Einion Offeiriad

Last updated

Einion Offeiriad ("Einion the Priest") (died 1356) was a Welsh language poet and grammarian.

Einion lived in Ceredigion, where he was a chaplain to Sir Rhys ap Gruffudd ap Hywel ap Gruffudd ab Ednyfed Fychan, a wealthy nobleman. Amongst Einion's surviving poems is an awdl sung in praise of Sir Rhys ap Gruffudd.

Einion's fames lies primarily with his metrical grammar, 'llyfr cerddwriaeth', the earliest of its kind known in Welsh. Although written in Welsh it is partly an adaption of Latin grammars in use during the early Middle Ages, in particular those of Donatus and Priscianus. It provides a description of the twenty four metres of the cerdd dafod, how they should be composed and a strict edict on proscribed faults. It also lays out the precedence for the subjects of praise: spiritual poetry in praise of God, Christ and the saints before temporal poetry in praise of the King and nobility.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Red Book of Hergest</i>

The Red Book of Hergest is a large vellum manuscript written shortly after 1382, which ranks as one of the most important medieval manuscripts written in the Welsh language. It preserves a collection of Welsh prose and poetry, notably the tales of the Mabinogion and Gogynfeirdd poetry. The manuscript derives its name from the colour of its leather binding and from its association with Hergest Court between the late 15th and early 17th century.

Rhys ap Tewdwr

Rhys ap Tewdwr was a king of Deheubarth in Wales and member of the Dinefwr dynasty, a branch descended from Rhodri the Great. He was born in the area which is now Carmarthenshire and died at the battle of Brecon in April 1093.

Beli ap Rhun was King of Gwynedd. Nothing is known of the person, and his name is known only from Welsh genealogies, which confirm that he had at least two sons. He succeeded his father Rhun ap Maelgwn as king, and was in turn succeeded by his son Iago. Beli was either the father or grandfather of Saint Edeyrn.

Gruffydd ap Rhys was Prince of Deheubarth, in Wales. His sister was the Princess Nest ferch Rhys. He was the father of Rhys ap Gruffydd, known as 'The Lord Rhys', who was one of the most successful rulers of Deheubarth during this period.

Brycheiniog Kingdom in mid Wales

Brycheiniog was an independent kingdom in South Wales in the Early Middle Ages. It often acted as a buffer state between England to the east and the south Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth to the west. It was conquered and pacified by the Normans between 1088 and 1095, though it remained Welsh in character. It was transformed into the Lordship of Brecknock and later formed the southern and larger part of the historic county of Brecknockshire. To its south was the Kingdom of Morgannwg.

Guto'r Glyn was a Welsh language poet and soldier of the era of the Beirdd yr Uchelwyr or Cywyddwyr ("cywydd-men"), the itinerant professional poets of the later Middle Ages. He is considered one of the greatest exponents, if not the greatest, of the tradition of "praise-poetry", verse addressed to a noble patron.

Tudur Aled was a late medieval Welsh poet, born in Llansannan, Denbighshire. He is regarded as a master of cynghanedd.

Dafydd ap Edmwnd was one of the most prominent Welsh language poets of the Later Middle Ages.

Gwalchmai ap Meilyr was a Welsh-language court poet, connected with Trewalchmai in Anglesey. He was one of the earliest of the Gogynfeirdd or Beirdd y Tywysogion. He composed poems in praise of Owain Gwynedd, king of Gwynedd, and his brothers. He was the son of another poet, Meilyr Brydydd, and father of the poets Meilyr ap Gwalchmai and Einion ap Gwalchmai. He shares his name with Gwalchmei ap Gwyar, a figure from Welsh legend described as the nephew of Arthur and known in English as Gawain.

Gruffudd Llwyd was a Welsh language poet.

Dafydd Ddu o Hiraddug, also known as Dafydd Ddu Athro o Hiraddug, was a Welsh language poet, grammarian, and Roman Catholic priest in the diocese of Llanelwy. He was once believed to be the son of a certain Hywel ap Madog of Tremeirchion, but this has now been disproven.

Dafydd Llwyd ap Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, usually referred to as Dafydd Llwyd o Fathafarn was a Welsh language poet, a native of Mathafarn, Powys.

Gwrtheyrnion

Gwrtheyrnion or Gwerthrynion was a commote in medieval Wales, located in Mid Wales on the north side of the River Wye; its historical centre was Rhayader. It is said to have taken its name from the legendary king Vortigern. For most of the medieval era, it was associated with the cantref of Buellt and then Elfael, small regional kingdoms whose rulers operated independently of other powers. In the Norman era, like the rest of the region between Wye and Severn it came to be dominated by Marcher Lordships.

Rhwng Gwy a Hafren

Rhwng Gwy a Hafren was a region of medieval Wales, located in the Welsh Marches between Powys to the north and Brycheiniog to the south. It was bounded by the rivers Wye and Severn. It covered about the same territory as Radnorshire, now part of the county of Powys. The region first came into its own in the 9th or 10th centuries, when it was ruled by leaders who operated independently of the surrounding kingdoms. After the Norman invasion, it comprised the central part of the Welsh Marches and was the site of frequent struggles between Welsh and Norman forces.

Anwyl of Tywyn family Welsh noble family

Anwyl of Tywyn are a Welsh family who claim a patrilinear descent from Owain Gwynedd, King of Gwynedd from 1137 to 1170 and a scion of the royal House of Aberffraw. The family motto is: Eryr eryrod Eryri, which translates as "The Eagle of the Eagles of Snowdonia. The family lives in Gwynedd and speak Welsh.

Dafydd ap Gruffydd Prince of Wales and last independent ruler of Wales

Dafydd ap Gruffydd was Prince of Wales from 11 December 1282 until his execution on 3 October 1283 on the orders of King Edward I of England. He was the last independent ruler of Wales.

Cerdd dafod is the Welsh tradition of creating verse or poetry to a strict metre in the Welsh language.

Bardic Grammar is a medieval Welsh grammar that provided bards with rules of writing poetry. Bards’ works celebrated heroic deeds of their patrons.

References