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A bheil sibh eòlach air Offa’s Dyke? Tha e gu ìre na chrìoch eadar Sasainn agus a’ Chuimrigh. Thog rìgh Sagsannach Mhercia, fear Offa, e. Bha sin anns an ochdamh linn.

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ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Cha do chuir Offa’s Dyke stad air an nàimhdeas eadar na Sasannaich ʼs na Cuimrich, ge-tà. Dh’fhàs rìoghachd aonaichte Shasainn cumhachdach. Dh’aithnich an rìgh Sasannach Eanraig III ceannard Cuimreach – Llywelyn ap Gruffydd – mar Phrionnsa na Cuimrigh ann an dà cheud deug, seasgad ʼs a seachd (1267).

Ach rinn Llywelyn mearachd. Chaochail Eanraig agus thàinig a mhac, Eideard I, don rìgh-chathair. Cha deach Llywelyn a Lunnainn airson crùnadh an rìgh ùir. Agus dhiùlt e cuideachd gabhail ri Eideard mar uachdaran.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Ann an dà cheud deug, seachdad ʼs a seachd (1277) thug na Sasannaich ionnsaigh mhòr air a’ Chuimrigh. Thog Eideard tòrr chaistealan mòra. Agus thug e air na Cuimrich gabhail ri laghan Shasainn.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Ach cha robh na Cuimrich air an ceannsachadh buileach. Anns a’ bhliadha ceithir cheud deug (1400), bha ar-a-mach mòr ann. Bha Owain Glyndŵr aig a cheann. Bha planaichean aig Glyndŵr a’ Chuimrigh a stèidheachadh mar phrionnsalachd neo-eisimeileach. Thug daoine air feadh na Cuimrigh taic dha. Ghairm e pàrlamaid ann am Machynlleth.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Bha caraidean aig Glyndŵr am measg uaislean Shasainn. Agus bha co-chòrdadh aige leis an Fhraing. Chuir na Frangaich feachd gu ruige Worcester ann an Sasainn ach cha robh iad soirbheachail. An dèidh sin, thòisich cùisean air a dhol an aghaidh nan Cuimreach. Ann an ceithir cheud deug ʼs a h-ochd (1408) bha smachd aig na Sasannaich air ceann a deas agus meadhan na Cuimrigh. Ach lean an t-ar-a-mach anns a’ cheann a tuath airson greis. Chaidh Glyndŵr à fianais. Chan eil fios dè thachair dha.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Ann an achdan pàrlamaid ann am meadhan an t-siathamh linn deug, chaidh a’ Chuimrigh aonachadh le Sasainn fon aon riaghaltas agus an aon lagh. Ge-tà, ged a tha an cànan air crìonadh, tha i fhathast làidir an coimeas ris na cànanan Ceilteach eile. O chionn dà bhliadhna, bha mi ann an cafaidh ann an Llanrwst, baile beag anns a’ cheann a tuath. Bha mu dhà fhichead duine ann, agus bha iad uile a’ bruidhinn Cuimris.

Do you know Offa’s Dyke? It’s pretty much a border between England and Wales. The Saxon king of Mercia, Offa, built it. That was in the eighth century.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Offa’s Dyke didn’t stop the enmity between the English and the Welsh, however. The united English kingdom grew powerful. The English king Henry III recognised the Welsh leader – Llywelyn ap Gruffydd – as Prince of Wales in 1267.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý But Llywelyn made a mistake. Henry died and his son, Edward I, came to the throne. Llywelyn didn’t go to London for the coronation of the new king. And he also refused to accept Edward as his overlord.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý In 1277 the English made a strong attack on Wales. Edward built many big castles. And he forced the Welsh to accept the laws of England.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý But the Welsh were not entirely subdued. In the year 1400, there was a big revolt. Owain Glyndŵr was at its head. Glyndŵr had plans to establish Wales as an independent principality. People throughout Wales gave him support. He called a parliament in Machynlleth.

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ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Glyndŵr had friends among the English elites. And he had an alliance with France. The French sent a force to Worcester in England but they were not successful. After that, matters started to go against the Welsh. In 1408 the English had control of southern and central Wales. But the revolt continued in the north for a while. Glyndŵr disappeared. It’s not known what happened to him.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý In acts of parliament in the middle of the sixteenth century, Wales was united with England under the same government and law. However, although the language has declined, it is still strong in comparison with the other Celtic languages. Two years ago I was in a cafe in Llanrwst, a small town in the north. About forty people were present, and they were all speaking Welsh.