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List of Welsh-language poets (6th century to c. 1600)

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Much of Welsh language poetry has, until quite recently, been composed in various forms of strict metre (canu caeth), 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 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 Welsh language.

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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's burial at Glastonbury.[1] 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 (fl. c. late 5th century) – possibly a court poet to Cadwallon of Gwynedd
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6th century to 1100

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Extant

The bulk of surviving verse from the period known as "Canu'r Bwlch" is anonymous.(see Wikisource)

The works of the following poets, belonging to the Hengerdd or Cynfeirdd period, are extant and accepted as probably genuine:

The following works are probably apocryphal:

Non-extant or doubtful

Four others are named by Nennius as poets of renown alongside Taliesin and Aneirin:

  • Arofan (7th century)
  • Cuhelyn the Bard [cy] (?9th century) – referred to in several poems but otherwise unknown. None of his work survives. The earliest reference to him is in a text (English version) found in the Black Book Of Carmarthen. 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.[3][4]
  • Bleheris (?11th century) – an otherwise unknown poet of doubtful authenticity referred to as "born and bred in Wales" in Gawain and as a source for the story.[5]

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).[6]

Timeline

Middle Welsh languageOld Welsh languageLlywarch HenTaliesinAneirin
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1100 to 1290

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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.

Timeline of major poets

Early Modern WelshMiddle Welsh languageGruffudd ab Yr Ynad CochDafydd BenfrasCynddelw Brydydd MawrOwain ap GruffyddGwalchmai ap MeilyrMeilyr Brydydd

1290 to c.1500

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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.

Timeline of major poets

Early Modern Welsh languageGwerful MechainDafydd NanmorDafydd ab Edmwnd (fl. c. 1450–97)Lewys Glyn CothiDafydd Llwyd o FathafarnSiôn CentLlywelyn Goch ap Meurig HenRhys Goch EryriIolo GochDafydd ap Gwilym
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16th century

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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.

Timeline of major poets

Wiliam CynwalRhys PrichardEdmwnd PrysSt. Richard GwynSiôn TudurLewys Morgannwg
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See also

References

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