Died this day 1197

Rhys ap Gruffydd (The Lord Rhys) Ruler of the kingdom of Deheubarth from 1155 to 1197

1155 Rhys became ruler of Deheubarth after the death of his brother Maredudd and married Gwenllian ferch Madog, daughter of the prince of Powys

1158 Rhys met with King Henry II of England to discuss peace terms, which resulted in Rhys being dispossessed of most of his land.

1159 With Henry II away in France, Rhys attacked Dyfed, laid siege to Carmarthen and captured Llandovery castle.

1163 Henry II returned from France and invaded Deheubarth, stripped Rhys of his lands and took him prisoner.Later he was released and given back a small part of his holdings.

1164 Rhys and Owain Gwynedd united in an uprising. Henry invaded Wales again but torrential rain forced Henry's army to retreat in disorder and Rhys won back most of his lands. Henry had Rhys's son Maredudd blinded and in reprisal Rhys burned down Cardigan Castle

1167 Rhys and Owain attacked southern Powys and besieged the Norman castle of Rhuddlan, also destroying the Norman Castle at Builth.

1170 The death of Owain Gwynedd left Rhys as the acknowledged leader of all the Welsh princes.

1171 Henry II now wished to make peace with Rhys. Rhys was to pay a tribute of 300 horses and 4,000 head of cattle but was confirmed in possession of all the lands he had taken from Norman lords.

1172 Henry and Rhys met once more at Laugharne, and Henry appointed Rhys "Justiciar for South Wales". From then on Rhys and Henry maintained good relations.

1176 Rhys held a festival of poetry and song at his court at Cardigan which is generally regarded as the first recorded Eisteddfod.

1189 Henry II died and was succeeded by Richard I. Rhys considered that he was no longer bound by the agreement with Henry and attacked the Norman lordships in Pembroke, Haverfordwest and Gower, also capturing the castles of St Clears, Laugharne and Llansteffan.

1196 Rhys launched his last campaign against the Normans and captured the castles at Carmarthen, Colwyn, Radnor and Painscastle.

1197 Rhys died and was buried in St David's Cathedral.

Rhys had been the dominant ruling prince in Wales for more than forty years. He built Cardigan Castle, which was the earliest recorded native-built stone castle in Wales, as well as castles at Carreg Cennen near Llandeilo and Aberdyfi. He founded the religious houses of Talley Abbey and Llanyr nunnery and was the patron of the abbeys of Whitland and Strata Florida.

Born this day 1758 in Westmoreland county, Virginia ( his mother, Elizabeth Jones, was Welsh)

James Monroe - the fourth President of the United States. He was elected president in 1817 and is remembered for the Monroe Doctrine, as well as for acquiring Florida from Spain. He died on Independence Day 4th July 1831 .

The Monroe Doctrine, introduced in 1823, prohibited European nations from colonising land in America.

Born this day 1831 in Ruperra Castle, Glamorganshire,

Godfrey Charles Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar.

During the Crimean War, he took part in the famous Charge of the Light Brigade that rode into the 'Valley of Death' at the Battle of Balaclava, which both he and his horse 'Sir Briggs' survived. He became a benefactor to the people of Newport, donating large tracts of land to the Corporation for the benefit of the public. A statue of Viscount Tredegar was unveiled in 1909 in Gorsedd Gardens, Cardiff.

Born this day 1959 in Newbridge, near Caerphilly,

Steve Strange (born Steven John Harrington) pop singer, best known as the lead singer and frontman of the 1980s pop group Visage.

Born this day 1899 in Splott, Cardiff.

Len Davies, former Wales international soccer international. He remains the record goalscorer for Cardiff City, with 128 goals and was a member of the 1927 FA Cup winning side.

Died on this day 1584,

David Lewis , born in Abergavenny in 1520 was a lawyer and personal advisor to Queen Elizabeth I. He was also Member of Parliament for Monmouthshire, and a Judge of the High Court of Admiralty. He was one of the founding members of Jesus College, Oxford and, on 27th June 1571, became its first Principal.

On this day in 1997, the SWALEC Cup final between Cardiff and Swansea was the last ever match to be played at the National Stadium in Cardiff.

* The National Stadium was often mistakenly referred to as Cardiff Arms Park, which is the smaller ground next door where Cardiff Rugby Club play .

* Work commenced in July 1968 and it was officially opened on 7 April 1984 .

* It holds the world record for a rugby union club match when a crowd of 56,000 watched the 1988 Schweppes Cup final between Llanelli and Neath.

* It held the first evening game to be played under floodlights on 4 September 1991 between Wales and France.

On this day in 1930, Dylan Thomas made the first entry into his poetry notebooks while he was still a pupil at Swansea Grammar School. The first poem, dated 27 April, is entitled "Osiris, come to Isis."

Born this day 1947 in Swansea,

Pete Ham , who was a rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, best remembered as lead singer of the 70's rock group Badfinger. He also co-wrote the ballad "I Can't Live (If Living Is Without You)" a worldwide Number One hit for Harry Nilsson for which he won two Ivor Novello Awards.

Born this day 1963 in Swansea,

Stephen Russell Davies OBE , better known as Russell T Davies, a television producer and screenwriter whose credits include Queer as Folk, Torchwood, Casanova and the 2005 revival of Doctor Who.

Born on this day 1928 in Fochriw near Caerphilly,

Selwyn Hughes , a Welsh Christian minister who was well know for producing the daily devotional 'Every Day with Jesus'. George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, described Hughes as a "giant in the faith".

On this day  1717  the  pirate ship Whydah was shipwrecked, with Welshman Thomas Davis one of only two survivors

Originally a slave ship, the Wydah was captured by the pirate "Black Sam" Bellamy for use as his flagship. Equipped with its 28 cannons and a crew of 146 as his pirate flagship, Bellamy and his crew raided from coast to coast, until a violent storm off Cape Cod blew it on to a sandbar, where it broke apart and sank with nearly four and a half tons of gold, gold dust, silver and jewellery on board.

Only two men survived, carpenter Thomas Davis, a Welshman, and  a Miskito Indian called John Julian.

The wreck   was  discovered in 1984  and more than 200,000 individual pieces have since been retrieved, including the ship's bell.  

Born this day 1957 in Cardiff

John Sloman rock artist , best remembered as lead vocalist for Uriah Heep between 1979–1981.   

Born this day 1937 in Brecon,

Gareth Gwenlan , television producer, who is best known for his work on comedy series such as To The Manor Born, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin and Only Fools and Horses. In 1983 he was appointed BBC Head of of Comedy.

Died on this day 2011,

Islwyn Morris , who was born in Swansea in 1920, was an actor and director, best remembered for his roles in Welsh-language television, especially Pobol Y Cwm.  He also appeared in English-language programmes, with roles in The District Nurse, Z Cars and High Hopes.

Born this day 1284 in Caernarfon Castle

Edward II King of England, 1307-27 the youngest son of Edward l and Eleanor of Castile.

In 1301, he was made Prince of Wales in the Lincoln parliament, the first English prince to be given the title He was also given control of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd's lands in Gwynedd and the allegiance of all those lords who owed their titles to Llewelyn.

During Edward's defeat in 1314 by the Scots at the Battle of Bannockburn, Gilbert de Clare, Lord of Glamorgan, was killed and succeeded by his brother-in-law, Hugh le Despenser the elder, his son Hugh le Despenser the younger becoming the new favourite of Edward II.

The War of the Barons against Edward II, led by Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, was an attempt to break the influence of the Caerphilly Despensers on the king, but it failed, with the Despensers now effectively ruling England.Their appetite for land was voracious, with Hugh le Despenser the Younger accumulating lordships which encompassed almost the entire southern coast of Wales.

In 1323 Roger Mortimer of Wigmore escaped from Tower of London and fled to France where he formed an allegiance with Edward's estranged wife, Isabella.They became lovers and plotted to raise an army to overthrow Edward.

Isabella and Mortimer arrived in England in 1326 with their army and met with minimal resistance. Edward II and the younger Despenser fled to Caerphilly Castle. They were later captured near Llantrisant and imprisoned in Monmouth Castle. Despenser was tried and executed at Hereford, whilst Edward II was taken to Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire and later Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire.

In 1327, Gruffydd ap Rhys, lord of Dinorwig and Tregarnedd and Sir Rhys ap Gruffydd, lord of Narberth along with thirteen prominent men of Wales led an unsuccessful plot to free Edward from Berkeley.

1327 In January Edward II agreed to resign his crown in favour of his son Edward and in September Edward II was murdered.

A legacy of Edward's reign, was that Roger Mortimer made himself lord of huge territories in Wales, he had himself named earl of March and the Welsh Marches became his power base.

Born this day 1927 in Ystrad, Rhondda,

Ernest Zobole , who was a painter and art teacher, was described as one of Wales' "most important artists." His paintings reflected the industrial setting of the Rhondda Valleys.

On 25th April 1283 the constable of Castell y Bere surrendered after a siege by the army of Edward I who were seeking the capture of Dafydd ap Gruffudd, who had escaped to Dolbadarn Castle in Snowdonia.

After Llywelyn ap Gruffudd's death in 1282, his brother Dafydd had become Prince of Wales and was on the run from Edward I who had the heartland of independent Wales ringed with a massive army.

John Poyer was a Parliamentary soldier during the English Civil War, who later rebelled and was executed for treason on 25th April 1649 .

Initially a prosperous merchant, mayor and Governor of Pembroke Castle, Poyer raised a force on behalf of Parliament, defending the castle against the Royalists. When, in 1647, he was commanded to disband his army and surrender Pembroke Castle, he refused, claiming that he was owed money. He joined a Royalist rebellion which lost at the Battle of St Fagans.

Poyer, along with fellow rebels Laugharne and Powell, fled to Pembroke, where they were besieged by Oliver Cromwell and forced to surrender on 11 July 1648 . Poyer was executed at Covent Garden in London.

On 25th April 1915 during the landing on V Beach, Gallipoli, Able Seaman William Charles Williams from Chepstow secured the safety of landing craft while under continuous enemy fire . He was killed by a shell and was described by his commander as the bravest sailor he had ever met. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross - the first such award made to a member of the Royal Navy.

James Relly, born in Jeffreyston, near Tenby in Pembrokeshire. (c.1722– April 25 , 1778) was a Methodist minister who adopted Universalism and among whose converts in 1770 was John Murray, the founder of Universalist churches in America.

Universalists believe that God did not create the human race knowing that we are destined for eternal damnation.

Born on this day 1923 in Newport,

Paul Whitsun-Jones , a character actor notable for appearances in the TV series Z-Cars, The Saint, The Avengers, Some Mothers Do Ave Em, Doctor Who and The Persuaders.

Born on this day 1929 in Machen near Caerphilly,

Malcolm Thomas - former Wales rugby captain . A centre, he played club rugby for Newport. He was capped for Wales on 27 occasions and was selected to play in the British Lions on two tours of Australia and New Zealand.

Born this day 1903 in Liverpool,

Mary Elizabeth "Mimi" Smith (grandparents were welsh) who was the maternal aunt and parental guardian of John Lennon.

Other Welsh connections to the Beatles;

* Paul McCartney produced the 13-year-old Pontardawe schoolgirl Mary Hopkin's hit single Those Were The Days.

* Welshman Allan Williams was the Beatles’ first ever manager.

* Cardiff’s Capitol Theatre was the venue for their last-ever UK concert in December 1965.

* The group were visiting Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in Bangor for transcendental meditation when they heard of the death of Brian Epstein.

* Comic actor Victor Spinetti appeared in three Beatles movies

* Welsh clothes designer Tommy Nutter dressed three out of the four Beatles for the cover of The Beatles album Abbey Road.

On this day 1927, Cardiff City won the FA Cup at Wembley Stadium against Arsenal.

It was the first and only time the FA Cup has not been won by an English club. This was also the first cup final to be broadcast live on BBC Radio and the FA Cup anthem Abide With Me was first sung.

The Morriston Orpheus Choir was formed this day 1935.

Formed by Ivor E Sims, it is one of the best-known male voice choirs in the world, receiving standing ovations in the Sydney Opera House and "five standing ovations" at the Carnegie Hall in New York. The choir has also performed in Germany, France, Canada, Spain, Poland, Taiwan, Abu Dhabi, Oman and Ireland.

Alwyn Humphreys was the Musical Director from 1979 to January 2005 and is now the Choir's Conductor Emeritus. His replacement as Musical Director was Sian Pearce who herself was replaced by Joy Amman Davies in 2004. The Choir features regularly on television and has produced over 50 recordings and features in more than 100 compilation albums.

Born this day 1731 in Lebanon, Connecticut (of Welsh descent)

William Williams, merchant and a delegate for Connecticut to the Continental Congress in 1776. He was also among the signatories of the Declaration of Independence, one of sixteen of Welsh descent. He arrived too late to vote for Independence (he replaced Oliver Woolcott, who became seriously ill), but he did sign the Declaration.

Born this day 1914 in Lampeter Velfrey,

Glyn Daniel , scientist, archaeologist and writer of detective fiction. He also appeared on television as host on the game show Animal, Vegetable or Mineral?

Born this day 1895 in Aberystwyth,

John Creyghton Ainsworth-Davis , 4 x 400m relay gold medal winner in the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp.

Welsh connections to Star Wars

* Richard Marquand, director of "Return of the Jedi" was born 22nd April 1938 in Llanishen, Cardiff.

* The full-scale model of the Millennium Falcon was built in Pembroke Dock by Marcon Fabrications.

* Andy Secombe, the son Harry Secombe voiced the computer-generated slave owner Watto, in The Phantom Menace and Attack Of The Clones

* The Church of Jediism, which is a religion based on the philosophical and spiritual ideas of the Jedi as depicted in Star Wars was founded in 2007 by Daniel M Jones on Anglesey, north Wales. The organisation has over 20,000 members across the globe and was the most selected "alternative faith" in a 2012 census of England and Wales.

Born this day 1917 in Cardiff

Leo Abse , solicitor, and Labour MP for Pontypool from 1958 until 1983, and for Torfaen until he retired from Westminster in 1987.

Abse was a colourful character remembered for wearing 18th-century-style dress on Budget days. He courted controversy and knew how to interest the press, once suggesting "an analysis of the repressed homosexual components of the relationship between Gordon Brown and Tony Blair."

But he was also a serious politician and got more reforming legislation on the statute book than any other individual MP in the 20th century especially regarding gay rights. Later in life when 83, he married Ania Czeputkowska, a 33-year-old textile designer from Gdansk in Poland.

Born this day 1937 in Lampeter,

Julian Cayo Evans , nationalist activist and co-founder of the self-styled Free Wales Army.

In Wales in the 1960s, groups such as the Movement for the Defence of Wales undertook "direct action," blowing up pipelines feeding Welsh water to English homes. Cayo's belief was that Wales's problems stemmed from its connections with England, which led to the formation of 'The Free Wales Army.' Members wore paramilitary uniforms, marched at nationalist rallies and gathered for training. This brought them to the attention of the British security forces and Evans was arrested shortly before the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969 and sentenced to 15 months in prison. In Cardiff, 'The Cayo Arms' pub and the beer 'Cwrw Cayo' are named in his memory. He died in 1995.

Born on this day 1789 in Llanymynech, Montgomeryshire,

Richard Roberts who turned Samuel Crompton's invention of the spinning mule into a sophisticated piece of textile machinery. It could be operated by unskilled workers, establishing the potential of the factory system and mass production with immense social repercussions.

By 1833, 100,000 spindles were in operation and the total was 500,000 four years after that. However, the efficiency of Roberts's invention proved to be his down fall as his design made it possible to convert existing mules quite easily. Ultimately Roberts did not prosper and in 1864, like Crompton and so many other inventors before him, he died in poverty, but as a gesture towards his genius and his contribution to British industry, After his death, the Government granted Roberts's daughter a £300 annuity.

Born on this day 1902 in Criccieth.

Lady Megan Lloyd George - daughter of David Lloyd George and the first female MP for a Welsh constituency.

Megan Lloyd George was the first female MP in Wales and remains the longest serving. Her selection to stand for the safe Liberal seat of Anglesey in 1929 initially caused controversy, but accusations of nepotism faded as Megan began a political career that would span thirty years.

She became Deputy Leader of the party and a prominent political personality, championing many Welsh causes. She was the founding president of the ‘Parliament for Wales’ campaign, and later she was prominent in the Treweryn Defence Committee – the body formed to resist the controversial flooding of a village near Bala to provide water for English consumers.

In 1944, Megan Lloyd George opened the first Welsh Day debate at Westminster. She was prominent among those who pushed for the creation of the Welsh Office and the post of Secretary of State for Wales in the early 1960’s. By then she had changed political parties, defecting to Labour in 1951. She returned to parliament in 1957 after winning Carmarthen for Labour and remained an MP until her death nine years later.

On 22nd April 1912 , Denys Corbett Wilson made the first manned flight fully across the Irish Sea, from Goodwick to Crane near Enniscorthy, County Wexford in a time of 1 hour 40 minutes.

The Treaty of Woodstock

In April 1247 - Llywelyn ap Gruffydd and his brother Owain Goch ap Gruffydd came to terms with King Henry III of England at his royal residence of Woodstock Pace in Oxfordshire.

Gwynedd was divided with Llywelyn and Owain gaining joint control of Gwynedd Uwch Conwy, the part of Gwynedd west of the River Conwy and Henry himself taking control of Gwynedd Is Conwy, east of the river.

1255 - At the Battle of Bryn Derwin, Owain joined an alliance against Llywelyn, but was defeated and imprisoned and Llywelyn became sole ruler of Gwynedd Uwch Conwy. With Henry III distracted by war with his barons, this cleared the way for Llywelyn to recover and extend Gwynedd's territory until it encompassed much of the rest of Wales and in 1258 to declare himself prince of Wales.

1277 - Under the terms of the Treaty of Aberconwy, peace was agreed between King Edward I of England and Llywelyn, but also essentially guaranteed that Welsh self-governance would end upon Llewelyn's death. Llywelyn also reluctantly released Owain under the terms of the treaty, who retired to his estate in north-west Wales.

1282 - Owain is thought to have died, prior to the catastrophic death of Llywelyn at Cilmeri.

The reign of Henry VIII began this day 1509 on the death of his father Henry VII.

Henry VIII's relationship with Wales;

Henry VIII's father Henry VII was born at Pembroke Castle and took great pride in his Welsh ancestry. After he became king, Henry rewarded many Welsh men with lands and government posts, but he did not pass the same love of Wales to his son Henry VIII.

1491 Henry was born, the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York

1502 Henry's older brother Arthur died, making Henry heir to the throne and Prince of Wales.

1509 Henry VII died and Henry succeeded his father to the throne as Henry VIII.

At this time Wales was divided into two administrative areas:

1. The Principality, which was divided into shires and governed as if it was part of England. The more important towns in the principality were Aberystwyth, Harlech, Caernarfon and Conwy.

2. The Marcher Lordships, which covered the remaining two-thirds of Wales and was governed by the Marcher Lords.

Henry was not happy with the way that the marcher Lords were dealing with law and order along the Welsh and English border. Henry’s concerns increased after his divorce from Catherine of Aragon, as many Marcher lords were Roman Catholic and he doubted their loyalty. He was also concerned that parts of the south-west coast of Wales were poorly defended and open to landings from enemy forces. Henry dealt with this by passing Laws in Wales Acts from 1536 to 1542, in which Wales in effect became a part of England.

English became the sole official language, law courts in Wales only conducted their affairs in English and knowledge of Welsh became a disadvantage. Rich Welsh families who sent their sons to England in an effort to advance themselves, ensured that they only spoke English.

Born this day 1926 at 17 Bruton Street, Mayfair,

Queen Elizabeth II, whose connections to Wales include:

* Elizabeth II claims Welsh descent through Henry VII's daughter Margaret Tudor who married King James IV of Scotland, later crowned James I of England

* During the Second World War, plans were drawn up to quell Welsh nationalism by connecting Elizabeth more closely with Wales. Welsh politicians suggested that she be made Princess of Wales on her 18th birthday, but this was rejected by King George VI because he felt such a title belonged solely to the wife of a Prince of Wales.

* In 1946, she was inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards at the National Eisteddfod of Wales.

* In 1948, she was given the freedom of the city of Cardiff.

* At her coronation on 2 June 1953, Elizabeth's gown was embroidered with the emblems of the Commonwealth countries, among which was a leek, representing Wales.

* Pembroke Welsh Corgis are the favourite breed of Queen Elizabeth II, who has owned more than 30 during her reign.

* Her grandsons HRH Prince William and HRH Prince Harry have chosen the surname Wales.

* She invested her son Charles as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle in 1969.

* She played a prominent role in the officially opening of the Welsh Assembly on 26 May 1999 in Cardiff.

* On 1 March 2006, The Queen opened the permanent home for the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff.

* A donation of a kilogramme of Clogau Welsh gold was made to The Queen on her 60th birthday in 1986, who also wears a wedding ring of Welsh gold

* The Queen and Prince Phillip visited Aberfan the week following the disaster in 1966, and in 2012, she returned to open Ynysowen Community Primary School during her Diamond Jubilee visit to Wales.

Born this day 1941 in Llandybie, near Ammanford.

Elmer Gethin Rees is a mathematician who has published texts on linear algebra, algebraic geometry, differential geometry and topology.

One of his best-known achievements is establishing the International Centre for Mathematical Sciences, "designed to bring together mathematicians and practitioners in science, industry and commerce."

The National Museum of Wales was officially opened on 21st April 1927.

It was initially founded in 1905, with a royal charter being granted in 1907. Prior to this, the Cardiff Museum had shared a building with Cardiff Central Library at The Hayes, being a sub-department of the library. Construction of the new building at Cathays Park was interrupted by the First World War and it did not open to the public until 1922, with the official opening taking place in 1927.

Easter Monday - Llun y Pasg.

One of the Welsh rituals on Easter Monday involves a procession to the top of nearby mountains before sun rise. In some areas, people carry bowls of water to reflect the rising sun while others perform three somersaults as the sun rises.