The Golden Dragon of Wales Rises Again

Explore the vibrant essence of Welsh heritage, delve into the meaning behind the golden dragon, and envision a future for Wales encompassing five kingdoms, fifteen castles, and a modern charter inspired by the Laws of Hywel Dda.

Embracing Unity: Five Kingdoms and the Golden Dragon of Wales

They call me Goldie The Grey.

The reference to gold merits further explanation, while the grey is quite clear.

But what is the story behind the golden dragon?

A tale awaits your attention. So, grab your drink—be it coffee, tea, or something a tad stronger. Sit back and immerse yourself in the visions I craft through storytelling.

Beginning the Adventure of Discovery

One may imagine the journey starting with a sword, an ancient prophecy, or a mysterious figure appearing on a particularly stormy night.

My adventure, however, begins with the mission to securely digitise my mother’s paperwork for future generations.

That is quite a weighty responsibility, wouldn’t you agree?

Yet, family paperwork often evolves beyond mere documents. A name becomes a question. A branch unveils an adventure. Before long, you find yourself contemplating a family tree and reflecting on how much of your identity you understood before setting out on this quest.

At some point, this narrative grew far beyond the simple act of preserving my mother’s documents.

Uncovering the Names that Connect Our Heritage

In tracing my lineage, the family tree reveals that I stand thirty-five generations apart from Rhodri Mawr.

This connection holds great significance. Tracing these generations is vital because a family tree signifies more than just a link between a king and a modern descendant.

There are individuals bridging the gap.

Individuals with families to nurture, children to guide, grief to endure, and choices to navigate.

Individuals whose lives deserve more than a fleeting acknowledgment on the path to a distinguished name.

I yearn to learn about them as well.

I wish to create space for family narratives that defy neat categorisation.

The House of Rhodri, as I am starting to refer to it, is anything but conventional.

A Family House Rich in Diverse Lineages

Witches. Mages. Shamans. Seers. Healers. Empaths. Mystics.

These labels reflect facets of the mystical experiences within my family.

Not everyone would choose the same terminology. Each generation may interpret these words differently.

I do not suggest that every ancestor left behind documentation certifying their unique abilities.

My mother had more than enough paperwork to handle already.

Yet, these terms contribute to the language through which I understand our family: love, intuition, mystical practices, inspiration, care, and experiences that often require more time to express than to perceive.

I can share these stories without expecting everyone to interpret them in exactly the same way.

They deserve to be acknowledged on their own merits.

Finding My Own Voice Amidst the Legacy

As for me, I label certain experiences as shamanic, while others resonate more with a mage-like essence. Inferred

These terms currently encapsulate my understanding best.

The stories behind them require their own narrative. I do not wish to obscure them in borrowed mystique or suggest I have simplified something merely by assigning it a mystical label.

This space allows for belief.

This space also invites inquiry.

As I recount this narrative, I aim to distinguish between what I recall, what my family has shared, what I can substantiate, and what I perceive through my own mystical experiences.

The golden dragon can embody deep significance without serving as definitive proof of everything.

Claiming Ownership of My Kingdom

So, before anyone gets carried away:

I am not claiming a throne.

I am asserting my ownership of a kingdom.

The heavenly kingdom of Wales is how I describe the mystical landscape of this narrative: ancestry, imagination, belonging, and the vision of what could be achieved.

As Above, So Below.

On the map, this vision begins to take shape.

Gwynedd.

Powys.

Seisyllwg.

Then Dyfed and Gwent.

Five Names, Five Colours: Towards a Unified Wales

This map emerged from my interest in Rhodri’s realm, and the dialogue extends beyond mere historical recounting.

The family narrative stretches beyond the initial three coloured regions. As it unfolded, so did the vision.

It is essential to clarify this distinction:

We are not rewriting the past while pretending it has always appeared in this way.

We are envisioning a future.

Our five-kingdom map represents a proposal articulated through narrative and art. Its borders outline an idea rather than asserting that every component once belonged to a singular ruler at a specific historical moment.

The House of Rhodri is the name under which I am gathering this concept.

Fifteen Castles Under the Guardian Dragon

Then the castles came to light.

If we are to speak of five kingdoms, we must identify the locations within our vision.

Fifteen castles became our initial landmarks.

These are not the only castles in Wales, nor do they define the limits of the story. They are fifteen sites from which we can begin to weave the narrative threads.

In our Gwynedd, we recognised Caernarfon, Conwy, and Harlech.

In our Powys, we identified Powis, Montgomery, and Dolforwyn.

In our Seisyllwg, we noted Cardigan, Dinefwr, and Carreg Cennen.

In our Dyfed, we acknowledged Pembroke, Carew, and Manorbier.

And in our broader Gwent, we named Caerphilly, Cardiff, and Chepstow.

There they stand.

Fifteen Castles, Five Kingdoms, One Unified Wales

Within our vision of the House of Rhodri, each castle stands beneath the golden dragon.

This is how we position them within the narrative; not by suggesting that they were all built by our ancestors, nor that their histories began with us. Each castle maintains its own legacy, and this assertion does not alter its current guardianship or stewardship.

We are envisioning how these sites might belong to a shared future.

Some may enter our family narrative through a memory. Others through an unexplored connection. Some may serve as spaces for reflection, allowing us to consider what we wish the next chapter of Wales to embody.

Naming them brings the vision closer.

You can mention “five kingdoms” and leave people imagining nearly anything.

But mention Caernarfon. Mention Dinefwr. Mention Pembroke.

Suddenly, there are destinations to explore, inquiries to make, and stories to uncover.

The map starts transforming into a realm you can traverse.

Which is all well and good.

Before anyone questions where I intend to store the keys to fifteen castles (that remains a secret!), I should remind you that this all began with the need to digitise my mother’s documentation.

We are tackling one responsibility at a time.

The Flag that Unites Our Vision

Then we created a flag representing this vision.

For this proposed flag, we retained the white above and the green below, placing a golden dragon at the centre, where the red dragon typically resides. The red dragon signifies primal emotion, will, fire, and ash. We replace it with intention, love, and fearlessness…

The white symbolises the heavens.

The green embodies the earth.

The golden dragon represents our aspirations for Wales’ prosperity within our vision of the House of Rhodri.

To me, the colours reflect the belief that God created both the heavens and the earth. They merge the mystical and the terrestrial into a single image.

As Above, So Below.

And beneath that imagery, our guiding principles:

Peace, Prosperity, Patience & Justice Under God.

• Peace – not a demand for unanimous agreement, but a commitment not to impose consensus.

• Prosperity – not wealth concentrated in a few hands, but the flourishing of individuals, communities, culture, and land.

• Patience – because a future worth cultivating cannot simply be summoned into existence by proclamation.

• Justice – because none of the other promises hold much weight if individuals cannot expect fair treatment.

“Under God” expresses my unwavering faith and the accountability I feel within it. It is not necessary for everyone to share my beliefs.

No one should have to profess a religion, accept a mystical assertion, or acknowledge something sacred in the dragon to enjoy equal dignity.

I would raise this flag as an invitation to consider a vision.

Not as permission to silence another’s voice.

What Do the Kingdoms Represent for Our People?

A map serves as an excellent starting point.

It is insufficient as a governing tool.

Eventually, someone must ask a practical question.

What would this mean for the individuals living here?

That is a valid question.

A golden dragon is visually striking, but it cannot address grievances merely by shining more brightly.

The narrative requires a charter.

I do not recognise the current governmental structure as the future I envision for Wales. Yet, dissatisfaction, no matter how deeply felt, is only the beginning of a conversation.

If I am to articulate a different future, I must be prepared to explain it.

Not just who would occupy the centre of the map.

How power would be constrained.

How individuals would be heard.

How someone could disagree with the House of Rhodri and remain just as free, just as safe, and just as Welsh as anyone else.

A Modern Charter for Our Future

To lay this foundation, we have chosen to draw inspiration from Cyfraith Hywel … the Laws of Hywel Dda.

This is not a literal restoration of every medieval law.

It is a contemporary charter grounded in that legacy, thoroughly examined and customised for the people who would live under it today.

This is the proposal we have begun to articulate.

No longer the Laws of the Sea, we demand the Laws of the Land …

Equal dignity.

Freedom of conscience.

Freedom of speech.

Leadership that is accountable for its decisions.

Justice that strives to repair harm where possible while safeguarding those who have been injured.

Care for the land, the water, the minerals, the language, the traditions, and the places entrusted to us.

A meaningful voice for individuals throughout all five kingdoms.

These are commitments we must honour in practice, not mere phrases to place beneath an attractive image.

The charter must allow for individuals whose beliefs diverge from mine.

There must be space for the mystic and the sceptic, the religious and the agnostic, the person who finds significance in the dragon and the individual who appreciates the artistry.

No one should need to share my mystical understanding to possess equal rights.

Justice in Our Castles

Within this proposed future, the castles would serve a purpose beyond their geographical location.

We envision them as venues for courts: places where justice is administered within the communities they serve.

This is not simply the current judicial system with a new flag hung above its entrance, but a proposed alternative whose authority would derive from an agreed charter and laws established openly with the consent of the people.

Our aim is for all courts to convene within castle settings, wherever conservation, safety, and accessibility can be harmonised with that purpose. If a location cannot accommodate an operating court, suitable facilities would need to be considered without compromising the site we wish to honour.

Because a symbol is ineffective for justice if access is restricted.

Judgment would be entrusted to peers within the community governed by the new laws we propose.

“the community” must never become another term for the loudest voices within it.

A person should not lose a case because they are unpopular, unfamiliar, impoverished, or different.

Knowledge of someone’s reputation must not be confused with understanding the evidence.

The charter would need explicit protections: impartial selection, the removal of anyone with a conflict of interest, independent legal counsel, and a fair opportunity for each party to present their case.

Anyone accused would be presumed innocent unless the evidence against them meets the legal standard. They would retain the right to understand the accusation, receive legal aid, challenge the evidence, and pursue an independent appeal.

Those who report harm would deserve safety, dignity, and support throughout the process.

Decisions must be accompanied by justifications.

The laws themselves should be public, comprehensible, and open to scrutiny and revision through agreed procedures.

No one—not a leader, not a relative, nor the founder of this vision—would have the authority to dictate a verdict.

Including me.

Especially if I happen to be standing beneath a particularly impressive dragon at the time.

Where harm can be rectified, the court would seek meaningful restoration. Where protection is needed, it must be provided. Forgiveness may be freely offered, but never demanded from someone who has suffered.

This is the justice I aspire for these castle courts to pursue.

Not spectacle.

Not vengeance.

Responsibility, fairness, and a path forward.

These proposals envision a potential future, not courts we can establish simply by declaring their existence. Until any changes are legally instituted, the vision would not supplant existing courts or relieve anyone from their current legal obligations.

The Importance of a House

When I refer to the term “House,” I intend it to convey a sense of responsibility.

My ancestry may help explain why I embarked on this journey. It does not elevate my worth above those beside me.

It does not exempt me from the law.

And it cannot, by itself, grant me authority over those who have not chosen it.

Any future political structure would require the freely expressed consent of the populace, achieved through peaceful and lawful means.

Otherwise, we would have delineated five kingdoms without addressing the most critical question:

Whose home are we referring to?

Wales is already home to individuals with their own lives, beliefs, aspirations, and conflicts.

A meaningful vision must accommodate them.

The House, as I envision it, must be capable of listening as well as speaking.

If its proposals do not withstand scrutiny, then those proposals require further refinement.

Awakening to New Realities in Our Narrative

When I proclaim the Golden Dragon of Wales is awake, I am identifying the awakening that resides at the heart of this narrative.

My growing focus on family.

My quest for a language that encapsulates mystical experiences.

My desire to envision a Wales organised around belonging, responsibility, and justice.

The dragon serves as the symbol that unifies these elements.

Its awakening does not serve as proof that I possess all the answers.

It marks the initiation of my inquiry into how I intend to engage with these questions.

What does my ancestry demand of me?

What does my faith require in terms of how I treat those who do not share it?

What am I prepared to alter in my vision after listening to another’s perspective?

These questions are as integral beneath the flag as any declaration.

Our Current Position in the Narrative

This is where we stand now.

A lineage being traced.

My mother’s research.

My own attempts to articulate experiences that hold significance for me.

Five kingdoms illustrated on a map.

Fifteen castles identified within the vision.

A proposed flag of white, green, and gold.

And the inception of a charter: a document to discuss, test, question, and refine.

There remains much that I do not yet know.

This is not a justification for fabricating the missing elements.

It is a call to continue seeking.

They call me Goldie The Grey.

The gold requires explanation.

The grey is self-explanatory.

If you arrived here expecting a demand for a throne, you may have to settle for a family narrative, a proposed charter, and an ambitious map.

All of which commenced with the quest to find a suitable place to store and digitise my mother’s research.

Peace, Prosperity, Patience & Justice Under God.

As Above, So Below.

The Golden Dragon of Wales is Awake.