Taliesin Williams facts for kids

Taliesin Williams (also known as Taliesin ab Iolo or Ab Iolo) was a Welsh poet and writer. He was born on July 9, 1787, and passed away on February 16, 1847. Taliesin was the son of the famous Welsh scholar and writer, Iolo Morganwg.

Taliesin's Early Life and Education

Taliesin Williams was born in Cardiff, a city in Wales. He went to school in Cowbridge. After finishing school, he became an assistant teacher at a special school called a boarding school. This school was run by Reverend David Davies in Neath.

Becoming a Druid and a Teacher

From 1814, Taliesin started to lead meetings for a group called the Gorsedd. This is a gathering of Welsh bards and druids. In the same year, he was given the important title of Druid.

In 1815, he worked as a stonemason alongside his father. The next year, in 1816, Taliesin opened his own school in Merthyr Tydfil. He worked as a schoolmaster there for the rest of his life, teaching many students.

Helping His Father's Work

Taliesin also helped his father with his writing. In 1829, he assisted in publishing his father's book, Cyfrinach Beirdd Ynys Prydain. This title means "Mystery of the bards of the island of Britain."

Winning Bardic Awards

Taliesin was a very talented poet. In 1834, he won a major award called the bardic chair at the Cardiff Eisteddfod. An Eisteddfod is a big Welsh festival of music and poetry. He won for a long poem called an awdl, which was titled Y Derwyddon (meaning "The Druids").

Later, in 1838, he won another important award, the bardic crown. This was at the Abergavenny Eisteddfod. He won for an essay he wrote about the Coelbren y Beirdd. This was a special alphabet that some believed was used by ancient Welsh bards. In his essay, Taliesin strongly defended his father's work and ideas about this alphabet. His essay was published in 1840.

Preserving His Father's Legacy

When his father passed away, Taliesin inherited all of his father's old papers and writings, known as manuscripts. Taliesin truly believed that all of these manuscripts were real and important.

He spent a lot of time working on these papers, putting together and editing 26 large volumes. A selection of these works was finally published in 1848 by the Welsh Manuscripts Society. This collection became known as the Iolo Manuscripts. Much of Taliesin's own writing and work was based on what his father had done.

After Taliesin's death in 1847, another person named Evan Davies (also known as Myfyr Morganwg) took over his role as Archdruid.