16th century in Wales explained
This article is about the particular significance of the century
1501–1600 to
Wales and
its people.
Events
1501
1502
- March - The Prince and Princess of Wales are both afflicted by an unknown illness, "a malign vapour which proceeded from the air".[2] It would prove fatal for the prince.
- 4 April - News reaches King Henry VII of England of the death of the Prince of Wales; he is grief-stricken.
- 23 April - Three weeks after his sudden death, the body of Arthur, Prince of Wales, is removed from Ludlow Castle and taken to the Parish Church of Ludlow.
- 25 April - The Prince of Wales is buried at the Abbey of St Wulfstan in Worcester. His widow, Catherine, now Dowager Princess of Wales, is too ill to attend her husband's funeral, suffering from the same mystery illness that is thought to have killed him.
- August
1503
- 25 June - Catherine of Aragon, Dowager Princess of Wales, is formally betrothed to her brother-in-law, Prince Henry. Catherine comes out of mourning.[4]
1504
1505
1506
- April - The betrothal of Prince Henry to the Dowager Princess of Wales (1503) is declared invalid (Henry's age at the time is used as a pretext).
- Construction begins on tower of St Giles' Church, Wrexham.
1507
1508
1509
- 21 April - Following his father's death, the Prince of Wales becomes King Henry VIII of England.
- 11 June - The new King, Henry VIII, marries the Dowager Princess of Wales, Catherine of Aragon, at Greenwich.[8]
- 17 June - Thomas Skevington is consecrated Bishop of Bangor.
- 22 July - Edward Vaughan is consecrated Bishop of St David's.
1510
1512
1516
1517
- Lady Catherine Gordon marries her third husband, Matthew Craddock, and obtains permission to live with him in Wales when not at court.[9]
1519
1524
1525
1531
1534
1536
- The Laws in Wales Act 1542 (27 Hen. 8 c. 26), An Acte for Lawes & Justice to be ministred in Wales in like fourme as it is in this Realme, "unites" Wales with England and gives Wales parliamentary representation.
- Dissolution of the Monasteries - Abergavenny Priory, Basingwerk Abbey, Caldey Island Priory, Chepstow Priory, Cymer Abbey, Ewenny Priory, Grace Dieu Abbey, Haverfordwest Priory, Kidwelly Priory, Llanllugan Abbey, Llanllyr Priory, Margam Abbey, Monmouth Priory, Pill Priory, St Dogmaels Abbey, Strata Marcella Abbey, Talley Abbey and Usk Priory are suppressed
1537
1538
- Dissolution of the Monasteries - Bangor Friary, Beddgelert Priory, Brecon Friary and Brecon Cathedral Priory, Cardiff Blackfriars and Greyfriars, Cardigan Priory, Carmarthen Friary, Denbigh Friary, Haverfordwest Abbey, Llanfaes Friary, Llanthony Priory, Maenan Abbey, Newport Friary, Penrhys Grange and Rhuddlan Friary are suppressed.
1539
1540
- A Carmarthenshire land dispute becomes the last recorded case to be heard under Welsh law, four years after the 1536 Act stipulated that only English law was to be used in Wales.[14]
1541
1542
1546
1550
1551
1553
1557
1558
- November - Thomas Parry, faithful servant of Princess Elizabeth, is made Comptroller of the Household on her accession to the throne, as well as receiving a knighthood.
1559
1563
1565
1566
1568
1570
1571
1573
1574
1576
1577
1578
1584
1587
- 14 April - A clandestine Roman Catholic printing press is discovered in a cave on the Little Orme on the north coast where it has been used by the recusant Robert Pugh (squire of Penrhyn Hall) and his chaplain Father William Davies to print Y Drych Cristianogawl ("The Christian Mirror"), the first book to be printed in Wales.[25]
1588
1589
1595
- February - A riot breaks out in Cardiff as the result of the activities of Sir William Herbert (a relative of the Earl of Pembroke) and his henchmen.
1596
- Sir William and Nicholas Herbert are convicted by the Court of Star Chamber,[27] gaoled in the Fleet Prison, and fined 1000 marks for their part in the previous year's affair.
1597
Arts and literature
Books
1502
- Rhys Nanmor - Elegy on the death of Arthur, Prince of Wales[30]
1540
1542
- Andrew Boorde - English: Fyrst Boke of the Introduction of Knowledge
1546
- Sir John Price - Welsh: Yn y Llyvyr Hwn (first Welsh language book to be printed)
1547
- William Salesbury - English, Middle (1100-1500);: A dictionary in Englyshe and Welshe, moche necessary to all suche Welshemen as wil spedly learne the Englyshe tongue[32]
1550
- William Salesbury[32]
- English, Middle (1100-1500);: The baterie of the Popes Botereulx, commonlye called the high Altare
- Welsh: Ban wedy i dynny air yngair alla o ben gyfreith Howel da... English, Middle (1100-1500);: A certaine case extracte out of the Auncient Law of Hoel da... whereby it may be gathered that priestes had lawfully maried wyues at that tyme
- English, Middle (1100-1500);: A briefe and a playne introduction, teachyng how to pronounce the letters in the British tong (now commenly called Walsh)...
1556
- Robert Recorde - English: The Castle of Knowledge, containing the Explication of the Sphere both Celestiall and Materiall, etc.
1559
1564
1567
1568
1573
- Sir John Prys - Latin: Historiae Britannicae Defensio (published posthumously)
1584
- "G.R. of Milan" (Gruffydd Robert or perhaps Robert Gwyn (-1592/1604)) - Y Drych Cristianogawl (first part; the first book printed in Wales, on the clandestine Catholic press on the Little Orme, with a false imprint of "Rouen, 1585")[25]
1587
1589
- John Penry - English: Exhortation to the governours and people of Wales...
1594
1595
- - Welsh: {{ill|Dau Gymro yn Taring yn bell o'u Gwlad|cy
1600
Births
1504
1505
1510
1511
1512
1515
1527
1528
1534
1546
1558
1560
1565
1572
1575
1582
1587
1592
Deaths
1500
1502
1503
- date unknown
- Richard Amerike, English merchant, royal customs officer and sheriff, of Welsh descent
- Sir John Donne, courtier, diplomat and soldier, commissioner of the Donne Triptych[44]
1505
- date unknown - Sir Thomas Salusbury, Tudor supporter
1509
1510
1512
1513
1514
1521
1525
1526
1531
1537
1543
1549
1554
1555
- March (probable) - Rawlins White, fisherman, 70? (executed by burning at Cardiff)
- 30 March - Robert Ferrar, former Bishop of St David's (executed by burning at Carmarthen)
- 15 October - Sir John Prys, notary public to King Henry VIII, 53?
- 15 November - Robert Holgate, former Bishop of Llandaff
1558
1559
1560
1564
1570
1574
1581
1584
1585
1586
1589
1590
1591
1592
1593
1595
1596
1597
1598
Notes and References
- Arthur, prince of Wales (1486–1502) . 2004 . 7 October 2013 . Horrox, Rosemary . 10.1093/ref:odnb/705 .
- Book: Weir, Alison . The Six Wives of Henry VIII . Grove Press . 2007 . New York . 978-0-8021-3683-1 . 37 . registration .
- Book: Miranda Jane Aldhouse-Green. Ralph Alan Griffiths. Raymond Howell. Tony Hopkins. The Gwent County History: The age of the Marcher Lords, c.1070-1536. 2004. University of Wales Press. 978-0-7083-2072-3. 273.
- Book: Scarisbrick, J. J. . 1997 . Henry VIII . Yale University Press . 2 . 0-300-07158-2 . 8.
- Book: Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (London, England). The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion. 1969. The Society.
- Book: Ralph Alan Griffiths. The Gwent County History: The age of the Marcher Lords, c.1070-1536. 25 November 2008. University of Wales Press. 978-0-7083-2072-3.
- http://cadw.wales.gov.uk/docs/cadw/publications/WHS_part_1_EN.pdf World Heritage Site Management Plan: Part 1
- Katherine [Catalina, Catherine, Katherine of Aragon]]. 2004. 10.1093/ref:odnb/4891. 978-0-19-861412-8. 14 August 2019. Davies. C. S. L.. Edwards. John.
- Warbeck, Perkin. 59.
- Web site: PULESTON, John (by 1492-1551), of Caernarvon, Caern. and Bersham, Denb.. History of Parliament Online. 30 July 2019.
- Book: Archaeologia Or Miscellaneous Tracts Relating to Antiquity. 1842. Soc.. 28.
- Book: Edward Parry. Royal visits and progresses to Wales, and the border counties. 1851. 314.
- Book: John Morrill. The Oxford Illustrated History of Tudor & Stuart Britain. 2000. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-289327-7. 68.
- Charles-Edwards The Welsh laws p.93
- Book: William Dugdale. Thomas Christopher Banks. The Antient Usage in Bearing of Arms;with a Catalogue of the Present Nobility of England Scotland and Ireland. 1812. Samuel Bagster. 393.
- Book: John Duncumb. Collections Towards the History and Antiquities of the County of Hereford. 1804. Wright. 82.
- Book: L. Stanley Knight. Welsh Independent Grammar Schools to 1600: Their Charters of Foundation, Deeds, Statutes, Customs, Etc. 1926. Welsh Outlook Press. 18.
- s1-CONS-GEO-1500. Constantine, George (c.1500-1560?), cleric. Glanmor Williams. 7 July 2020.
- Book: James Maude Richards. The National Trust Book of Bridges. 1984. J. Cape. 978-0-224-02106-7. 27.
- Book: Schubert, H. R.. History of the British Iron and Steel Industry. Routledge. London. 1957.
- s-SIDN-HEN-1529. Sidney, Sir Henry. yes.
- Book: Smith, A.C.. Gun Dogs - Their Training, Working and Management. Brewster Press. 6 October 2008. 111–112. 978-1-4437-1920-9. 2010-02-25.
- Book: The Schools of England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. 1959. E.J. Burrow. 188.
- Book: Mary Sidney Herbert Countess of Pembroke. Mary Sidney Herbert. The Collected Works of Mary Sidney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke. 1998. Clarendon Press. 978-0-19-811280-8. 4.
- Web site: Y Drych Cristianogawl. National Library of Wales. Aberystwyth. 2007-06-18. 2013-03-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20130307203934/http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=ydrychcristianogawl. 2013-03-07. dead.
- Web site: Angleton Blast Furnace. Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. 4 May 2018.
- Web site: Star Chamber Proceedings: 1538-97. 1898. British History Online. 2012-02-13.
- [s:Vaughan, Richard (1550?-1607) (DNB00)|DNB entry]
- Web site: History of Parliament. History of Parliament Trust. 2011-10-19.
- s-RHYS-NAN-1480. Rhys Nanmor (fl. 1480-1513), poet), a native of Merioneth . Mary Gwendoline Ellis. 8 July 2024.
- Book: James Roy Newman. The World of Mathematics. 1 January 2000. Courier Corporation. 978-0-486-41153-8. 210.
- s-SALE-WIL-1520. Salesbury, William (1520?-1584?), scholar and chief translator of the first Welsh New Testament. William Alun Mathias. 8 July 2024.
- Book: Kathryn Hurlock. Wales and The Crusades. 31 October 2011. University of Wales Press. 978-0-7083-2428-8. 36.
- Book: John Dee. John Dee: Essential Readings. 2003. North Atlantic Books. 978-1-55643-472-3. 30.
- https://biography.wales/article/s-HOLL-ROB-1556. Holland, Robert (1556/7-1622?), cleric, author, and translator. Robert Thomas Jenkins. 8 July 2024.
- s-MEYR-BOD-1485. Meyrick family, Bodorgan. Emyr Gwynne Jones. 8 July 2024.
- Book: Arthur F. Kinney. David W. Swain. Eugene D. Hill. William A. Long. Tudor England: An Encyclopedia. 17 November 2000. Routledge. 978-1-136-74530-0. 545.
- Dee, John. 7.
- Book: Alison Weir. Mary Boleyn: 'The Great and Infamous Whore'. 2012. Vintage. 978-0-09-954648-1. 203.
- Web site: MYDDELTON, Hugh (c.1560-1631), of Bassishaw (Basinghall) Street, London and Bush Hill, Edmonton, Mdx.; later of The Lodge, Talybont, Card. . History of Parliament Online. 25 May 2022.
- s1-MUTT-PET-1565. Mutton, Sir Peter (1565-1637), judge and politician. Gwilym Arthur Usher. yes. 7 July 2020.
- Book: George John Gray. Athenae Cantabrigienses. 1858. Deighton, Bell, & Company. 3.
- Book: Crawford, Anne . The Yorkists: The History of a Dynasty . Continuum Publishing . 2007 . London . 978-1-85285-351-8 . 166–7 .
- Book: Jill Dunkerton. Susan Foister. Dillian Gordon. Nicholas Penny. Giotto to Dürer: Early Renaissance Painting in the National Gallery. 1991. Yale University Press. 0-300-05082-8. 320.
- Book: University of Oxford. 1500-1714. 1968. Kraus Reprint. 1098.
- Web site: Englefield, Sir Thomas (1455-1514) of Englefield, Berks. History of Parliament. 2 January 2021.
- Ralph A. Griffiths, Sir Rhys ap Thomas and his family (University of Wales Press, 1993), p. 39 et. seq..
- Jonathan Hughes, "Somerset, Charles, first earl of Worcester (c. 1460–1526)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, September 2004; online edition, January 2007 [accessed 1 Sept 2010] (Subscription required for online version)
- The Scots Peerage, Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, ed. James Balfour Paul, Vol. IV (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1907), pp. 530-1
- Book: Society of Antiquaries of London. Archaeologia: Or, Miscellaneous Tracts, Relating to Antiquity... 1847. Society of Antiquaries of London. 448.
- Book: Arthur Jefferies Collins. Jewels and Plate of Queen Elizabeth I: The Inventory of 1574. 1955. Trustees of the British Museum. 575.
- s-CATR-BER-1534. Katheryn of Berain ‘Catrin o'r Berain’, 1534/5-1591), ‘Mam Cymru’ (‘The mother of Wales’). William Llewelyn Davies. yes. 7 July 2020.
- Book: National Library of Wales. Cylchgrawn Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru: The National Library of Wales Journal. 1993. Council of the National Library of Wales. 237.
- s-PENR-JOH-1563. Penry, John (1563-1593), Puritan author. Robert Tudur Jones. yes. 29 April 2021.
- Book: Paul E. J. Hammer. Paul E. J.. Hammer. The Polarisation of Elizabethan Politics: The Political Career of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, 1585-1597. 24 June 1999. Cambridge University Press. 978-0-521-43485-0. 147.
- s-DAFY-MEU-1514. Phillips . Thomas Oswald. 1959. DAFYDD, MEURIG. yes. 9 April 2016.
- Gruffydd Aled Williams, 'Wiliam Midleton, bonheddwr, anturiwr a bardd', Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society, 24 (1975), 74-116; Idem,'Wiliam Midleton, Elizabethan poet and privateer', Maritime Wales, 1 (1976), 11-21; Idem, 'Hanes Wiliam Midleton: tystiolaeth Richard Robinson', Llên Cymru, 35 (2012), 19-31; idem, 'Psalmae Wiliam Midleton', Ysgrifau Beirniadol XVII, ed. J. E. C. Williams (Denbigh, 1990), 93-113.
- s-KYFF-MOR-1555. Kyffin, Morris (c.1555-1598), writer and soldier. Glanmor Williams. Glanmor Williams. yes. 7 July 2020.
- http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08451a.htm Brown, C.F. Wemyss. "Venerable John Buckley." The Catholic Encyclopedia