Origins & Early Life

Dafydd ap Gwilym (c. 1315/1320 – c. 1352) is regarded as one of the leading Welsh poets and among the great poets of Europe in the Middle Ages. Dafydd's poetry also offers a window into the cultural practices of the period and preservation of culture in the face of occupation.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Tradition has it that Dafydd was born at Brogynin, near Penrhyn-coch (at the time in Llanbadarn Fawr parish), Ceredigion, 6 or 7 miles from Aberystwyth. Although he does not mention Brogynin in his poems, in his poem Taith i Garu (Journey for Love) he mentions a number of places which are close by, showing that he was familiar with the region. He also mentions going to church in Llanbadarn Fawr in the poem Girls of Llanbadarn. His father, Gwilym Gam, and mother, Ardudfyl, were both from noble families. As one of noble birth it seems Dafydd did not belong to the guild of professional poets in medieval Wales.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

R. Geraint Gruffydd suggests c. 1315-c. 1350 as the poet's dates, and suggested that he might have died in the outbreak of the Black Death in 1349-50; others place him a little later, from c. 1320–40 to c. 1370–80.

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