|
Princes of Wales
Although the first princes of Wales were usually the kings of Gwynedd, they still faced competition from
Deheubarth in the south. However, from the twelfth century onwards, once
Deheubarth had weakened considerably,
Gwynedd's kings had pre-eminence over the whole of Wales not conquered by the Norman kings of
England, and they carried the title "Prince
of Wales", from the Latin princeps. A prince was viewed as
being the equivalent to the English king until England made
Wales a subsidiary domain, and the title along with it. The title has
since been passed by tradition to the eldest successive English heir. The first English prince to
carry the title was the weak Edward II. |