Hanes Gymru History of Wales


Yr oedd y Celtiaid yn rhywogaeth egnïol, artistig a rhyfelgar. Dechreuasant ymledu i Brydain i gychwyn o Ganolbarth Ewrop tua 1000 CC, ac y mae nifer fawr o fryngeyrydd o ddiwedd yr Oes Efydd a’r Oes Haearn o tua 600 CC i’w gweld yng Nghymru.
The Celts, an energetic, artistic and war-like race first began to spread into Britain from Central Europe around 1,000 BC, and hill forts from the late Bronze Age and Iron Age, from around 600BC are found extensively in Wales.


Gohiriodd gwrthsafiad ffyrnig y llwythau Celtaidd oruchafiaeth y llengoedd Rhufeinig tua 400 CC Arhosodd Cymru Rufeinig yn gyffindir, ond ni newidiwyd bywyd y rhan fwyaf o’r Celtiaid. Fodd bynnag pan aeth y Rhufeiniaid dair canrif yn ddiweddarach, gadawsant gymynrodd barhaol o ffyrdd, caerau, argaeau a thechnoleg mwyngloddio soffistigedig.


Fierce resistance by the Celtic tribes delayed the conquests of the Roman legions c. 400 AD. Roman Wales has always remained a frontier zone but the lives of most Celtic peoples were not changed. But when the Romans left three centuries later, they left a permanent legacy of roads, forts, dykes and sophisticated mining technology.


Wedi cwymp Rhufain, datblygodd Cymru’r Oesoedd Canol yn fyrdd o freniniaethau bychain annibynnol oroesodd am nifer o ganrifoedd er na lwyddodd Cymru i ddod yn uned boliticaidd sengl; serch hynny dwysaodd y pwysau cynyddol gan reolwyr Eingl Sacsonaidd yn Lloegr yr ymdeimlad o hunaniaeth genedlaethol Gymreig.
Following the fall of Rome Wales of the Dark Ages became a myriad of small independent kingdoms, which survived for a number of centuries although Wales never succeeded in becoming a single political unit; however increasing pressure west from Anglo Saxon rulers in England heightened a sense of Welsh national identity.


Gwelodd y 5ed a’r 6ed ganrif ledaeniad Cristnogaeth drwy Gymru – ac yn yr 8fed ganrif codwyd ffin yr enwog Glawdd Offa, gorglawdd pridd o waith llaw dyn. Bygythiwyd Cymru gan ymosodiadau ffyrnig y Llychlynwyr o gyfeiriad y mÛ ôr a chafwyd peth llwyddiant yn erbyn yr ysbeilwyr yma, gan uno Cymru dros dro dan lywodraeth Rhodri Mawr (850 OC).


The 5th and 6th centuries saw the spread of christianity through Wales – and 8th century Wales saw the famous Offa’s Dyke, a man-made earth dyke boundary. Fierce attacks by Vikings threatened Wales from the sea and some success was achieved against these raiders, uniting Wales briefly under the rule of Rhodri Mawr (850AD).


Ffurfiodd Hywel Dda wyr Rhodri, gasgliad o ddeddfau ysgrifenedig - Cyfreithiau Hywel Dda - wedi eu seilio ar gyfreithiau brodorol Cymru, ac fe’u gweinyddwyd drwy Gymru hyd yr unfed ganrif ar bymtheg pan ddiddymwyd hwy dan y Ddeddf Uno.
Rhodri’s grandson, Hywel Dda (Hywel the Good) formulated a written code, the laws of Hywel Dda, based on the native laws of Wales, which were adminstered throughout Wales until the sixteenth century when they were abolished by the Act of Union.


Yr oedd y Goncwest Normanaidd yn fygythiad gwirioneddol i Gymru – adeiladwyd cannoedd o gestyll fel amddiffynfeydd – yn gyntaf gan Arglwyddi’r Mers Saesneg ac yna eu hefelychu gan y tywysogion Cymreig.
The Norman Conquest was a very real threat to Wales – many hundreds of castles, as fortifications were built – firstly by English Marcher lords and then imitated by the Welsh Princes.

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Ar ddechrau’r drydedd ganrif ar ddeg gwelwyd adnewyddiad yn nhynged Cymry yn erbyn y Normaniaid pan gymerodd Llewelyn ap Iorwerth o Wynedd fantais ar y gwendid yn llywodraeth y Saeson, i estyn ei ddylanwad drwy Gymru gyfan, a lwyddodd ei ý yr Llewelyn ap Gruffydd i wneud hyn a chymryd y teitl ‘Tywysog Cymru’, ond rhoddodd esgyniad Edward I i’r orsedd (un o’r brenhinoedd Seisnig mwyaf grymus yn y canol oesoedd) ddiwedd ar unrhyw obaith am annibyniaeth i Gymru. Lladdwyd Llewelyn, Tywysog olaf Cymru, mewn brwydr ym 1282. Rôl Edward yng Nghymru oedd gorchfygwr pwerus.


The beginning of the thirteenth century saw the revival of Welsh fortunes against the Normans when Llewelyn ap Iorweth of Gwynedd took advantage of the weakness in English rule, to extend his influence to the whole of Wales and his grandson, Llewelyn ap Gruffydd contrived this and assumed the title ‘The Prince of Wales’ but Edward I’s accession to the throne (one of the most powerful of English medieval monarchs) ended any hope of Welsh independence. Llewelyn, Wales’ last Prince, was killed in battle in 1282. Edward’s role in Wales was that of an all-powerful conqueror.


Fe fu un gwrthryfel arall yn erbyn gorsedd Lloegr yn gynnar yn y 15fed ganrif pan gadarnhaodd Owain Glyndr ei afael ar y rhan fwyaf o Gymru a cheisio dod ­ digwyddiadau a sefydliadau cenedlaethol. Byr y parhaodd y gefnogaeth newydd yma ac erbyn 1410 daeth y gwrthryfel i ben ac yr oedd gorchfygiad yn golygu bod y Cymry bellach yn ddinasyddion eilradd, heb hawl i gario arfau na dal swydd.
There was to be one more rebellion against the English throne when, in early 15th century, Owain Glyndwr consolidated his hold over much of Wales and attempted to bring in reforms and national institutions. This resurgence was short lived and by 1410 the rebellion had petered out and defeat meant that the Welsh were now to become second class citizens, not allowed to bear arms or hold office.


Yn 1536 cyflwynodd mab Harri’r VII (anwyd yn Sir Benfro ac a ddaeth i orsedd Lloegr ym 1485) Ddeddf Uno rhwng Lloegr a Chymru – uniad politicaidd a chyfreithiol cyflawn. Dechreuodd hyn broses graddol o Seisnigeiddio a daeth Llundain yn ganolbwynt i Gymry uchelgeisiol.
In 1536 Henry VII’s son (born in Pembrokeshire) and who gained the English throne in 1485, brought about the Act of Union between England and Wales – a complete political and legal union. This began a gradual process of anglicisation and London became the focus for ambitious Welsh men.

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Gyda’r Uno daeth y Diwygiad Protestannaidd. Yn dyngedfennol i’r iaith, cyfieithwyd y Beibl i’r Gymraeg ym 1588 a hynny’n sicrhau goroesiad yr iaith Gymraeg.


With the Union came the Reformation of the Church. Crucially for the language, the Bible was translated into Welsh in 1588 which ensured the survival of the Welsh language.


Yn ystod y 18fed ganrif yr oedd cyfnewidiadau mawr i gymryd lle fel y gwyrdrodd Methodistiaeth – diwygiad crefyddol newydd – a’r Chwyldro Diwydiannol Gymru hanes i Gymru heddiw. Ymledodd y diwygiad Methodistaidd dros Gymru a chryfhau safle’r iaith Gymraeg ac adfywio traddodiadau’r Eisteddfod.
During the 18th century major changes were to take place as Methodism – a new religious revival - and the Industrial Revolution both wrenched the Wales of history into the Wales of today. The Methodist revival swept Wales and strengthened the position of the Welsh language and revived the traditions of the Eisteddfod.


Fodd bynnag, nid y chwyldro crefyddol na’r diwylliannol oedd i gael yr effaith fwyaf parhaol ar y gymdeithas Gymreig, ond yn hytrach cyflymder y newid economaidd yn ystod y 18fed ganrif yn trawsnewid economi Cymru o un amaethyddol i un diwydiannol.


However, it was neither the religious nor the cultural revolution that was to have the most enduring effect on Welsh society, rather, the accelerating pace of economic change during the 18th century transforming the Welsh economy from an agrarian to an industrial base.


Cafwyd bod cyfoeth o lo a haearn ym mynyddoedd Cymru – y ddau ddefnydd allweddol i doddi haearn. Sicrhawyd y ffyniant mewn haearn gan yr angen am gyflenwad militaraidd a dyfodiad oes y rheilffordd. Erbyn 1827 yr oedd De Cymru yn cynhyrchu 50% o allforion haearn Prydain. Erbyn 1913 yr oedd 57 mil tunnell o lo yn cael ei gloddio yn Ne Cymru, dros 50% i’w allforio, a chyflogid 250,000 o lowyr yn y diwydiant.


Welsh mountains were found to be rich in coal and iron – two key ingredients needed to smelt iron. The iron boom was sustained by the need for military supplies and the arrival of the railway age. By 1827 South Wales was producing 50% of Britain’s iron exports. By 1913 57 million tons of coal was mined in South Wales, over 50% for export, and 250,000 miners were employed by the industry.

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Daeth diwydiant a gwell ffyrdd a rheilffyrdd, a thyfodd Caerdydd yn gyflym iawn gan ddod yn borthladd mwya’r byd yn allforio glo.


Industrialisation brought greatly improved roads and railways, and Cardiff grew at an enormous rate, becoming the world’s largest port for coal exports.


Yr oedd yr amgylchiadau byw difrifol o ganlyniad i drefoliad cyflym cymoedd De Cymru yn well na’r tlodi anobeithiol a’r diffyg cyfleoedd am ddyrchafiad yn yr ardaloedd gwledig. Yr oedd anniddigrwydd cymdeithasol dybryd yn rhemp yn y 19edd ganrif ac yn ardaloedd gwledig gorllewin Cymru gwelwyd terfysg yn erbyn y tollbyrth a’r tlotai atgas.
The awful living conditions brought about by rapid urbanisation of the South Wales valleys were preferable to the hopeless poverty and lack of opportunities for advancement in the rural areas. Profound social discontent was rife in 19th century and rural west Wales saw riots against the hated tollgates and workhouses.


Daeth gwir symbyliad am newid sylfaenol erbyn diwedd y 1890au pan oedd y Rhyddfrydwyr mewn grym a gyda dyfodiad David Lloyd George y Cymro radical ddaeth yn Ganghellor y Trysorlys ac yna’n Brif Weinidog
Real impetus for fundamental change came by the end of the 1890’s, with the Liberals in control, and saw the rise of the radical Welshman David Lloyd George, to become Chancellor of the Exchequer and then Prime Minister.


Cafodd y Rhyfel Mawr, dorrodd allan ym 1914, effaith ddramatig ar fywyd a chrefydd Cymru, a chliriodd y llwyfan i fuddugoliaeth y Blaid Lafur. Erbyn y 1930au yr oedd goruchafiaeth Llafur yn y glofeydd yn llwyr.
The Great War which broke out in 1914 had a dramatic impact on Welsh life and religion and cleared the stage for the triumph of the Labour Party. By the 1930s Labour’s dominance was absolute in the coalfields.

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Rhwng y ddau ryfel dioddefodd Cymru ddirwasgiad economaidd gawr, a lledodd y bwlch rhwng Cymru wledig a diwydiannol.
Between both wars there was an economic depression that was to hit Wales hard, and a widening gap between rural and industrial Wales.


Erbyn 1945 ac wedi’r Ail Ryfel Byd, cychwynnodd y llywodraeth raglen o bwys i hybu diwydiant newydd yng Nghymru. Yn ystod yr amser yma a thwf Undebau Llafur yr ymddangosodd llawer o arweinwyr politicaidd blaenllaw, Aneurin Bevan yr enwocaf ohonynt – arloeswr y Gwasanaeth Iechyd Cenedlaethol yn Llywodraeth Lafur Prydain wedi’r rhyfel.


By 1945 and post Second World War, the government started a major programme encouraging new industry into Wales. It was during this time and the growth of Trade Unionism, that gave birth to many leading politicians; the most celebrated being Aneurin Bevan – pioneer of the National Health Service in Britain’s post-war Labour Government.


Erbyn canol y 50au llwyddodd Cymru i gael bron i gyflogaeth llawn, ond yn y 60au caewyd mwy o byllau ac yr oedd yn amser caled ar y diwydiant haearn. Yr oedd yn rhaid i Gymru amrywio’i sylfaen diwydiannol wedi hynny.
By mid 1950s Wales had achieved nearly full employment, but the 1960’s brought more pit closures and hard times for the steel industry. Wales then had to diversify its industrial base.


Y brif sialens boliticaidd i’r Blaid Lafur yng Nghymru yn ystod y 60au a’r 70au oedd Plaid Cymru – a ddaeth yn rhan o’r olygfa boliticaidd yn ddramatig pan enillodd eu Llywydd, Dr Gwynfor Evans isetholiad Caerfyrddin ym 1966.
The main political challenge to the Labour Party in Wales during the ‘60s and ‘70s was Plaid Cymru (the Welsh Nationalist Party) – entering the political scene dramatically in the 1966 Carmarthen by-election won by their President, Dr. Gwynfor Evans.


Erbyn diwedd y 60au yr oedd galw mawr am ddatganoli o San Steffan, ac yr oedd buddugoliaeth Plaid Cymru yn Etholiad Cyffredinol 1974 a’r llwyddiannau cenedlaethol cyfatebol yn yr Alban, yn rhoi datganoli Cymreig ac Albanaidd yn gadarn ar yr agenda boliticaidd. Yn y refferendwm 1979 mynegodd 80% o’r rhai bleidleisiodd eu gwrthwynebiad i sefydlu Cynulliad.
By late 60s there was a strong call for devolution of power from Westminster and the 1974 General Election saw more Plaid Cymru victories paralleled by nationalist triumphs in Scotland which placed Welsh and Scottish devolution firmly on the political agenda. The 1979 referendum saw 80% of those who voted expressing their opposition to the setting up on an Assembly.


Ddegawd yn ddiweddarach, ym 1999, yn dilyn refferendwm fwriodd bleidlais gadarnhaol o blaid datganoli (heb rym amrywio trethi), sefydlwyd Cynulliad Cymreig newydd i roi fframwaith politicaidd newydd i Gymru.
A decade late, in 1999, following a referendum returning a ‘Yes’ vote in favour of devolution, (with no tax-raising power) the new Welsh Assembly was established, to provide a new political framework for Wales.

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