Goursez Vreizh (officially Breudeuriezh Drouized, Barzhed hag Ovizion Breizh) is the national
gorsedd
A gorsedd (, plural ''gorseddau'') is a community or meeting of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is spelled gorsedh in Cornish and goursez in Breton.
When the term is used without qualification, it usually ...
of
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...
("Breizh" in Breton). It often has delegates from the
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...
gorsedd
A gorsedd (, plural ''gorseddau'') is a community or meeting of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is spelled gorsedh in Cornish and goursez in Breton.
When the term is used without qualification, it usually ...
and
Gorsedh Kernow
Gorsedh Kernow (Cornish Gorsedd) is a non-political Cornish organisation, based in Cornwall, United Kingdom, which exists to maintain the national Celtic spirit of Cornwall. It is based on the Welsh-based Gorsedd, which was founded by Iolo Mo ...
in
Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a Historic counties of England, historic county and Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people ...
. The Breton organisation is itself based on the Welsh-based
Gorsedd
A gorsedd (, plural ''gorseddau'') is a community or meeting of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is spelled gorsedh in Cornish and goursez in Breton.
When the term is used without qualification, it usually ...
, which was founded by
Iolo Morganwg
Edward Williams, better known by his bardic name Iolo Morganwg (; 10 March 1747 – 18 December 1826), was a Welsh antiquarian, poet and collector.Jones, Mary (2004)"Edward Williams/Iolo Morganwg/Iolo Morgannwg" From ''Jones' Celtic Encycloped ...
in 1792.
History
Théodore Hersart de la Villemarqué Théodore is the French version of the masculine given name Theodore.
Given name
* Théodore Caruelle d'Aligny (1798–1871), French landscape painter and engraver
* Théodore Anne (1892–1917), French playwright, librettist, and novelist
* Théo ...
(1815-1895) was the first Breton to be made an initiate by the Gorsedd of Wales. He took the bardic name Hersart Kervarker. He created a "Fraternity of the Bards of Brittany" (Breuriez Breiz) but this did not lead to the creation of a Gorsedd.
* 1838: La Villemarqué,
Auguste Brizeux
Julien Auguste Pélage Brizeux (12 September 1803 – 3 May 1858) was a French poet. He was said to belong to a family of Ireland, Irish origin, long settled in Brittany. He was educated for the law, but in 1827 he produced at the Théâtre Franç ...
and Jean-François Le Gonidec are adopted as honorary members of the ''Cymdeithas Cymreigyddion y Fenny'' (Abergavenny Celtic Union).
* 1843 (or possibly 1857, evidence is unclear): La Villemarqué founds the ''Breuriez-Breiz'' (Breton Brotherhood), whose activity is restricted to arts and linguistics, is founded.
* 1867: A small Welsh delegation goes to the international Celtic Congress.
* August 16, 1898: The
Breton Regionalist Union
The Breton regionalist union (Union Régionaliste Bretonne or URB) was a Breton cultural and political organisation created August 16, 1898. It was a broadly conservative grouping dedicated to preserving Breton cultural identity and regional indep ...
is founded.
* 1899: A Breton delegation of twenty people is received at the Gorsedd of Wales in order to constitute the core of a Breton group. The Breton guests are made ovates, but not fully initiated. This year is regarded as the founding year of the Goursez.
* September 1, 1900: The new constitutive assembly meets in an inn at Guingamp. Jean Le Fustec (with the bardic name Yann ab Gwilherm; later Lemenik) becomes the first Grand Druid of the "Gorsedd of Lesser Britain".
* November 23, 1908: The ''Gorsedd Barzed Gourenez Breiz Izel'' (Gorsedd of the Bards of the Peninsula of Brittany) is officially proclaimed.
* 1936: A split in the Goursez causes the formation of the explicitly neo-pagan
Kredenn Geltiek Hollvedel
Kredenn Geltiek (Celtic Creed) is a neo-Pagan Druidic group founded in Brittany in 1936. It was later known as Kredenn Geltiek Hollvedel (Celtic Creed of the World). It now exists under the name Kevanvod Tud Donn (Parliament of people of Dêua An ...
.{{Cite web, url=http://www.angelfire.com/folk/boutios/histoirekg.html, title=Histoire de la Kredenn Geltiek, website=www.angelfire.com, access-date=2020-04-23
Image:PhotoGorsedd.jpg, Assembly of druids of the Gorsedd, 1906
Image:Bardes Gouarec.jpg, Bards of the Gorsedd singing ''Bro goz ma Zadou'', 1907
Image:GorseddDigorHanvec1.jpg, Centenary celebration of the Gorsedd, 1999
Image:Le Scouezec.jpg, Grand Druid