Ieuan ap Rhydderch ab Ieuan Llwyd facts for kids

Ieuan ap Rhydderch (who lived around 1410–1440) was a famous Welsh bard, which means he was a poet and storyteller. He wrote many poems, especially about religious topics.

Who Was Ieuan ap Rhydderch?

Ieuan ap Rhydderch was a Welsh poet from the 15th century. He was known for his religious poems and for collecting important old Welsh books. His work helps us understand Welsh literature from a long time ago.

Where Did Ieuan ap Rhydderch Live?

Ieuan came from a place called Glyn Aeron in Ceredigion, Wales. His father lived at Parc Rhydderch. His family was important in the area, owning land in places like Genau'r Glyn and Tregaron. Ieuan's family line is connected to other well-known Welsh families, like the Pryse family of Gogerddan.

What Kind of Work Did He Do?

Ieuan ap Rhydderch was a poet, or bard. He wrote many poems, often about religious subjects. For example, he wrote poems dedicated to the Virgin Mary and to Saint David, the patron saint of Wales. These poems were later published in a collection called the Iolo Manuscripts.

Ieuan was also very interested in old books. He collected many Welsh manuscripts, which are handwritten books. One very important book, known as the White Book of Rhydderch, once belonged to him. This book contains many old Welsh stories and romances. It was later kept in the Hengwrt Library.

Another book from his collection might have contained poems by another famous Welsh poet, Dafydd ap Gwilym. Some people even thought it was written in Dafydd ap Gwilym's own handwriting!

Where Can You Find His Poems?

You can find parts of Ieuan ap Rhydderch's poems in different places. Some extracts from his works were printed in a book called 'Cyfrinach y Beirdd'. Many more of his poems are kept safe in the British Library in London. You can also find some of his poems in the Hengwrt Manuscripts. Interestingly, Ieuan also wrote at least one poem in English.