Timeline of Welsh history facts for kids

Welcome to the exciting timeline of Welsh history! This page will take you on a journey through the most important events, changes in land, and political moments that shaped Wales into the country it is today. Get ready to discover how people lived, fought, and built a nation over thousands of years!

Ancient Times: Early People in Wales

Stone Age: Hunters and Farmers

• Around 31,000 BC: The oldest known human burial in Wales was found on the Gower Peninsula in Swansea. This person, sometimes called the Red Lady of Paviland (even though it was a man!), lived about 33,000 years ago.
• Around 6000 BC: After the ice age ended and sea levels settled, Wales started to look like it does now. People called Mesolithic hunter-gatherers lived here, finding their food by hunting animals and gathering plants.
• Around 4000 BC: The first farming communities began in Wales. This was the start of the Neolithic period. You can still see huge stone tombs from this time, like the Pentre Ifan Dolmen in Pembrokeshire.

Bronze and Iron Ages: Metals and Hillforts

• Around 2500–2100 BC: People in Wales started using metal tools! They dug for copper in mines in central and northern Wales. At first, tools were made from copper, then later from bronze (a mix of copper, tin, and lead).
• Around 2500–700 BC: Wales was part of a big trading network across the Atlantic. People traded things like tin, lead, and even hunting dogs for fancy items like amber and glass.
• Around 650 BC: Iron tools began to be made. Some of the earliest iron items found in Wales came from Llyn Fawr in South Wales.
• Around 400 BC: Iron Age settlements, like small hillforts, started appearing. Two early ones were Castell Odo and Lodge Wood Camp near Caerleon.
• Around 150 BC: Gold coins were being made in Wales, copying designs from ancient Macedonia.
• 54 BC: The Roman writer Tacitus later wrote that Welsh people helped fight off Julius Caesar's second invasion of Britain.

Roman Times: The 1st to 4th Centuries

Roman Conquest and Rule

• 48 AD: The Romans began their conquest of Wales. The Deceangli tribe in the northeast quickly surrendered to the Roman general.
• 51 AD: A chieftain named Caratacus encouraged the Silures and Ordovices tribes to fight the Romans, but they were eventually defeated. Caratacus was captured and sent to Rome.
• 52 AD: A Roman legion (a large army unit) was defeated by the Silures.
• Around 75 AD: The Silures were finally defeated. The Romans built a market town called Venta Silurum (modern-day Caerwent) and a large fort at Caerleon for their army.
• 77 AD: Roman general Gnaeus Julius Agricola defeated the Ordovices tribe.
• 78 AD: Gaius Suetonius Paulinus completed the Roman conquest of Wales, ending with a campaign to capture Anglesey. The Romans had to develop new fighting methods because of Wales's tough landscape.

Life Under Roman Influence

• Around 100–200 AD: Roman rule in Wales was different from other parts of Britain. There weren't many Roman towns, but there were roads, camps, and forts. The Romans used Wales for its metal ores and some coal.
• Around 150 AD: According to the writer Ptolemy, Wales was home to five main Celtic tribes: the Ordovices, Silures, Demetae, Deceangli, and Gangani.
• Around 162 AD: Llandaff was likely the site of the first Christian church built in Wales.
• 3rd Century: There is evidence that Christianity was present in Gwent.
• Around 280 AD: Grapevines were brought to Britain, including Glamorganshire, starting the growth of grapes for wine. New fruit trees, vegetables, and game animals were also introduced.

End of Roman Rule

• 311–313 AD: Laws were passed allowing Christians throughout the Roman Empire to worship freely. Before this, Christians in Wales, like Julius and Aaron, had faced persecution.
• 350–369 AD: Settlers from Ireland moved into Wales, taking advantage of the weaker Roman control.
• 383 AD: Roman rule in Wales effectively ended. The Roman leader Magnus Maximus took many soldiers from Wales for his campaigns in Europe, leaving Wales undefended.
• Around 389 AD: Invaders from Ireland, Scotland, and Saxony began to fill the gap left by the Romans.

Early Welsh Kingdoms: 5th to 10th Centuries

Emergence of Welsh Kingdoms

• 410 AD: The Roman army left Britain. This led to the rise of independent Welsh kingdoms, mainly Gwynedd (in the north), Demetia (later Dyfed, in the south), and Powys (in the east).
• Around 430 AD: Germanus of Auxerre helped spread Christianity in Wales. As a former general, he even led a British force against raiders near Mold.
• Around 450 AD: Cunedda Wledig, possibly a Roman-British leader, came "from the north" and founded Gwynedd by driving out the Irish settlers.
• Around 480 AD: Tydfil, a daughter of the king of Brycheiniog, was killed at Merthyr. She later became Saint Tydfil.
• Around 490 AD: Dubricius became archbishop of Caerleon and Llandaff. He founded several schools and places of refuge.

Saints and Kings

• Around 500–542 AD: This is the time when the legendary King Arthur is said to have lived. Early writers mention him, but modern historians see him as a mix of old stories and tales of knights.
• Around 500–589 AD: This was the time of Dewi ap Sanctus, who later became patron saint of Wales.
• 519 AD: Bishop Dubricius led a meeting called the Synod of Brefi. He resigned and suggested that Bishop Dewi take his place, which was approved.
• Around 522 AD: Dewi moved the main church seat to Mynyw, which became known as St David's.
• 547 AD: Maelgwn Gwynedd, king of Gwynedd, died. He was known for helping to set up Christian churches across Wales. He might have died from the bubonic plague, which was spreading across Europe.
• Around 560 AD: Bishop Dewi died. His church at Menevia was renamed Ty Ddewi (The House of David) in his honor.

Battles and Borders

• Around 600 AD: The words Cymry (for Welsh people) and Cymru (for Wales) were already being used by people to describe themselves and their country.
• 615/616 AD: The Battle of Chester took place between the Anglo-Saxons and the native Britons.
• 630 AD: A Welsh and Mercian alliance, led by King Cadwallon of Gwynedd and Penda of Mercia, defeated the army of King Edwin of Northumbria at the Battle of Cefn Digoll.
• 633/4 AD: Cadwallon ap Cadfan, king of Gwynedd, died in battle in northern England.
• Around 655–682 AD: This was the reign of Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon, king of Gwynedd.
• 700–750 AD: The kingdom of Mercia expanded west, pushing the Welsh kingdom of Powys back into the mountains. The Welsh fought back with raids to try and regain their fertile lands.
• Around 753 AD: An invading army from Wessex was pushed back by the Welsh at Hereford.
• Around 755–794 AD: Offa of Mercia and Cynewulf of Wessex campaigned strongly along the border with Wales. The Welsh lost lands they would never get back, and this largely set the eastern borders of Wales we see today.
• Around 757–796 AD: Offa's Dyke was built along the Wales–England border to mark the boundary between Mercia and Powys. Recent discoveries suggest it might have been built much earlier and over a long period.
• 768 AD: The Welsh church adopted the Catholic way of calculating Easter, thanks to bishop Elfodd.
• 795/6 AD: A battle took place at Rhuddlan Marsh between the Saxons and Welsh.
• Around 798 AD: When the kings of Gwynedd and Dyfed died fighting the Mercians, Cynan ap Rhodri became the next king of Gwynedd.

The Rise of Rhodri the Great and Hywel Dda

• 825 AD: Egbert of Wessex defeated the Mercians and claimed power over Wales.
• Around 828 AD: Nennius, a Welsh monk, is thought to have written Historia Brittonum, a history of the Britons.
• 844 AD: Rhodri ap Merfyn (later known as Rhodri the Great) became King of Gwynedd, Powys, and Deheubarth, uniting these three kingdoms under one ruler.
• Around 873 AD: When Rhodri the Great died fighting the Saxons, his three eldest sons became regional rulers, dividing his lands.
• 877 AD: One of Rhodri's sons, Cadell ap Rhodri, invaded Powys and took his brother Merfyn's land.
• Around 885 AD: Several Welsh kings accepted Alfred the Great's authority. A Welsh cleric named Asser joined Alfred and later wrote his biography.
• 893 AD: A combined Anglo-Saxon and Welsh force defeated Danish Vikings at the Battle of Buttington. Later that year, Vikings raided north Wales.
• 904 AD: Hywel ap Cadell (grandson of Rhodri the Great) married the daughter of the late king of Dyfed, inheriting that kingdom.
• 920 AD: Hywel ap Cadell united the kingdoms of Dyfed and Seisyllwg to create the new realm of Deheubarth ("southern district").
• Around 926 AD: Hywel gathered leaders from all over Wales to create a set of laws for the whole country. He even took them to Rome for the Pope's approval.
• 928 AD: King Æthelstan of England asserted his power over the Welsh kings and set the border between England and Wales at the River Wye. This might have been the first time a border dispute was settled by talking, not fighting.
• 943 AD: Hywel ap Cadell, now known as Hywel Dda ("Hywel the Good"), took control of Gwynedd and eventually most of Wales.
• 948 AD: King Hywel Dda died, leading to many years of fighting between Welsh families, as well as battles with the Saxons and Danes.
• 986 AD: Maredudd ab Owain captured the kingdom of Gwynedd, which was later joined with Deheubarth. Danes invaded in the south.
• 987 AD: Norse king Godfrey Haroldson, who had raided Wales before, took two thousand people from Anglesey for ransom.
• 996 AD: Vikings attacked St David's in Pembrokeshire and killed the bishop.

Medieval Wales: 11th to 15th Centuries

Norman Influence and Welsh Resistance

• Around 1000 AD: Aeddan ap Blegywryd took control of north Wales.
• 1018 AD: Llywelyn ap Seisyll defeated Aeddan and took control of Gwynedd and Powys.
• 1022 AD: Llywelyn ap Seisyll also took control of south Wales.
• 1023 AD: After Llywelyn ap Seisyll died, Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig became ruler of Gwynedd and Powys.
• 1039 AD: Iago ab Idwal ap Meurig was killed, and Gruffydd ap Llywelyn (Llywelyn ap Seisyll's son) became ruler of Gwynedd and Powys.
• 1055 AD: Gruffydd ap Llywelyn attacked Hereford, taking control of several areas in Wales and along the English border.
• 1056 AD: Gruffydd ap Llywelyn defeated an English army. Around this time, he started to be seen as the true King of Wales.
• 1063 AD: Gruffydd ap Llywelyn died. The Welsh kingdoms were ruled separately for a short time before the Norman invasion of Wales. Bleddyn ap Cynfyn became king of Gwynedd.
• 1067 AD: Gwent was invaded by William FitzOsbern, 1st Earl of Hereford and his followers, becoming the first Welsh kingdom to be taken over after the Norman conquest of England the year before.
• 1070 AD: Bleddyn ap Cynfyn became king of both Gwynedd and Powys.
• 1075 AD: Bleddyn ap Cynfyn's death led to a civil war, allowing the Normans to seize land in northern Wales.
• 1081 AD: Gruffudd ap Cynan became king of Gwynedd but was soon captured by Norman invaders. William the Conqueror led a Norman army into Deheubarth.
• 1094–1098 AD: A Welsh revolt against Norman rule led to the Welsh regaining their lands. William II of England tried to stop the revolt in north Wales but had little success.
• 1098 AD: The Normans were defeated at the Battle of Anglesey Sound, allowing Gruffudd ap Cynan to return from exile.

Welsh Princes and English Kings

• 1100 AD: After the death of William II, much of Wales was under Welsh rule, but there wasn't a strong national identity due to constant local power struggles.
• Around 1106 AD: Construction began on Ogmore Castle in Glamorgan, one of the earliest Norman stone castles in South Wales.
• 1131 AD: Tintern Abbey, the first Cistercian monastery in Wales, was founded in Monmouthshire.
• 1136 AD: Welsh rebels defeated Norman forces at the Battle of Llwchwr.
• 1136 AD: Owain ap Gruffudd and Gruffydd ap Rhys defeated the Normans at the Battle of Crug Mawr and took over Ceredigion.
• 1137 AD: Owain ap Gruffudd (later known as Owain Gwynedd) became king of Gwynedd.
• 1157 AD: Owain Gwynedd's army forced Henry II's larger army to retreat at the Battle of Ewloe. Owain later submitted to Henry but kept his rule and land.
• 1160 AD: After the death of Madog ap Maredudd, the kingdom of Powys was split into two parts: Powys Fadog and Powys Wenwynwyn.
• 1170 AD: Owain Gwynedd died, causing chaos in Gwynedd. His son Dafydd took over, but he lost control of south Wales to Rhys ap Gruffydd.
• 1172 AD: Rhys ap Gruffydd was appointed justice of south Wales by Henry II, becoming the effective ruler in Henry's place.
• 1176 AD: Rhys ap Gruffydd hosted a gathering of poets, musicians, and performers at Cardigan Castle. This is now seen as the first recorded eisteddfod.
• 1194 AD: Llywelyn ap Iorwerth defeated his uncle Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd and took control of Gwynedd.
• 1194 AD: Gerald of Wales wrote Descriptio Cambriae, describing Wales as a nation with clear borders and a shared identity.

The Princes of Wales and English Rule

• 1200 AD: By this time, Welsh regional rulers started using the title "prince" instead of "king."
• 1201 AD: Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Gwynedd, signed a treaty with King John of England.
• 1205 AD: Llywelyn the Great strengthened his position by marrying King John's illegitimate daughter Joan.
• 1211 AD: King John invaded Gwynedd, forcing Llywelyn to make peace.
• 1212 AD: Welsh leaders rallied behind Llywelyn the Great, who recaptured all of Gwynedd.
• 1215 AD: Llywelyn helped English barons against King John. When King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta, Llywelyn gained important rights for Wales, especially regarding its own laws.
• 1218 AD: Llywelyn overcame all opposition in Wales and was recognized as the leading Welsh ruler by the English crown in the Treaty of Worcester.
• 1240 AD: Llywelyn the Great died. His son Dafydd ap Llywelyn became Prince of Gwynedd, but King Henry III tried to weaken Welsh unity.
• 1244 AD: King Henry III of England attacked Gwynedd. Dafydd called himself Prince of Wales and tried to make Wales a vassal state to the Pope to free it from English rule, but this was denied.
• 1246 AD: Dafydd ap Llywelyn died. His nephew Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (grandson of Llywelyn the Great) eventually became Prince of Gwynedd.
• 1258 AD: Llywelyn ap Gruffudd began using the title "Prince of Wales."
• 1267 AD: King Henry III accepted Llywelyn ap Gruffudd as Prince of Wales under the Treaty of Montgomery.
• 1282 AD: Llywelyn ap Gruffudd died at the Battle of Orewin Bridge. His brother Dafydd ap Gruffydd took over, also calling himself Prince of Wales.
• 1283 AD: Dafydd ap Gruffydd was captured by King Edward I of England and later executed.
• 1284 AD: King Edward I passed the Statute of Rhuddlan, which set up the government for the Principality of North Wales.
• 1294–1295 AD: Madog ap Llywelyn led a Welsh revolt against English rule, claiming the title of "Prince of Wales." He was defeated and captured.

Owain Glyndŵr's Rebellion

• 1301 AD: Edward of Carnarvon was invested as the first English Prince of Wales. From this point on, the title was given to the heir to the English (and later British) throne.
• 1316 AD: Llywelyn Bren launched a surprise attack on Caerphilly Castle in a revolt against English rule. He surrendered after six weeks.
• 1318 AD: Llywelyn Bren was unlawfully executed at Cardiff Castle.
• 1326 AD: King Edward II retreated to Wales but was captured by rebels and later gave up his crown.
• 1372 AD: Owain Lawgoch announced his intention to claim the throne of Wales and prepared for an invasion.
• 1384 AD: Owain Glyndŵr joined the army of King Richard II of England.
• 1399 AD: King Richard II sought safety at Conwy Castle but surrendered to Henry Bolingbroke at Flint Castle.
• 1401 AD: Conwy Castle was taken by Owain Glyndŵr's supporters.
• 1401 AD: The Battle of Mynydd Hyddgen was the first major victory for Glyndŵr's Welsh rebels.
• 1401 AD: At the Battle of Tuthill in Caernarfon, Owain Glyndŵr first raised his royal flag, which had a golden dragon on a white background.
• 1402 AD: The Battle of Bryn Glas ended in victory for Owain Glyndŵr, continuing the Welsh rebellion.
• 1404 AD: Owain Glyndŵr held a Welsh Parliament in Machynlleth, where he was crowned Prince of Wales.
• 1405 AD: The Tripartite Indenture was agreed, planning to divide Wales and England between Owain Glyndŵr, Henry Percy, and Edmund Mortimer.
• 1405 AD: The Battle of Pwll Melyn was the first major defeat for Owain Glyndŵr.
• 1405 AD: French forces landed at Milford Haven to support Owain Glyndŵr. He held his second Welsh Parliament at Harlech Castle.
• 1406 AD: Owain Glyndŵr wrote the "Pennal Letter" to the King of France, outlining his plans for an independent Wales.
• 1409 AD: Harlech Castle was captured by English forces. Glyndŵr and his supporters fled to the mountains.
• 1415 AD: The Glyndŵr Rising ended. This is the approximate date of Owain Glyndŵr's death.
• 1415 AD: Welsh archers played a key role in King Henry V of England's victory at the Battle of Agincourt.
• 1421 AD: Owain Glyndŵr's son, Maredudd ab Owain Glyndŵr, finally accepted a pardon from King Henry V.

Wars of the Roses and Tudor Rise

• 1437 AD: Work began on building the current Raglan Castle.
• Around 1451 AD: The first large-scale eisteddfod was held in Carmarthen.
• 1468 AD: The soldiers at Harlech Castle surrendered to King Edward IV after a seven-year siege.
• 1471 AD: The Battle of Tewkesbury ended the hopes of the House of Lancaster in the Wars of the Roses. Edward of Westminster became the only Prince of Wales to die in battle.
• 1473 AD: The Court of the President and Council of Wales was set up at Ludlow Castle.
• 1485 AD: Henry Tudor landed in Pembrokeshire and marched through Wales and England. He defeated King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field to become the third and last Welsh-born King of England.
• 1490 AD: Arthur Tudor, King Henry VII's eldest son, was officially invested as Prince of Wales.
• 1498 AD: A rebellion broke out in Meirionydd in north Wales, and the rebels captured Harlech Castle. This was the last medieval revolt in Wales.

Modern Wales: 16th to 21st Centuries

Union with England and New Laws

• 1535–1542 AD: The Laws in Wales Acts replaced Welsh law with English law and created new counties. Wales was officially unified with England.
• 1536 AD: The Dissolution of the monasteries led to many abbeys and priories in Wales being closed down, including Tintern Abbey.
• 1546 AD: Yny lhyvyr hwnn, the first book printed in the Welsh language, was published.
• 1573 AD: The earliest map showing Wales as a separate country from the rest of Great Britain, Cambriae Typus by Humphrey Llwyd, was published in the first modern atlas.
• 1588 AD: The first full translation of the Bible into Welsh, by bishop William Morgan, was published.
• 1606 AD: A new national flag was created for the union of England and Scotland. Wales was not included in the design because it was legally part of England.
• 1607 AD: The Bristol Channel floods caused great damage on the south coast of Wales, especially in Cardiff.
• 1620 AD: Bishop William Morgan's Welsh Bible translation was revised and published again.
• 1640 AD: Cannon production began at Bersham Ironworks.

Civil War and Industrial Beginnings

• 1642/43 AD: The English Civil War reached Wales, with fighting between Parliamentarians and Royalists.
• 1644 AD: The first battle of the English Civil War on Welsh soil took place at Montgomery, and the castle was taken by the Parliamentarians.
• 1646 AD: Many castles in Wales, including Raglan Castle and Denbigh Castle, surrendered to Parliamentary forces.
• 1647 AD: Harlech Castle surrendered to Parliamentary forces. It was the last Royalist stronghold in mainland Britain during the English Civil War.
• 1648 AD: The Battle of St. Fagans took place near Cardiff, a major battle in the Second English Civil War.
• 1649 AD: Aberystwyth Castle and Montgomery Castle were demolished by order of the Commonwealth.
• 1655 AD: Conwy Castle was damaged by order of the English Council of State.
• 1682 AD: A group of Welsh settlers, including Thomas Wynne, sailed to Pennsylvania to avoid religious persecution.
• 1694 AD: The first copper mills opened in the Neath Valley. Copper smelting and refining became a major business in Wales.

Industrial Revolution and Social Change

• 1723 AD: The Workhouse Test Act led to the creation of workhouses in England and Wales to help the poor.
• 1746 AD: The Wales and Berwick Act officially defined "England" as including England, Wales, and Berwick-upon-Tweed.
• 1765 AD: The Cyfarthfa Ironworks opened, starting the production of pig iron using coke blast furnaces.
• 1768 AD: A large amount of copper ore was found at Parys Mountain, Anglesey. This led to the Parys Mine Company becoming the world's most productive copper mining business. Wales dominated the world copper markets.
• 1793 AD: Pont-y-Cafnau, the world's earliest surviving iron railway bridge, was built to transport materials to the Cyfarthfa Ironworks.
• 1797 AD: The Pembrokeshire coast was invaded by Republican France in the Battle of Fishguard. This is often called the "last invasion of Britain."

Victorian Era: Coal, Railways, and Riots

• 1804 AD: The world's first railway journey took place when Richard Trevithick's steam locomotive ran from Penydarren Ironworks to Abercynon.
• 1810/11 AD: William Madocks built a sea wall to reclaim land from the sea for farming, leading to the origins of Porthmadog.
• 1819 AD: The first "provincial" eisteddfod was held in Carmarthen, marking the revival of this traditional Welsh arts festival.
• 1823 AD: The Red Lady of Paviland, a very old human skeleton, was discovered in a cave on the Gower Peninsula.
• 1830 AD: Merthyr Tydfil became the largest town in Wales, mainly due to its iron and coal industries.
• 1831 AD: The Merthyr Rising, an armed uprising, took place as thousands of workers protested their poor wages and conditions.
• 1831 AD: A young miner named Richard Lewis (also known as Dic Penderyn) was hanged for his role in the Merthyr Rising, though he was later proven innocent. He is remembered as a working-class hero.
• 1834 AD: The Poor Law Amendment Act reformed the system for helping the poor in England and Wales.
• 1839 AD: The Newport Rising, an armed rebellion by the Chartism movement, was led by John Frost.
• 1840 AD: Chartist leaders John Frost, Zephaniah Williams, and William Jones were found guilty of treason for the Newport Rising.
• 1840 AD: The Taff Vale Railway, the first steam-powered passenger railway in Wales, officially opened.
• 1841 AD: The population of Wales exceeded one million.
• 1841 AD: Swansea Museum, the oldest museum in Wales, opened.
• 1842 AD: The Rebecca Riots began in south and west Wales, as farmers attacked tollhouses and other symbols of economic hardship.
• 1861 AD: The first official National Eisteddfod as we know it today took place in Aberdare.
• 1865 AD: 153 Welsh settlers established Y Wladfa in Patagonia, Argentina.
• 1875 AD: Cyfarthfa Ironworks was forced to close after more than 100 years of production.
• 1888 AD: The village of Llanwddyn was flooded to create the Lake Vyrnwy reservoir, supplying water to Liverpool.
• 1890 AD: David Lloyd George became a Liberal Member of Parliament for Carnarvon Boroughs.
• 1893 AD: Construction began on the dams for the Elan Valley Reservoirs, which would supply clean drinking water to Birmingham.
• 1894 AD: An explosion at the Albion Colliery in Cilfynydd killed 290 men and boys, one of the worst mining accidents in UK history.

20th Century: Coal, Culture, and Devolution

• 1900–1920 AD: This was the peak of the coal mining industry in Wales, with over 600 mines employing more than 230,000 men.
• 1901 AD: The population of Wales exceeded two million, having doubled in 60 years.
• 1904 AD: The Elan Valley Reservoirs officially opened, with water flowing to Birmingham.
• 1905 AD: Cardiff was granted city status by King Edward VII.
• 1907 AD: The National Museum of Wales and the National Library of Wales were established.
• 1911 AD: Prince Edward was invested as the Prince of Wales in a grand ceremony at Caernarfon Castle.
• 1913 AD: A huge explosion at the Universal Colliery in Senghenydd killed 439 men and boys. It was the worst mining disaster in British history.
• 1916 AD: David Lloyd George became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He was the first Welsh-speaking British prime minister.
• 1920 AD: The Welsh Church Act 1914 took effect, creating the Church in Wales and separating it from the Church of England.
• 1925 AD: The Welsh political party Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru (later Plaid Cymru) was formed.
• 1929 AD: The first Urdd National Eisteddfod, a competitive youth festival, was held.
• 1934 AD: A major explosion at the Gresford Colliery near Wrexham killed 266 men.
• 1936 AD: An arson attack at RAF Penrhos by members of Plaid Genedlaethol Cymru, known as Tân yn Llŷn (Fire in Llŷn), was a defining moment for the party.
• 1947 AD: The British coal industry was nationalized, but this couldn't stop the decline of Welsh coal mining.
• 1947 AD: The first International Musical Eisteddfod was held.
• 1948 AD: A national open-air museum opened at St Fagans Castle near Cardiff.
• 1951 AD: The Snowdonia National Park was designated as the first national park in Wales.
• 1952 AD: Pembrokeshire Coast National Park was designated as the second national park.
• 1955 AD: Cardiff was named the capital city of Wales.
• 1957 AD: Brecon Beacons National Park was designated as the third national park in Wales.
• 1958 AD: Prince Charles was named Prince of Wales.
• 1962 AD: The Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg) was established to campaign for the right to use the Welsh language in all aspects of life.
• 1964 AD: The position of Secretary of State for Wales was created in the UK government.
• 1965 AD: The Llyn Celyn reservoir officially opened, created by flooding the village of Capel Celyn to supply water to Liverpool.
• 1966 AD: Plaid Cymru gained its first seat in the UK Parliament.
• 1966 AD: The Aberfan disaster killed 116 children and 28 adults when a coal waste tip collapsed.
• 1967 AD: The Welsh Language Act 1967 allowed the free use of the Welsh language in some political and legal proceedings.
• 1969 AD: Prince Charles was invested as the Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle. This televised event was watched by 500 million people worldwide.
• 1971 AD: Offa's Dyke Path, a long-distance walking trail along the Wales–England border, officially opened.
• 1979 AD: In the first Welsh devolution referendum, voters decided against establishing a devolved assembly for Wales.
• 1986 AD: The Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd became the first World Heritage Site in Wales.
• 1997 AD: The second Welsh devolution referendum resulted in a small majority voting in favor of forming a devolved assembly for Wales.
• 1998 AD: The Government of Wales Act 1998 became law, allowing a National Assembly for Wales to be established.
• 1999 AD: The first National Assembly for Wales election was held.
• 1999 AD: Queen Elizabeth II and Charles, Prince of Wales, officially opened the Welsh National Assembly in Cardiff Bay.
• 1999 AD: The Millennium Stadium, the Welsh national stadium in Cardiff, opened.

21st Century: New Millennium, New Powers

• 2000 AD: The National Botanic Garden of Wales officially opened.
• 2000 AD: The Blaenavon Industrial Landscape became the second World Heritage Site in Wales.
• 2001 AD: The Cardiff Bay Barrage, a huge engineering project, officially opened.
• 2002 AD: The Newport Medieval Ship was discovered during construction in Newport.
• 2004 AD: Penderyn whisky was officially launched, the first commercially available malt whisky made in Wales since the 19th century.
• 2004 AD: The Wales Millennium Centre, a large arts center in Cardiff Bay, officially opened.
• 2006 AD: The new National Assembly building, known as the Senedd, opened in Cardiff Bay.
• 2006 AD: The Government of Wales Act 2006 gave the National Assembly for Wales more law-making powers.
• 2008 AD: Tower Colliery in the Cynon Valley, the last deep coal mine in Wales, officially closed.
• 2009 AD: The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct became the third World Heritage Site in Wales.
• 2011 AD: A further Welsh devolution referendum was held, resulting in the Welsh Assembly receiving full law-making powers in many areas.
• 2012 AD: The Wales Coast Path, a long-distance walking route along the Welsh coastline, officially opened.
• 2012 AD: The National Assembly for Wales (Official Languages) Act 2012 gave the Welsh and English languages equal status in the assembly.
• 2013 AD: The Brecon Beacons National Park was granted International Dark Sky Reserve status, protecting its night skies from light pollution.
• 2013 AD: The Welsh Assembly passed a law for a presumed consent organ donation scheme, meaning adults are considered donors unless they opt out.
• 2014 AD: The 2014 NATO Summit was held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport.
• 2016 AD: The Millennium Stadium was renamed the Principality Stadium.
• 2016 AD: In the United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, a majority of voters in Wales voted to leave the EU.
• 2018 AD: The Second Severn Crossing was renamed the "Prince of Wales Bridge."
• 2019 AD: St Fagans National Museum of History won the Museum of the Year award.
• 2019 AD: Ford announced that its Bridgend Engine Plant would close in 2020, leading to job losses.
• 2020 AD: The first case of COVID-19 in Wales was confirmed.
• 2020 AD: The National Assembly for Wales became "Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament" and its members became "Members of the Senedd" (MS).
• 2021 AD: The Slate Landscape of North West Wales became the fourth World Heritage Site in Wales.
• 2022 AD: Charles, Prince of Wales, became King Charles III of the United Kingdom.
• 2022 AD: William, the elder son of King Charles III, was confirmed as the new Prince of Wales. His wife Catherine became Princess of Wales.