoms of Gwynedd (pronounced [ˈɡwɪnɛð]), Powys, Dyfed and
Seisyllg, Morgannwg and Gwent emerged as independent Welsh states. The Romano-Britons
and their descendants in the western kingdoms were to become the foundation of what we now
know as Wales.
By the 8th century most of the Celts had been driven into the Welsh peninsula. They were kept
out of England by Offa's Dyke (Welsh: Clawdd Offa), which is a massive linear earthwork,
roughly following some of the current border between England and Wales. It was built in AD
779.
The cymry could live only in the crowded valleys because the rest of the country was rocky and
mountainous, and too poor for anything except keeping animals. The population remained small
only over half a million in the 18th century. Slavery was common as it had been all through
Celtic Britain.
Society was based on family groupings each of which owned one or more village or farm
settlement. A strong leader made himself king in each group. These men must have been tribal
chiefs to begin with who later managed to become overlords over neighbouring family groups.
Each of these kings tried to conquer the others. The idea of a senior king developed. The early
kings travelled around in their kingdoms to remind ordinary people of their control. Life was
dangerous and bloody. In 1043 the king of Glamorgan died of old age. It was unusual because
between 949 and 1066 35 Welsh rulers died violently.
Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (r. 1039–63) was "the only Welsh king ever to rule over the entire
territory of Wales. From about 1057 until his death in 1063, the whole of Wales recognised his
kingship. For about 7 brief years, Wales was one, under one ruler. He was killed by cymry while
defending Wales against the Saxons. Welsh kings after him were able to rule only after they had

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promised loyalty to Edward the Confessor, king of England. The story of an independent Wales
was over almost as soon as it had begun.

Ireland

Ireland was never invaded by the Romans or the Anglo-Saxons. It had a flourishing Celtic culture
and it was a land of monasteries. As in Wales people were known by their family groupings.
They had only the name of their tribe. The kings were chosen by election. The idea was that the
strongest man should lead.
Five kingdoms grew up in Ireland: Ulster, Munster, Leinster, Connaught and Tara as the seat
of the high kings of Ireland. These five kingdoms were often at war, each trying to gain
advantage over the other, often with great cruelty.
Christianity came to Ireland in about AD 430. This is the beginning of Ireland’s history because
for the first time there were people who could write down events. Christianity was spread in
Ireland by a British slave, Patrick, who became the “patron saint” of Ireland. Christianity brought
writing, which weakened the position of the Druids, who depended on memory and the spoken
world. Christian monasteries grew up along the coast. This period of Ireland is also known as
“golden age”. Invaders were unknown and culture flowered.
This age suddenly ended with the arrivals of the Viking raiders, who stole all that the monasteries
had. The Vikings brought fresh economic and political action into Irish life. Viking raids forced
the Irish to unite. In 859 Ireland chose its first high king, but it was not effective because each
time quarrel took place and new high king was chosen. Viking trade led to the first towns and
ports, which was revolutionary for the Celts, who had always lived in small settlements. Dublin
was founded by the Vikings.
The high kingship lasted only twelve years (1002-1014) while Ireland was ruled by Brian Boru
the greatest ruler. He tried to create one single Ireland and encouraged the growth of organization
in the Church, in administration, in learning. Boru died in battle against the Vikings. One of the
five Irish kings, the king of Leinster, fought on the Viking’s side. Just a century later another king

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of Leinster invited the Normans of England to help him against his high king. This gave the
Normans the excuse they wanted to enlarge their kingdom.
Scotland

The old name for this land was Alba, or Albainn, then 'Scotia' and the Romans called it 'Caledonia'.
The Picts originally lived in what is now Scotland. They were given the name 'Pictii' by the Romans,
which meant 'painted people' - they were heavily tattooed and preferred to fight almost naked to
enable them to move quicker in battle. The Scots arrived from the north-east coast of Ireland in the
4th century. The name Scots was from 'Scotii', which meant 'raiders'. For the next 200 or so years they
expanded their territory north and east, alternately warring, mixing, and intermarrying with the Picts.
The Britons inhabited the Lowlands and had been part of the Romano British world. They had given
up their old tribal way of life by the 6th century. The Angles were from Northumbria who had pushed
northwards into the Scottish Lowlands.Unity between Picts, Scots and Britons was achieved because
they shared a common Celtic culture, language and background. They depended on keeping animals.
Tribes held their land and these animals. This idea of common landholding remained strong until the
tribes of Scotland, called “clans”, collapsed in the 18th century. The Angels were very different from
the Celts. They had arrived in Britain in family groups but soon accepted authority from other people
outside their family. They kept some animals but they spent more time growing crops. This meant that
land was held by individuals working in his own field. Land was distributed for farming by the local
lord. The first Christian mission had come to southwest Scotland in about AD400. Through
Columba’s work (who also known as “Dove of the Church” and came from Ireland in 563) both
Highland Scots and Picts were brought to Christianity. Vikings attacked the costal areas of Scotland
and they settled on many of the islands (Isle of Man, Orkney and Shetland). Picts and Scots fought
together against the enemy raiders and settlers. When they could not push them out of the islands and
costal areas they had to deal with them politically. At first the Vikings served the king of Norway but
slowly the earls of Orkney and others found it easier to accept the king of Scots. Also they discovered
the English were greater danger than the Vikings. In 934 the Scots were seriously defeated by a
Wessex army pushing northwards. England was obviously stronger so the Scots decided to seek the
friendship of the English. The hoped if they were reasonably peaceful, the Sasseachs (as they called
the Saxons and still call the English), would leave them alone. Scotland was a difficult country to rule

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because the control of the Highlands and islands was a great problem. Travel was often impossible in
winter and slow in summer. It was easy for a clan chief or noble to throw off the rule of the king.