List of Welsh-language poets (6th century to c. 1600)
Much of Welsh language poetry has, until quite recently, been composed in various forms of strict metre, latterly with the encouragement of the eisteddfod movement. The following list is as inclusive as possible for the years prior to 1600. It includes as many minor poets as possible to illustrate the range and content of Welsh poetry throughout the ages. However much early poetry has been lost, and much medieval verse is either anonymous or, usually in the case of mythological poems and prophetic verse, attributed to the 6th-century poet Taliesin or the mythical figure of Myrddin. Early religious and gnomic verse is also usually anonymous. Where possible examples of each poet's surviving work is presented at
Each period of the poets listed below is accompanied by a graphical timeline to illustrate the main events and individuals that influenced the poets and their work. These timelines also depict the development of the Welsh language. Further details of its development may be found at Welsh language.
Pre 6th century
No works by Welsh poets prior to the 6th century have survived. Tradition records:- Maelgwyn of Llandaff – said, according to one source, to have written of Joseph of Arimathea's burial at Glastonbury. However, in the mid-5th century he would have spoken Brythonic, not Welsh, and as a monk would probably have written in Latin. His existence is doubtful.
- St. Meugan – possibly a court poet to Cadwallon of Gwynedd
6th century to 1100
Extant
The bulk of surviving verse from the period known as "Canu'r Bwlch" is anonymous.The works of the following poets, belonging to the Hengerdd or Cynfeirdd period, are extant and accepted as probably genuine:
- Aneirin
- Taliesin
- Meigant – a poet whose surviving work is recorded in the '.
- Afan Ferddig – accepted as the author of ' a praise poem to Cadwallon ap Cadfan
- Juvencus Manuscript/ Cambridge Juvencus contains two Welsh englyn-poems, one of nine and one of three englynion. For the text and Sir Ifor William's translation see: '.
- The englyn-cycles which were previously attributed to Llywarch Hen and Heledd are now seen as works of later poets.
- St Elaeth – a poet and a monk whose surviving verse is recorded in the '.
Non-extant or doubtful
- Arofan
- – referred to in several poems but otherwise unknown. None of his work survives. The earliest reference to him is in a text found in the . However, a later charter of Sir Nicholas FitzMartin, Marcher Lord of Kemes, off-handedly describes someone as his descendant; the charter grants the supposed descendant land in the Preseli Hills.
- Bleheris – an otherwise unknown poet of doubtful authenticity referred to as "born and bred in Wales" in Gawain and as a source for the story.
Other
- Myrddin ab Morfryn – was believed by some to be an historical person who died in AD 570, but is now accepted as a mythical figure.
Timeline
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at:410 text:• Collapse of the Roman Empire in Britain
from: 550 till: 600 color:PA text:"Aneirin"
at:570 text:†St Gildas
from: 575 till: 600 color:PA text:"Taliesin"
at:589 text:†St David
at:594 text:• First occurrence of 'Arthur' in Welsh poetry
at:597 text:• St. Augustine in Britain
at:640 text:• Earliest date 'Marwnad Cynddylan' thought to be composed
at:670 text:• Earliest date 'Canu Heledd' thought to be composed
from: 757 till: 795 color:BL text:"Offa’s Dyke constructed"
from: 800 till: 825 color:PA text:"Llywarch Hen"
at:820 text:• Historia Britonum composed
at:840 text:• Viking raids on the Welsh coast
at:870 text:• Juvencus Manuscript
at:877 text:†Rhodri Mawr
at:909 text:†Asser
at:930 text:• Armes Prydein composed
at:950 text:†Hywel Dda
at:970 text:• Annales Cambriae
at:1060 text:• Mabinogion composed
at:1063 text:†Gruffudd ap Llywelyn
at:1066 text:• Norman Conquest
at:1090 text:• Creation of Welsh March
at:1100 text:• Birth of Geoffrey of Monmouth
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1100 to 1290
The following group of court poets used to be called the Gogynfeirdd and are now generally referred to as "Beirdd y Tywysogion", the Poets of the Princes. The list is roughly chronological.- Meilyr Brydydd
- Gwalchmai ap Meilyr
- Owain Cyfeiliog
- Llywarch Llaety
- Llywelyn Fardd I – – named in the Red Book of Hergest as “Llywelyn Fardd, son of Cywryd”.
- Seisyll Bryffwrch
- Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr
- Peryf ap Cedifor
- Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd
- Gwynfardd Brycheiniog
- Daniel ap Llosgwrn Mew whose elegy to Gruffudd ap Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd is found in the Red Book of Hergest.
- Llywarch ap Llywelyn
- Elidir Sais
- Meilyr ap Gwalchmai
- Gruffudd ap Gwrgenau – whose surviving work includes an awdl to prince Gruffudd ap Cynan ab Owain Gwynedd, found in the Hendregadredd Manuscript.
- Gwilym Rhyfel
- Cneppyn Gwerthrynion
- Einion ap Gwalchmai
- Einion Wan
- Meurig – mentioned by Gerald of Wales as a man who is visited by the ghost of a dead soldier and tasked to compose a poem prophesying Pope Innocent III's later interdiction on King John.
- Einion ap Gwgon
- Y Prydydd Bychan
- Goronwy Foel
- Dafydd Benfras
- Einion ap Madog ap Rhahawd – whose surviving awdl to Gruffydd ap Llywelyn is found in the Hendregadredd Manuscript.
- Hywel Foel ap Griffri ap Pwyll Wyddel
- Gwgon Brydydd – – whose elegy to Llywelyn ap Iorwerth is found in one of the Cwrtmawr Manuscripts.
- Adda Fras – whose poems haven't survived but whose name is recorded in one of the Peniarth manuscripts and in Tudur Aled's elegy to Dafydd ab Edmwnd.
- Madog ap Gwallter
- Bleddyn Fardd
- Llygad Gŵr
- Gruffudd ab yr Ynad Coch
- Gwilym Ddu o Arfon – whose elegies are found in the Red Book of Hergest.
- Cadwgan Ffol – whose englyn celebrating a victory gained by the Welsh over the English at Degannwy is preserved in one of the Peniarth Manuscripts.
Timeline of major poets
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from: 1100 till: 1137 color:PA text:"Meilyr Brydydd "
from: 1130 till: 1180 color:PA text:"Gwalchmai ap Meilyr "
from: 1130 till: 1197 color:PA text:"Owain ap Gruffydd "
from: 1155 till: 1200 color:PA text:"Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr"
at:1160 text:†Madog ap Maredudd
at:1170 text:†Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd
at:1176 text:• First known eisteddfod at Cardigan
at:1223 text:†Gerald of Wales
from: 1230 till: 1260 color:PA text:"Dafydd Benfras"
at:1240 text:†Llywelyn ab Iorwerth
from: 1277 till: 1282 color:PA text:"Gruffudd ab Yr Ynad Coch "
at:1282text:†Llywelyn ap Gruffydd
at:1284 text:• Statute of Rhuddlan incorporates Wales into England
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color:red bar:Welsh from:1250 till:1350 text:"Early Modern Welsh"
1290 to c.1500
The poets of this period are known as Beirdd yr Uchelwyr. The list is fairly chronological but not exhaustive as the work of some minor poets of the late 15th and 16th centuries remains in manuscript and a large corpus of late medieval Darogan, prophetic verse, is anonymous or attributed to early poets. Traditional patronage dwindled in the late 16th century but a handful of bards still received patronage from the gentry into the 17th century. Free verse by individuals composing "freelance" gradually took over from the mid-16th century onwards.- Llywelyn Ddu ab y Pastard – whose surviving awdlau are recorded in the Red Book of Hergest.
- Casnodyn
- Iorwerth Fychan ap Iorwerth ap Rotpert – whose surviving love poems are recorded in the Hendregadredd Manuscript.
- Gruffudd ap Dafydd ap Tudur – whose awdl to a holy well and other love poems are recorded in the Red Book of Hergest.
- Phylip Brydydd
- Llywelyn Brydydd Hoddnant – whose awdlau in praise of Ieuan ap Gruffudd Foel are found in the Hendregadredd Manuscript.
- Goronwy Gyriog – – whose awdl to Madog ab Iorwerth, bishop of Bangor, and elegy to Gwenhwyfar are found in the Red Book of Hergest.
- Madog Benfras – best known for his .
- Dafydd ap Gwilym
- Iolo Goch
- Bleddyn Ddu – whose surviving poems are preserved in the Red Book of Hergest.
- Rhys Goch Eryri
- Gruffudd Gryg
- Gruffudd ab Adda
- Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen
- Gruffudd ap Maredudd ap Dafydd – famed for his awdlau to the Chester Rood and the Virgin Mary, and for his elegy to Gwenhwyfar of Pentraeth.
- Einion Offeiriad
- Tudur ap Gwyn Hagr
- Ithel Ddu – whose surviving cywydd is found in one of the Peniarth Manuscripts.
- Iorwerth Beli
- Madog Dwygraig – whose religious and satirical poems are found in the Red Book of Hergest.
- Dafydd ap Hywel ap Madoc
- Dafydd y Coed – whose awdlau and satirical poems are found in the Red Book of Hergest.
- Mab y Clochyddyn – whose elegy to Gwenhwyfar, "Marwnad Gwenhwyfar ferch Madog", is found in the Red Book of Hergest.
- Gruffudd Llwyd
- Dafydd Bach ap Madog Wladaidd
- Gruffudd ap Dafydd Fychan – whose surviving work includes an elegy on the death of Henry VI.
- Siôn Cent
- Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
- Sefnyn
- Dafydd Gorlech
- Lewys Glyn Cothi
- Tudur Penllyn
- Hywel Swrdwal
- Hywel Cilan – who composed poems to the nobility of north Wales.
- Guto'r Glyn
- Llywelyn ab y Moel
- Sefnyn
- Gwilym ab Ieuan Hen
- Llawdden
- Gwilym ap Ieuan Hen – whose surviving work includes a poem in praise of the Virgin Mary and another to the ˜Four Daughters of the Trinity”.
- Maredudd ap Rhys
- Ieuan Gethin
- Maredudd ap Rhys
- Dafydd ab Edmwnd
- Rhys Brydydd
- Ieuan ap Gruffudd Leiaf – whose surviving work includes a satire on a river that once hindered his journey.
- Ieuan Brydydd Hir
- Dafydd Nanmor
- Bedo Brwynllys
- Ieuan Deulwyn
- Dafydd ap Maredudd ab Ednyfed – whose surviving work is a poem written to commemorate the return of Richard, Duke of York, from Ireland.
- Dafydd Epynt – who composed poems in praise of Christ, patron saints and the nobility associated with Brecon and Abergavenny. Texts of his poems are found in the Peniarth manuscripts.
- Deio ab Ieuan Du
- Ieuan Dyfi
- Gutun Owain
- Gwilym Tew
- Gwerful Mechain
- Ieuan ap Tudur Penllyn
- Llywelyn Goch y Dant – whose surviving work includes a poem in praise of Roger Vaughan of Tretower, who was executed by Jasper Tudor.
- Owain ap Llywelyn ab y Moel
- Rhys Nanmor
- Siôn ap Hywel
- Rhisiart ap Rhys
- Elis Siôn ap Moys – whose surviving cywydd to Henry Deane, Bishop of Bangor, is found in one of the Peniarth manuscripts.
- Bedo Aeddren
- Roger Davies – whose surviving cywyddau are found in one of the Peniarth manuscripts.
- Dafydd Cowper – whose englyn to the steeple of Wrexham church is found in one of the Peniarth Manuscripts.
Timeline of major poets
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from: 1320 till: 1370 color:PA text:"Dafydd ap Gwilym"
from: 1320 till: 1398 color:PA text:"Iolo Goch "
from: 1330 till: 1420 color:PA text:"Rhys Goch Eryri "
at:1340 text:"• White Book of Hergest"
at:1346 text:"• Book of the Anchorite of Llanddewibrefi "
from: 1347 till: 1350 color:BL text:"Black Death in Wales"
from: 1350 till: 1390 color:PA text:"Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen "
at:1356 text:"†Einion Offeiriad"
at:1371 text:"†Dafydd Ddu Athro o Hiraddug"
from: 1400 till: 1430 color:PA text:"Siôn Cent "
from: 1400 till: 1490 color:PA text:"Dafydd Llwyd o Fathafarn "
from: 1450 till: 1497 color:PA text:"Dafydd ab Edmwnd "
from: 1450 till: 1490 color:PA text:"Dafydd Nanmor "
from: 1445 till: 1485 color:GP text:"War of the Roses"
from: 1462 till: 1500 color:PA text:"Gwerful Mechain "
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16th century
Most of the earlier poets here are very much in the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr tradition. Traditional patronage dwindled in the late 16th century but a handful of bards still received patronage from the gentry into the 17th century. Free verse by individuals composing "freelance" gradually took over from the mid-16th century onwards. The free verse and strict metre poets sit rather uneasily together in this list.- Tudur Aled
- Lewys Môn
- Gruffudd ap Ieuan ap Llywelyn Fychan – poet and official at the Caerwys eisteddfod in 1524.
- Siôn Ceri, bard, genealogist and historian in Glamorgan
- Ieuan ap rhys ap Llywlyn – whose surviving work includes a poem composed on an outbreak of smallpox.
- Matthew Brwmffild – whose poems in praise of nobility are recorded in one of the Peniarth manuscripts.
- Lewys Daron – who is best known for his elegy on the death of Tudur Aled.
- Lewys Morgannwg
- Siôn Tudur
- Morus Dwyfech - poet in Gwynedd writing many types of verse and also his will in the form of a poem.
- Dafydd Trefor – whose work includes cywyddau on religious themes and an elegy on the death of Henry VII.
- Powys Lewis – whose poems in praise of nobility are recorded in one of the Peniarth manuscripts.
- Simwnt Fychan
- St. Richard Gwyn – who composed a number of odes in defence of Catholicism, while jailed.
- Alis Wen – whose surviving poems include musings on the type of man she desired to marry and on her fathers’ second marriage.
- Catrin ferch Gruffudd ap Ieuan Fychan – whose surviving poem is on a theme of religion.
- Morus Dwyfach
- Rhys Cain
- Llywelyn Siôn
- Siôn Phylip
- Edmwnd Prys
- Robin Clidro
- Dafydd Alaw – whose surviving work includes an elegy to Lewys Môn and poems in praise of the nobility of Anglesey.
- Wiliam Midleton
- Dafydd Benwyn – who composed poems to the nobility of Glamorgan.
- Morris Kyffin
- Catrin ferch Gruffudd ap Hywel – who composed a poem in praise of Jesus Christ.
- Gwilym Gwyn – whose surviving work includes a cywydd to St. Elian Geimiad.
- Dafydd ap Ieuan ab Owen – who composed poems in praise of the town of Harlech and an invective against the world inspired by the loss of his land.
- Gruffudd Hiraethog
- Tomos Prys
- Edward Maelor – who composed poems to the nobility of north Wales.
- Rhisiart Gruffudd – whose surviving work includes a poem seeking reconciliation between Sir Richard Bulkeley of Anglesey with his second wife, Agnes, who had been accused of poisoning her husband.
- Huw Llwyd – a soldier, poet and rumoured wizard whose poems on hunting are recorded in one of the Peniarth manuscripts.
- Edwart ap Raff – whose surviving work includes a poem about the Battle of Saint Quentin in 1557.
- Rhys Prichard
- Elis Cynfrig – whose poems on themes of religion and love are recorded in some of the Peniarth and British Museum manuscripts.
- Cadwaladr ap Rhys Trefnant – whose surviving poems in praise of noble families of Montgomeryshire are recorded in some of the Peniarth and Mostyn manuscripts.
Timeline of major poets
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from: 1465 till: 1525 color:PA text:"Aled Tudur "
at:1495 text:"†Jasper Tudor"
at:1509 text:"†Henry VII"
from: 1520 till: 1565 color:PA text:"Lewys Morgannwg "
at:1520 text:
from: 1522 till: 1602 color:PA text:"Siôn Tudur "
at:1525 text:"†Sir Rhys ap Thomas"
at:1536 text:"• Henry VIII's Act of Union "
from: 1537 till: 1584 color:PA text:"St. Richard Gwyn "
from: 1543 till: 1632 color:PA text:"Edmwnd Prys "
at:1546 text:"• Sir John Price publishes 'Yn y Lhyvyr Hwnn'"
at:1547 text:"†Henry VIII"
at:1553 text:"†Edward VI"
at:1558 text:"†Queen Mary"
at:1568 text:"• Queen Elizabeth I orders an eisteddfod to be held in Caerwys"
from: 1579 till: 1644 color:PA text:"Rhys Prichard "
at:1587 text:"†Wiliam Cynwal"
at:1588 text:"• William Morgan publishes first Welsh translation of the Bible"
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