Tudur Penllyn
Encyclopedia
Tudur Penllyn was a Welsh language
poet during the time of the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr, the professional poets of the late Middle Ages.
Tudur's place of birth is uncertain, but he was probably bought up in the Hundred of Penllyn, centred on Llandderfel
, Merioneth (Penllyn is a pen-name or bardic name rather than a surname: his full name under the Welsh patronymic
system was Tudur ap Ieuan ap Iorwerth Foel). Little is known of his background although he did trace his ancestry from Meirion Goch, a nobleman of Edeirnion
, and was of the minor gentry class. As an adult he lived in the parish of Llanuwchllyn
at Caer-Gai, where the manor house he occupied still exists as a farm.
Tudur lived through the Wars of the Roses
, in which his patrons (notably Rheinallt ap Gruffudd of Mold
, also a patron of Lewys Glyn Cothi
, and Dafydd Siencyn, a supporter of Jasper Tudor) mainly adhered to the Lancastrian
party. As well as travelling throughout Wales as a poet, Tudur seems to have worked as a drover
, grazier, and trader in wool. His fellow poet Guto'r Glyn
chided him in humorous verse after he failed to assist Guto in a disastrous droving venture (he also gives a clue to Tudur's personal appearance, describing him as long-haired in comparison to Guto's own baldness).
Tudur Penllyn's surviving poems illustrate a range of themes: poems in praise of noblemen who fought against the English; religious poems, including penitential poems and poems in praise of holy places; and meditations on life and suffering. However he would also take on humorous or amorous themes as the occasion arose: one cywydd
attributed to him is written in alternate Welsh and English sections, and depicts the poet attempting to seduce an unwilling Englishwoman, exploiting their mutual incomprehension for comic effect.
Tudur was married to Gwerful Fychan
(Gwerful ferch Ieuan Fychan ap Ieuan ap Hywel y Gadair ap Gruffudd ap Madog ap Rhirid Flaidd
, not be confused with Gwerful Mechain
), who was herself a poet. Their son, Ieuan ap Tudur Penllyn
, also became a poet.
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
poet during the time of the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr, the professional poets of the late Middle Ages.
Tudur's place of birth is uncertain, but he was probably bought up in the Hundred of Penllyn, centred on Llandderfel
Llandderfel
Llandderfel is a village in Gwynedd, Wales.It was formerly served by the Llandderfel railway station....
, Merioneth (Penllyn is a pen-name or bardic name rather than a surname: his full name under the Welsh patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
system was Tudur ap Ieuan ap Iorwerth Foel). Little is known of his background although he did trace his ancestry from Meirion Goch, a nobleman of Edeirnion
Edeirnion
Edeirnion is an area of the county of Denbighshire and an ancient commote of medieval Wales. According to tradition, it was named after its eponymous founder Edern or Edeyrn....
, and was of the minor gentry class. As an adult he lived in the parish of Llanuwchllyn
Llanuwchllyn
Llanuwchllyn is a village in Gwynedd, Wales, near the southern end of Bala Lake . Its population according to the United Kingdom Census 2001 was 834., of which approximately 81% were Welsh-speaking....
at Caer-Gai, where the manor house he occupied still exists as a farm.
Tudur lived through the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
, in which his patrons (notably Rheinallt ap Gruffudd of Mold
Mold
Molds are fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments called hyphae. Molds are not considered to be microbes but microscopic fungi that grow as single cells called yeasts...
, also a patron of Lewys Glyn Cothi
Lewys Glyn Cothi
Lewys Glyn Cothi , also known as Llywelyn y Glyn, was a prominent Welsh poet who composed numerous poems in the Welsh language. He is one of the most important representatives of the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr or Cywyddwyr , the itinerant professional poets of the period between the 1284 Statute of...
, and Dafydd Siencyn, a supporter of Jasper Tudor) mainly adhered to the Lancastrian
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
party. As well as travelling throughout Wales as a poet, Tudur seems to have worked as a drover
Drover
A drover is a person who drives animals in droving. Depending on dialect, drover may be synonymous with teamster.Occupations in droving include:* Drover , a person who moves animals over long distances in Australia...
, grazier, and trader in wool. His fellow poet Guto'r Glyn
Guto'r Glyn
Guto'r Glyn was a Welsh language poet and soldier of the era of the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr or Cywyddwyr , the itinerant professional poets of the later Middle Ages...
chided him in humorous verse after he failed to assist Guto in a disastrous droving venture (he also gives a clue to Tudur's personal appearance, describing him as long-haired in comparison to Guto's own baldness).
Tudur Penllyn's surviving poems illustrate a range of themes: poems in praise of noblemen who fought against the English; religious poems, including penitential poems and poems in praise of holy places; and meditations on life and suffering. However he would also take on humorous or amorous themes as the occasion arose: one cywydd
Cywydd
The cywydd is one of the most important metrical forms in Welsh traditional poetry.There are a variety of forms of the cywydd, but the word on its own is generally used to refer to the cywydd deuair hirion as it is by far the most common type.The first recorded examples of the cywydd date from the...
attributed to him is written in alternate Welsh and English sections, and depicts the poet attempting to seduce an unwilling Englishwoman, exploiting their mutual incomprehension for comic effect.
Tudur was married to Gwerful Fychan
Gwerful Fychan
Gwerful Fychan was a poet during the period of the Welsh Beirdd yr Uchelwyr during the late Middle Ages. She came from a noble family, her full name in genealogies being given as Gwerful ferch Ieuan Fychan ap Ieuan ap Hywel y Gadair ap Gruffudd ap Madog ap Rhirid Flaidd, and was the heiress of the...
(Gwerful ferch Ieuan Fychan ap Ieuan ap Hywel y Gadair ap Gruffudd ap Madog ap Rhirid Flaidd
Rhirid Flaidd
Rhirid Flaidd , according to Welsh tradition, was the son of Gwrgenau, who is supported by an obscure and doubtful pedigree going back to Cunedda Wledig, the progenitor of the House of Cunedda which had provided the kings of Gwynedd from the end of Roman Britain until 825...
, not be confused with Gwerful Mechain
Gwerful Mechain
Gwerful Mechain , who lived in Mechain in Powys, is perhaps the most famous female Welsh-language poet. Little is known of her life....
), who was herself a poet. Their son, Ieuan ap Tudur Penllyn
Ieuan ap Tudur Penllyn
Ieuan ap Tudur Penllyn was a Welsh poet of the late mediaeval period.Ieuan was born at Caer-Gai, near Llanuwchllyn, Merioneth and was the son of two notable poets: Tudur Penllyn and Gwerful Fychan...
, also became a poet.