Much of

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language of the Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut Province, Argentina). Historically, it has ...

poetry has, until quite recently, been composed in various forms of strict metre (''canu caeth''), latterly with the encouragement of the

eisteddfod In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music. The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, a ...

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 Myrddin Wyllt (—"Myrddin the Wild", kw, Marzhin Gwyls, br, Merzhin Gueld) is a figure in medieval Welsh legend. In Middle Welsh poetry he is accounted a chief bard, the speaker of several poems in The Black Book of Carmarthen and The Red B ...

. Early religious and gnomic verse is also usually anonymous. Where possible examples of each poet's surviving work is presented a
Welsh Poetry at Wikisource
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

Pre 6th century

No works by Welsh poets prior to the 6th century have survived. Tradition records: *Maelgwyn of Llandaff (c. 450) – said, according to one source, to have written of

Joseph of Arimathea Joseph of Arimathea was, according to all four canonical gospels, the man who assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus after his crucifixion. The historical location of Arimathea is uncertain, although it has been identified with several ...

's burial at

Glastonbury Glastonbury (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonb ...

."St. Joseph of Arimathea at Glastonbury", Theo Brown, Folklore, Vol. 57, No.2, 1946. However, in the mid-5th century he would have spoken

Brythonic Brittonic or Brythonic may refer to: *Common Brittonic, or Brythonic, the Celtic language anciently spoken in Great Britain *Brittonic languages, a branch of the Celtic languages descended from Common Brittonic *Britons (Celtic people) The Br ...

, not Welsh, and as a monk would probably have written in Latin. His existence is doubtful. *St. Meugan (fl. c. late 5th century) – 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 anonymou
(see Wikisource)
The works of the following poets, belonging to the Hengerdd or

Cynfeirdd Medieval Welsh literature is the literature written in the Welsh language during the Middle Ages. This includes material starting from the 5th century AD, when Welsh was in the process of becoming distinct from Common Brittonic, and continuing ...

period, are extant and accepted as probably genuine: *

Aneirin Aneirin , Aneurin or Neirin was an early Medieval Brythonic war poet. He is believed to have been a bard or court poet in one of the Cumbric kingdoms of the Hen Ogledd, probably that of Gododdin at Edinburgh, in modern Scotland. From the 17th ...

(Neirin mab Dwyrei) (

fl. ''Floruit'' (; abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for "they flourished") denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indicatin ...

550–600) *

Taliesin Taliesin ( , ; 6th century AD) was an early Brittonic poet of Sub-Roman Britain whose work has possibly survived in a Middle Welsh manuscript, the ''Book of Taliesin''. Taliesin was a renowned bard who is believed to have sung at the courts ...

(fl. later 6th century) The following works are probably apocryphal: *Meigant (fl. c. 600–620) – a poet whose surviving work is recorded in the
Black Book Of Carmarthen
'. *Afan Ferddig (7th century) – accepted as the author of
Moliant Cadwallon
' a praise poem to

Cadwallon ap Cadfan Cadwallon ap Cadfan (died 634A difference in the interpretation of Bede's dates has led to the question of whether Cadwallon was killed in 634 or the year earlier, 633. Cadwallon died in the year after the Battle of Hatfield Chase, which Bede rep ...

* Juvencus Manuscript/ Cambridge Juvencus (late 9th century) contains two Welsh englyn-poems, one of nine and one of three englynion.Sir Ifor Williams, 'Beginnings of Welsh Poetry', University of Wales Press, Second Revised Edition,1980 For the text and Sir Ifor William's translation see:
The Juvencus Englynion
'. *The

englyn (; plural ) is a traditional Welsh and Cornish short poem form. It uses quantitative metres, involving the counting of syllables, and rigid patterns of rhyme and half rhyme. Each line contains a repeating pattern of consonants and accent kno ...

- cycles which were previously attributed to

Llywarch Hen Llywarch Hen (, "Llywarch the Old"; c. 534 – c. 608), was a prince and poet of the Brythonic kingdom of Rheged, a ruling family in the Hen Ogledd or "Old North" of Britain (modern southern Scotland and northern England). Along with Taliesin, An ...

and Heledd are now seen as works of later (9th–10th century) poets. *St Elaeth (11th century) – a poet and a monk whose surviving verse is recorded in the
Black Book Of Carmarthen
'.

Non-extant or doubtful

Four others are named by

Nennius Nennius – or Nemnius or Nemnivus – was a Welsh monk of the 9th century. He has traditionally been attributed with the authorship of the '' Historia Brittonum'', based on the prologue affixed to that work. This attribution is widely considere ...

as poets of renown alongside

and

: :*Blwchbardd :*Cian (Guenith Guaut) :*Culfardd :*

Talhaearn Tad Awen Talhaearn Tad Awen (''fl'' mid-6th century), was, according to medieval Welsh sources, a celebrated British poet of the sub-Roman period. He ranks as one of the earliest, if not the earliest, named poets to have composed and performed in Welsh. ...

Arofan Arofan was a 7th Century Welsh language poet. Nothing of Arofan's work survives. However, his name is recorded as the Welsh Triads The Welsh Triads ( cy, Trioedd Ynys Prydein, "Triads of the Island of Britain") are a group of related texts in ...

(7th century) * (?9th century) – referred to in several poems but otherwise unknown. None of his work survives. The earliest reference to him is in a tex
English version
found in the
Black Book Of Carmarthen
'. However, a later charter of Sir Nicholas FitzMartin,

Marcher Lord A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales. A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in Fran ...

of Kemes, off-handedly describes someone as his descendant; the charter grants the supposed descendant land in the

Preseli Hills The Preseli Hills or, as they are known locally and historically, Preseli Mountains, (Welsh: ''Mynyddoedd y Preseli / Y Preselau'' , ) is a range of hills in western Wales, mostly within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The range stret ...

. *Bleheris (?11th century) – an otherwise unknown poet of doubtful authenticity referred to as "born and bred in Wales" in ''

Gawain Gawain (), also known in many other forms and spellings, is a character in Arthurian legend, in which he is King Arthur's nephew and a Knight of the Round Table. The prototype of Gawain is mentioned under the name Gwalchmei in the earlies ...

'' and as a source for the story.Bleheri
"J. L. Weston, From Ritual to Romance, Cambridge University Press 1920"
/ref>

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 (see

Merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...

).Myrddin " A.O.H. Jarman, 'A oedd Myrddin yn Fardd Hanesyddol?', (Studia Celtica 1976)

Timeline

ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:12 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:30 right:130 left:20 AlignBars = justify DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:400 till:1200 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:100 start:400 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:25 start:400 Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.97,0.97,0.97) id:PA value:green id:GP value:red id:eon value:rgb(1,0.7,1) # light purple id:BL value:black Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas BarData = barset:Rulers PlotData= width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till barset:Rulers at:410 text:• Collapse of the Roman Empire in Britain from: 550 till: 600 color:PA text:"

" at:570 text:†St Gildas from: 575 till: 600 color:PA text:"

" 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:"

" 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 barset:skip BarData= bar:Welsh PlotData = fontsize:S width:15 shift:(-40,-5) color:blue bar:Welsh from:500 till:800 text:"Early Welsh" color:yellow bar:Welsh from:800 till:1050 text:"

Old Welsh Old Welsh ( cy, Hen Gymraeg) is the stage of the Welsh language from about 800 AD until the early 12th century when it developed into Middle Welsh.Koch, p. 1757. The preceding period, from the time Welsh became distinct from Common Brittonic a ...

" shift:(-10,-5) color:white bar:Welsh from:1050 till:1200 text:"

Middle Welsh Middle Welsh ( cy, Cymraeg Canol, wlm, Kymraec) is the label attached to the Welsh language of the 12th to 15th centuries, of which much more remains than for any earlier period. This form of Welsh developed directly from Old Welsh ( cy, Hen ...

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 Medieval Welsh literature is the literature written in the Welsh language during the Middle Ages. This includes material starting from the 5th century AD, when Welsh was in the process of becoming distinct from Common Brittonic, and continuing ...

. The list is roughly chronological. * Meilyr Brydydd (fl. 1100–1137) * Gwalchmai ap Meilyr (fl. 1130–1180) *

Owain Cyfeiliog Owain ap Gruffydd (c. 1130–1197) was a prince of the southern part of Powys and a poet. He is usually known as Owain Cyfeiliog to distinguish him from other rulers named Owain, particularly his contemporary, Owain ap Gruffydd of Gwynedd, who is k ...

(c. 1130–1197) * Llywarch Llaety (fl. c. 1140–1160) *Llywelyn Fardd I – (fl. c. 1150–1175) – named in the

Red Book of Hergest The ''Red Book of Hergest'' ( cy, Llyfr Coch Hergest, Oxford, Jesus College, MS 111) is a large vellum manuscript written shortly after 1382, which ranks as one of the most important medieval manuscripts written in the Welsh language. It preserv ...

as “Llywelyn Fardd, son of Cywryd”.J Lloyd-Jones, 'The Court Poets of the Welsh Princes', Proceedings of the British Academy, 1948 *

Seisyll Bryffwrch Seisyll Bryffwrch (fl. 1155–1175) was a Welsh-language poet. Seisyll competed against and was defeated by Cynddelw in a contest for the role of chief court poet to Madog ap Maredudd, prince of Powys. Seisyll's own compositions include eleg ...

(fl. 1155–1175) *

Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr ("Cynddelw the Great Poet"; wlm, Kyndelw Brydyt or ; 1155–1200), was the court poet of Madog ap Maredudd, Owain Gwynedd (Owen the Great), and Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd, and one of the most prominent Welsh poets of the ...

(fl. 1155–1200) * Peryf ap Cedifor (fl. c. 1170) *

Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd Hywel ab Owain Gwynedd (circa 11201170), Prince of Gwynedd in 1170, was a Welsh poet and military leader. Hywel was the son of Owain Gwynedd, prince of Gwynedd, and an Irishwoman named Pyfog. In recognition of this, he was also known as ''Hyw ...

(died 1170) *

Gwynfardd Brycheiniog Gwynfardd Brycheiniog (fl. c. 1170–80) was a Welsh-language poet. Gwynfardd is noted for his eulogies in praise of Saint David and the Lord Rhys Rhys ap Gruffydd, commonly known as The Lord Rhys, in Welsh ''Yr Arglwydd Rhys'' (c. 1132 – 2 ...

(fl. c. 1170–1180) * Llywarch ap Llywelyn ("Prydydd y Moch") (1173–1220) *

Elidir Sais Elidir Sais (ca. 1190 – ca. 1240) was a Medieval Welsh language court poet from Anglesey His sobriquet ''Sais'' ("English") suggests he was conversant in the English language, something so unusual at the time that it earned him his nickna ...

(1190–1240) * Meilyr ap Gwalchmai (fl. second half of the 12th century) * Gwilym Rhyfel (12th century) * Cneppyn Gwerthrynion (c. 13th century) * Einion ap Gwalchmai (fl. 1202–1223) *

Einion Wan Einion Wan (fl. 1230–1245) was a Welsh-language court poet whose surviving poems include elegies to Llywelyn the Great Llywelyn the Great ( cy, Llywelyn Fawr, ; full name Llywelyn mab Iorwerth; c. 117311 April 1240) was a King of Gwynedd i ...

(fl. c. 1202–1245) *

Einion ap Gwgon Einion ap Gwgon (fl. c. 1215) was a court poet in the Welsh language. His sole surviving poem is a eulogy to Prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great) of Gwynedd Gwynedd (; ) is a county and preserved county (latter with differing bou ...

(fl. c. 1215) * Y Prydydd Bychan (fl. c. 1222–1268) *

Goronwy Foel Goronwy Foel (fl. about the middle of the 13th century) was a Welsh language court poet from Deheubarth, south-west Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish ...

(fl. c. middle of the 13th century) * Dafydd Benfras (fl. 1230–1260) * Hywel Foel ap Griffri ap Pwyll Wyddel (fl. c. 1240–1300) *

Adda Fras Adda Fras () was a Welsh language, Welsh poet and writer of prophecies. Though he is mentioned in a number of texts, little of his own work survives. In ''Dafydd ap Gwilym a'i gyfoeswyr'' 156, he is associated with Casnodyn. He is buried in Maenan ...

(c. 1240 – c. 1320) – 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.Gwaith Tudur Aled, Thomas Gwynn Jones (ed.), (Cardiff, 1926). *

Madog ap Gwallter Madoc ab Owain Gwynedd (also spelled Madog) was, according to folklore, a Welsh prince who sailed to America in 1170, over three hundred years before Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1492. According to the story, he was a son of Owain Gwyned ...

(fl. c. 1250) * Bleddyn Fardd (fl. c. 1258–1284) *

Llygad Gŵr Llygad Gŵr (fl. 1268 or 1258 – c. 1293,) was a Welsh-language poet in the court of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. His surviving works are a sequence of five awdlau for Llywelyn and four poems that praise the dynasty of Powys Fadog. In his poetry, h ...

(fl. 1268) * Gruffudd ab yr Ynad Coch (fl. 1277–1282) *

Cadwgan Ffôl Cadwgan Ffôl was a 13th-century Welsh poet. Little is known about him, and little of his work is thought to survive. The transcription of a poem commemorating a victory by the Welsh over the English fought at Degannwy (Iolo Morganwg manuscript ...

(13th century) – 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

ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:12 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:20 right:130 left:20 AlignBars = justify DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1090 till:1350 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:50 start:1100 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:10 start:1100 Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.97,0.97,0.97) id:PA value:green id:GP value:red id:eon value:rgb(1,0.7,1) # light purple Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas BarData = barset:Rulers PlotData= width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till barset:Rulers from: 1100 till: 1137 color:PA text:" Meilyr Brydydd (1100–1137)" from: 1130 till: 1180 color:PA text:" Gwalchmai ap Meilyr (1130–1180)" from: 1130 till: 1197 color:PA text:" Owain ap Gruffydd (1130–1197)" from: 1155 till: 1200 color:PA text:" Cynddelw Brydydd Mawr(1255–1200)" 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(1230–1260)" at:1240 text:†Llywelyn ab Iorwerth from: 1277 till: 1282 color:PA text:" Gruffudd ab Yr Ynad Coch (1277–1282)" at:1282text:†Llywelyn ap Gruffydd at:1284 text:• Statute of Rhuddlan incorporates Wales into England barset:skip BarData= bar:Welsh PlotData = fontsize:S width:15 shift:(-40,-5) color:white bar:Welsh from:1090 till:1250 text:"

" 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. *

Casnodyn Casnodyn (fl. first half of the 14th century) was a Welsh-language poet born in Gilfai, near present-day Swansea Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known ...

(fl. first half of the 14th century) *

Phylip Brydydd Phylip Brydydd (fl. c. 1200–25) was a Welsh language court poet. Phylip was poet to the court of Rhys Gryg, the Welsh prince who ruled part of the kingdom of Deheubarth. Y Prydydd Bychan, who may have been his son, was also a court poet A p ...

(fl. c. 1300–1325) *

Madog Benfras Madog Benfras (i.e. Madog "Greathead") (fl. 1340) was a Welsh poet. He is otherwise known from involvement in legal cases at Wrexham in 1340. Life and works He was a son of Gruffydd ab Iorwerth of Marchwiail, and had two brothers; Llywelyn Llogel ...

(fl. c. 1320–1360) – best known for his '' elegy on Dafydd ap Gwilym''. *

Dafydd ap Gwilym Dafydd ap Gwilym ( 1315/1320 – 1350/1370) is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and amongst the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Life R. Geraint Gruffydd suggests 1315- 1350 as the poet's dates; others place him a little ...

(c. 1320 – c. 1370) *

Iolo Goch Iolo Goch (c. 1320 – c. 1398) (meaning ''Iolo the Red'' in English) was a medieval Welsh bard who composed poems addressed to Owain Glyndŵr, among others. Lineage Iolo was the son of Ithel Goch ap Cynwrig ap Iorwerth Ddu ap Cynwrig Dd ...

(1320–1398) * Bleddyn Ddu (fl. c. 1330-1385) – whose surviving poems are preserved in the

. * Rhys Goch Eryri (1330–1420) *

Gruffudd Gryg Gruffudd Gryg (fl. c.1340–1380) was a Welsh poet from Anglesey, North Wales. A number of Gruffudd's poems have survived including poems to a wave during his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela and to an April moon. Also extant are the deb ...

(fl. c.1340–1380) *

Gruffudd ab Adda Gruffudd ab Adda (fl. mid 14th century) was a Welsh language poet and musician. Gruffudd was a contemporary of Dafydd ap Gwilym, whose death he mourned in elegy An elegy is a poem of serious reflection, and in English literature usually a lame ...

(fl. mid 14th century) *

Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen Llywelyn Goch ap Meurig Hen (fl. c. 1350–1390) was a Welsh language court poet from Merionethshire, in the north west of Wales. Llywelyn is credited, along with Iolo Goch, with introducing and popularizing the cywydd metre in the north of Wales. ...

(fl. c. 1350–1390) * Gruffudd ap Maredudd ap Dafydd (fl. 1352–1382) – famed for his awdlau to the Chester Rood and the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...

, and for his elegy to Gwenhwyfar of Pentraeth.Andrew Breeze, 'Two bardic themes: the Virgin and Child, and Ave-Eva', Medium Aevum, Vol. 63, 1994 *

Einion Offeiriad Einion Offeiriad ("Einion the Priest") (died 1356) was a Welsh language poet and grammarian. Einion lived in Ceredigion Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During t ...

(died 1356) * Tudur ap Gwyn Hagr (fl. second half of the 14th century) *

Iorwerth Beli Iorwerth Beli (fl. second half of 14th century) was a poet who wrote in the Middle Welsh language. Very little is known of his life. Iorwerth's only surviving poem expresses his disdain of the Bishop of Bangor The Bishop of Bangor is the ordi ...

(fl. second half of the 14th century) * Dafydd ap Hywel ap Madoc ("Dafydd Ddu Athro o Hiraddug") (died 1371) *

Dafydd y Coed Dafydd Y Coed was a 14th-century Welsh poet. He is thought to have lived in South Wales. His surviving works include a number of ''awdlau'', and some shorter (satirical) poems, such as those which feature in the ''Red Book of Hergest The ''Red ...

(fl. 1380) – whose awdlau and satirical poems are found in the

. *Mab y Clochyddyn (fl. c. 1380) – whose elegy to Gwenhwyfar, ''"Marwnad Gwenhwyfar ferch Madog"'', is found in the

.'Llanarthney – Llanbedrog', A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (1849), pp. 478–93. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47842 *

Gruffudd Llwyd Gruffudd Llwyd (fl. c.1380–1410) was a Welsh language poet. Gruffudd was the nephew of the poet Hywel ab Einion Lygliw and the bardic tutor of Rhys Goch Eryri. Gruffudd composed poems on themes of love and religion. His surviving work is char ...

(fl. c.1380–1410) * Dafydd Bach ap Madog Wladaidd ("Sypyn Cyfeiliog") (fl. 1340–1390) * Siôn Cent (ca. 1400–1430/45) * Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Dafydd Llwyd o Fathafarn) (fl. c. 1400–1490) *

Sefnyn Sefnyn was a Welsh language court poet from Anglesey, north Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the sout ...

(fl. 1408) * Dafydd Gorlech (c. 1410 – c. 1490) *

Lewys Glyn Cothi Lewys Glyn Cothi (c. 1420 – 1490), also known as Llywelyn y Glyn, was a prominent 15th century Welsh poet who composed numerous poems in the Welsh language. He is one of the most important representatives of the ''Beirdd yr Uchelwyr'' ("Poets of ...

(c. 1420–1490) * Tudur Penllyn (fl. c. 1420–1490) * Hywel Swrdwal (fl. 1430–1475) *Hywel Cilan (fl. 1435–1470) – who composed poems to the nobility of north Wales.Islwyn Jones (ed.), Gwaith Hywel Cilan (Caerdydd, 1963) * Guto'r Glyn (c. 1435 – c. 1493) *

Llywelyn ab y Moel Llywelyn ab y Moel (died 1440) was a Welsh-language poet and rebel, and father of the poet Owain ap Llywelyn ab y Moel. Life Llywelyn was raised in Llanwnnog, a village in Arwystli, Powys. He was also connected through his maternal relatives to ...

(died 1440) *

(fl.1440) * Gwilym ab Ieuan Hen (fl. c. 1440–1480) *

Llawdden Llawdden (or Ieuan Llawdden) (fl. 1440–1480) was a Welsh language poet and a Roman Catholic priest. Llawdden composed poems to many prominent noble families. Perhaps Llawdden's greatest claim to fame is his inauguration in the Eisteddfod held a ...

(fl. 1440–1480) * Maredudd ap Rhys (fl. 1440–1483) *

Ieuan Gethin Ieuan Gethin ap Ieuan ap Lleision (fl. c. 1450) was a Welsh language poet, of Baglan, Glamorgan. References Welsh-language poets 15th-century Welsh poets {{Wales-writer-stub ...

(fl. c. 1450) * Maredudd ap Rhys (c. 1450–1480) *

Dafydd ab Edmwnd Dafydd ap Edmwnd (fl. c. 1450–97) was one of the most prominent Welsh language poets of the Later Middle Ages. Life Dafydd was born into a family of Norman ancestry in Hanmer, in Flintshire (now Wrexham County Borough), north-east Wales. As ...

(fl. c. 1450–1497) * Rhys Brydydd (fl. mid-15th century) * Ieuan Brydydd Hir (fl. 1450–1485) *

Dafydd Nanmor Dafydd Nanmor (fl. 1450 – 1490) was a Welsh language poet born at Nanmor (or Nantmor), in Gwynedd Gwynedd (; ) is a county and preserved county (latter with differing boundaries; includes the Isle of Anglesey) in the north-west of Wales. It ...

(fl. 1450–1490) *

Bedo Brwynllys Bedo Brwynllys (fl. c. 1460) was a Welsh-language poet or bard. Life He lived in the Bronllys area near Talgarth in Brycheiniog. Bedo was a love poet in the tradition of Dafydd ap Gwilym whose work is sometimes mis-assigned to Bedo Aeddren. He c ...

(fl. c. 1460) *Dafydd Epynt (fl. c. 1460) – 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.Owen Thomas, 'Gwaith Dafydd Epynt', Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth, 2002 * Deio ab Ieuan Du (fl. 1460–1480) *

Ieuan Dyfi Ieuan Dyfi (c. 1461? – after 1502?) was a Welsh language poet. Poetry Very little information has survived relating to Ieuan and his poetry. Ieuan composed five poems to a woman named "Anni Goch" in one of which he accuses how false wom ...

(c. 1460–1500) * Gutun Owain (fl. 1460–1500) * Gwilym Tew (fl. 1460–1480) *

Gwerful Mechain Gwerful Mechain (fl. 1460–1502), is the only female medieval Welsh poet from whom a substantial body of work is known to have survived. She is known for her erotic poetry, in which she praised the vulva among other things. Life Gwerful Mech ...

(fl. 1462–1500) *

Ieuan ap Tudur Penllyn Ieuan ap Tudur Penllyn ( fl. 1480) was a Welsh poet of the late mediaeval period. Ieuan was born at Caer-Gai, near Llanuwchllyn, Merioneth (present-day Gwynedd) and was the son of two notable poets: Tudur Penllyn and Gwerful Fychan. Through the l ...

Owain ap Llywelyn ab y Moel Owain ap Llywelyn ab y Moel (fl. 1470–1500) was a Welsh language poet from Powys. The son of poet and rebel Llywelyn ab y Moel, twenty six of Owain ap Llywelyn ab y Moel's cywydd The cywydd (; plural ) is one of the most important metrical for ...

(fl. 1470–1500) *

Rhys Nanmor Rhys Nanmor (fl. 1480–1513) was a Welsh language poet who lived in Nanmor, near Beddgelert in North Wales. Among his surviving work is a prophecy to King Henry VII of England and an elegy on the death of Arthur, Prince of Wales, who died in ...

(fl. 1480–1513) * Siôn ap Hywel (fl. c. 1490–1532) * Rhisiart ap Rhys (fl. c. 1495–1510) * Bedo Aeddren (fl. 1500) *

Dafydd ap Ieuan Llwyd Dafydd ap Ieuan Llwyd (fl. 1500) was a Welsh poet. He was from the Aberhafesp area of Montgomeryshire , HQ= Montgomery , Government= Montgomeryshire County Council (1889–1974)Montgomeryshire District Council (197 ...

(fl. 1500)

Timeline of major poets

ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:12 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:30 right:130 left:20 AlignBars = justify DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1290 till:1540 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:20 start:1290 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:20 start:1290 Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.97,0.97,0.97) id:PA value:green id:GP value:red id:eon value:rgb(1,0.7,1) # light purple id:BL value:black Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas BarData = barset:Rulers PlotData= width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till barset:Rulers from: 1320 till: 1370 color:PA text:" Dafydd ap Gwilym( c. 1320-c. 1370)" from: 1320 till: 1398 color:PA text:" Iolo Goch (1320–1398)" from: 1330 till: 1420 color:PA text:" Rhys Goch Eryri (1330–1420)" 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 (fl. c. 1350–1390)" at:1356 text:"†Einion Offeiriad" at:1371 text:"†Dafydd Ddu Athro o Hiraddug" from: 1400 till: 1430 color:PA text:" Siôn Cent (c. 1400 – 1430)" from: 1400 till: 1490 color:PA text:" Dafydd Llwyd o Fathafarn (fl. c.1400–c.1490" at:1400 text:"†Geoffrey Chaucer in England" at:1400 text:"• Red Book of Hergest " at:1416 text:"†Owain Glyndŵr" from: 1420 till: 1490 color:PA text:" Lewys Glyn Cothi (c. 1420 – 1490)" from: 1450 till: 1497 color:PA text:"

Dafydd ab Edmwnd (fl. c. 1450–97) Dafydd ab Edmwnd (fl. c. 1450–97) was one of the most prominent Welsh language poets of the Later Middle Ages. Life Dafydd was born into a family of Norman ancestry in Hanmer, in Flintshire (now Wrexham County Borough), north-east Wales. As ...

" from: 1450 till: 1490 color:PA text:" Dafydd Nanmor (fl. 1450 – 1490)" from: 1445 till: 1485 color:GP text:"War of the Roses" from: 1462 till: 1500 color:PA text:" Gwerful Mechain (fl. 1462–1500)" barset:skip BarData= bar:Welsh PlotData = fontsize:S width:15 shift:(-40,-5) color:red bar:Welsh from:1290 till:1540 text:" Early Modern Welsh"

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 (c. 1465–1525) *

Lewys Môn Lewys Môn (fl. 1485 – 1527) was a Welsh-language poet, one of the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr (Poets of the Nobility), from the '' cwmwd'' (commote) of on Ynys Môn (now Anglesey), north Wales. About 110 of his poems survive, mostly traditional prais ...

(fl. 1485–1527) * Siôn Ceri (fl. early 16th century * Meurig Dafydd (c. 1510–95), bard, genealogist and historian in Glamorgan *

Lewys Morgannwg Lewys Morgannwg (fl. 1520–65) was a Welsh language poet from Morgannwg, south Wales. He lived at St. Bride's Major Lewys was one of the foremost poets of the sixteenth century. Most of his poems that have survived are eulogies and elegies ...

(fl. 1520–1565) * Siôn Tudur (1522–1602) *

Morus Dwyfech Morus Dwyfach (fl. c. 1523–1590) – otherwise, Morus ap Dafydd ab Ifan ab Einion – was a Welsh-language poet. He was domestic bard to the Griffith family at Cefnamlwch on the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd Gwynedd (; ) is a county and preserv ...

(1523- 1590) - poet in Gwynedd writing many types of verse and also his will in the form of a poem. *

Dafydd Trefor Dafydd Trefor (d. 1528?) was a Welsh cleric and bard. He is known to have been born in the parish of Llanddeiniolen, Caernarfonshire. Bangor parish records for 1504 refer to him as rector of Llanygrad (i.e. Llaneugrad-cum-Llanallgo, Anglesey), ...

(died 1528) – whose work includes cywyddau on religious themes and an elegy on the death of Henry VII.Rhiannon Ifans, 'Gwaith Syr Dafydd Trefor', Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, Aberystwyth, 2006 *

Simwnt Fychan Simwnt Fychan (c. 1530 – 1606) was a Welsh language poet and genealogist, probably born in Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd in north-east Wales. He was a colleague of the poet and scholar Gruffudd Hiraethog. In 1567 Queen Elizabeth I of England appointed ...

(c. 1530–1606) *

St. Richard Gwyn ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

(c. 1537–1584) – who composed a number of odes in defence of Catholicism, while jailed.Catholic Online Saints: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=4599 *

Alis Wen Alis ferch Gruffudd ab Ieuan ap Llywelyn Fychan or Alis Wen ("Alice the White"; 1520–?) was a 16th-century poet who wrote in Welsh. She wrote several ''englynion'' on matters of her personal and family life, and a '' cywydd'' aimed at reconci ...

(Alice ferch Gruffudd ap Ieuan Fychan; fl. 1540–1570) – whose surviving poems include musings on the type of man she desired to marry and on her fathers’ second marriage.(Peniarth Manuscript. 287) *

Catrin ferch Gruffudd ap Ieuan Fychan Catrin may refer to: * Catrin ferch Owain Glyndŵr, one of the daughters of Margaret Hanmer and Owain Glyndŵr * Katheryn of Berain, Catrin Tudor, known as 'Mother of Wales' * "Catrin" (poem), a poem by Gillian Clarke, Welsh poet * "El Catrin" is ...

(fl. 16th century) – whose surviving poem is on a theme of religion. * Morus Dwyfach (fl. 1540–1580) * Rhys Cain (c. 1540–1614) * Llywelyn Siôn (c. 1540–1615) * Siôn Phylip (1543–1620) * Edmwnd Prys (c. 1543–1623) *

Robin Clidro Robin Clidro (1545–1580) was a Welsh language poet and itinerant minstrel An itinerant poet or strolling minstrel (also known variously as a gleeman, circler, or cantabank) was a wandering minstrel, bard, musician, or other poet common in medi ...

(1545–1580) *

Dafydd Alaw Dafydd Alaw () was a Welsh poet about whom little is known. He is thought to have been a native of the Isle of Anglesey and a bardic disciple of Lewys Môn Lewys Môn ( fl. 1485 – 1527) was a Welsh-language poet, one of the Beirdd yr Uchelw ...

(fl. 1550) – whose surviving work includes an elegy to

and poems in praise of the nobility of Anglesey.(NLW MS. (1553) Llanst. MSS. (123, 125, and 133) *

Wiliam Midleton Wiliam Midleton (c.1550 – 1596) was a poet in the Welsh language and an adventurer.Gruffydd Aled Williams, 'Wiliam Midleton, bonheddwr, anturiwr a bardd', ''Transactions of the Denbighshire Historical Society'', 24 (1975), 74–116; Idem,'Wi ...

(c. 1550 – c. 1596) * Morris Kyffin (c. 1555–1598) *

Catrin ferch Gruffudd ap Hywel Catrin may refer to: * Catrin ferch Owain Glyndŵr, one of the daughters of Margaret Hanmer and Owain Glyndŵr * Katheryn of Berain, Catrin Tudor, known as 'Mother of Wales' * "Catrin" (poem), a poem by Gillian Clarke, Welsh poet * "El Catrin" is ...

(fl. c. 1555) – who composed a poem in praise of Jesus Christ.(N.L.W. MSS. 695) *Gwilym Gwyn (fl. c. 1560–1600) – whose surviving work includes a cywydd to St. Elian Geimiad.(B.M. Add. MS. 14906) *

Gruffudd Hiraethog Gruffudd Hiraethog (died 1564) was a 16th century Welsh language poet, born in Llangollen, north-east Wales. Gruffudd was one of the foremost poets of the sixteenth century to use the cywydd metre. He was a prolific author and gifted scholar. ...

(died 1564) *

Tomos Prys Tomos Prys (c.1564–1634) was a Welsh soldier, sailor and poet. He was the eldest son of Ellis Price MP, of Plas Iolyn, Pentrefoelas, Denbighshire. Life He followed a seafaring life for many years, joining expeditions under both Sir Walter R ...

(c. 1564–1634) * Rhisiart Gruffudd (fl. c. 1569) – 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.(Mostyn MS 144) *

Rhys Prichard Rhys Prichard (1579–1644) was a Welsh clergyman and poet. He was vicar of Llandovery in the west of Wales and held various posts at St David's Cathedral (being made chancellor of St David's in 1626, and later canon). He was known as "Yr Hen Fi ...

(1579–1644) *

Cadwaladr ap Rhys Trefnant Cadwaladr ap Rhys Trefnant (floruit, fl. 1600) was a Welsh poet. Few of his works are thought to survive today. He is known to have written a number of poetical compositions in praise of various affluent Montgomeryshire family members, such as Sir ...

(fl. 1600) – whose surviving poems in praise of noble families of Montgomeryshire are recorded in some of the Peniarth and Mostyn manuscripts.

Timeline of major poets

ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:12 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:30 right:130 left:20 AlignBars = justify DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1450 till:1650 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:20 start:1450 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:10 start:1450 Colors = id:canvas value:rgb(0.97,0.97,0.97) id:PA value:green id:GP value:red id:eon value:rgb(1,0.7,1) # light purple id:BL value:black Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas BarData = barset:Rulers PlotData= width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till barset:Rulers from: 1465 till: 1525 color:PA text:"Aled Tudur (c.1465–1525)" at:1495 text:"†Jasper Tudor" at:1509 text:"†Henry VII" from: 1520 till: 1565 color:PA text:" Lewys Morgannwg (fl. 1520–1565)" at:1520 text: from: 1522 till: 1602 color:PA text:" Siôn Tudur (1522–1602)" at:1525 text:"†Sir Rhys ap Thomas" at:1536 text:"• Henry VIII's Act of Union (English becomes official language of Wales)" from: 1537 till: 1584 color:PA text:" St. Richard Gwyn (c.1537–1584)" from: 1543 till: 1632 color:PA text:" Edmwnd Prys (1543/4-1623)" 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 (1579–1644)" at:1587 text:" †Wiliam Cynwal" at:1588 text:"• William Morgan publishes first Welsh translation of the Bible" barset:skip BarData= bar:Welsh PlotData = fontsize:S width:15 shift:(-40,-5) color:red bar:Welsh from:1450 till:1588 text:"Early Modern Welsh" color:green bar:Welsh from:1588 till:1650 text:"Late Modern Welsh"

References

{{Reflist Welsh language poets

Poets A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...

Welsh poets Welsh poetry refers to poetry of the Welsh people or nation. This includes poetry written in Welsh, poetry written in English by Welsh or Wales based poets, poetry written in Wales in other languages or poetry by Welsh poets around the world. ...

Articles which contain graphical timelines

Pre 6th century

6th century to 1100

Extant

Non-extant or doubtful

Other

Timeline

1100 to 1290

Timeline of major poets

1290 to c.1500

Timeline of major poets

16th century

Timeline of major poets

See also

References