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PRINCE OF WALES

Wales used to be a self-ruling country until the late Middle Ages. Its Celtic inhabitants, called Welsh by the Anglo-Saxons, referred to themselves as Cymry, meaning “fellow countrymen”. They lived in small tribes led by village chiefs. As some of their tribal leaders gained control over larger lands, and their descendants subsequently increased their powers, several small feudal principalities emerged. Gwynedd, located in the north, gradually began to dominate them, its growing importance deriving from the natural features of the land. The mountains of Snowdonia provided a perfect defence against external enemies, while fertile coastal areas were the source of wealth. In the first half of the thirteenth century its ruler Llewelyn ap (son of) Iorwerth united the whole country and became the first prince of Wales.
However, the golden age of independent and united Wales was over almost as soon as it had begun. Llewelyn II ap Gruffyd, the greatson of the great ruler, was defeated by English king Edward I ‘Longshanks’ in 1282, imprisoned in the dark dungeons of the Tower of London and later murdered. Having conquered Wales, Edward was determined to incorporate it into his kingdom. In order to ensure English supremacy over its new territorial gains he began an expensive programme of castle building in Wales.
One of the huge stone fortresses was erected in the town of Caernarfon. The building of this castle had just begun when the king met a delegation of Welsh nobles there in 1284. They begged him to maintain at least some form of Welsh autonomy. Edward answered that he could only promise to give the title of Prince of Wales to someone who could not speak a word of English. The Welsh could not believe their luck, but they were not very happy soon afterwards when they realised how the king was going to keep his promise: he made his own baby son (later King Edward II) Prince of Wales. Indeed, young Edward, an infant of a few months, was unable to speak a word in English; in fact, he couldn’t speak any word at all.
From that time on, the eldest son of the ruling of the ruling king or queen is first made Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle before succeeding to the British throne. The current heir to the throne, Prince Charles, received this title when he turned eighteen in 1969 at a public ceremony at the castle, which nowadays operates as a magnificent local history museum.

1. Who were the first inhabitants of Wales?
2. How was Wales protected from outside enemies?
3. When and how Wales lost their independence?
4. How did the king Edward was trying to maintain his supremacy in Wales?
5. Why is the eldest son of the ruling king or queen titled Prince of Wales?