Hywel ap Syr Mathew facts for kids

Hywel ap Syr Mathew (died 1581) was a Welsh poet, a genealogist (someone who studies family history), and a soldier. He lived a long time ago, in the 1500s.

Hywel came from a place called Radnorshire in Wales. His home was in the valley of the River Teme, near a village called Llanfair Waterdine.

Hywel's Poetry

Hywel ap Syr Mathew was a talented poet. He wrote many poems, especially a type of traditional Welsh poetry called cywyddau. These poems were often dedicated to important people of his time.

Some of the people he wrote poems for included Bishop Richard Davies and William Herbert, who was an Earl. He also wrote to other Welsh figures like Mathew ap Moris and Siencyn ap Dafydd. Hywel's poems are still important today because they help us understand Welsh culture and language from the 1500s.

His poems have been kept safe in several old Welsh manuscripts. These manuscripts are like ancient books or scrolls that preserve writings from many centuries ago.

Hywel as a Soldier

Besides being a poet, Hywel ap Syr Mathew was also a soldier. He was involved in events that happened in the country between 1455 and 1556.

Hywel as a Genealogist

Hywel ap Syr Mathew was also known as a genealogist. This means he was an expert in studying and recording family histories. He created detailed family trees, which are called pedigrees.

His work was very important because it helped other people, like Lewys Dwnn, who also studied Welsh family histories later on. Hywel's careful records helped future historians and genealogists understand the connections between Welsh families.