Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, usually referred to as Dafydd Llwyd o Fathafarn (fl. c.1400–c.1490) was a

Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, 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 P ...

poet, a native of

Mathafarn Mathafarn is a house and farm near Llanwrin, in Wales. The earliest house here was built before 1485, and Mathafarn plays a significant role in Welsh and English history. History The earliest reference to Mathafarn is in 1485. Henry Tudor was ...

Powys Powys (; ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county and Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county in Wales. It is named after the Kingdom of Powys which was a Welsh succession of states, successor state, petty kingdom and princi ...

. The bulk of Dafydd Llwyd's surviving poetry is characterised by his hopes and aspirations for a

Mab Darogan Y Mab Darogan ( meaning "The Destined/prophesied Son" or "Son of Destiny") is a messianic figure of Welsh legend, destined to force the Germanic Anglo-Saxons and Vikings out of Britain and reclaim it for its Celtic Briton inhabitants. A number of ...

('Son of Prophecy') who would throw off the yoke of English rule and realise the restoration of an independent

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

. He was recognised as the leading authority on the prophetic lore and traditional history of Wales and was widely consulted. Like other prophetic poets of his period, Dafydd attached his hopes initially on

Jasper Tudor Jasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford (November 143121/26 December 1495), was the uncle of King Henry VII of England and a leading architect of his nephew's successful accession to the throne in 1485. He was from the noble Tudor family of Penmynydd i ...

, Earl of Pembroke, and then on his nephew Henry Tudor. Following his success at the

Battle of Bosworth The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 Augu ...

Dafydd composed poems in praise of Henry, his son

Arthur Arthur is a common male given name of Brittonic languages, Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. An ...

and to Sir

Rhys ap Thomas Sir Rhys ap Thomas (1449–1525) was a Welsh soldier and landholder who rose to prominence during the Wars of the Roses, and was instrumental in the victory of Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth. He remained a faithful supporter of Henry ...

, their leading Welsh supporter and advisor. He also composed a number of erotic poems, notably a poetic disputation with the poet

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 Mecha ...

, as well as religious and secular praise poems.

Bibliography

*W. L. Richards (ed.), ''Gwaith Dafydd Llwyd o Fathafarn'' (University of Wales Press, 1964). The edited texts, in Welsh.

External links

Dafydd Llwyd at Wikisource
Welsh-language poets 15th-century Welsh poets People of the Tudor period Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain {{Wales-writer-stub