Only one poem by Guto for Dafydd ap Gwilym has survived (poem 62), however a few poems by other poets have been kept. Tudur Penllyn composed a poem of praise for Dafydd in which reconciliation is sought from his mother, Elen (GTP poem 23), and Lewys Glyn Cothi sang his elegy (GLGC poem 228). Lewys also composed a poem for Elen to ask for a bedcover (ibid. poem 227), and Dafydd ab Edmwnd composed a poem of praise for both Elen and her second husband, Cynwrig ap Dafydd (DE poem XLV; on Cynwrig, see Huw Lewys). Furthermore, elegies were composed for Dafydd’s grandfather, Dafydd ab Ieuan, by both Dafydd ab Edmwnd and Hywel Cilan (DE poem XLI; GHC poem XX).
His lineage
The genealogical table below is based on WG1 ‘Carwed’ 2, ‘Bleddyn ap Cynfyn’ 50, ‘Hwfa’ 8, ‘Iarddur’ 5; WG2 ‘Carwed’ 2B, ‘Hwfa’ 8C1. Individuals named in Guto’s poem for Dafydd are shown in bold print, and the names of Guto’s patrons are underlined.
Lineage of Dafydd ap Gwilym of Llwydiarth
Dafydd was a nephew of Huw Lewys of Prysaeddfed and a distant relation of Meurig Fychan ap Hywel Selau of Nannau, two of Guto’s patrons.
His career
Dafydd lived in the court of Llwydiarth in the commote of Twrcelyn in north-east Anglesey. Llwydiarth belonged to the houses of Bodsilin, Bodedern, Prysaeddfed and Chwaen in the commote of Llifon in west Anglesey, because Dafydd’s mother, Elen, was the daughter of Llywelyn ap Hwlcyn (GGl 323). Dafydd’s ancestors, from the time of his great-grandfather Iorwerth Fychan ab Iorwerth at the beginning of the fourteenth century, had been rhaglawiaid and rhingylliaid in Llwydiarth. Dafydd was a rhingyll in 1472–3 and also farmed Penrhosllugwy and Nantmawr and escheat lands in Amlwch formerly farmed by his grandfather (Carr 1982: 216–17). He was also a soldier (poem 62 and 19n). His wife was Efa daughter of Rhys ap Meredudd of Plasiolyn in Ysbyty Ifan and Lowri daughter of Hywel, and a number of sons and daughters were born to them (GTP 121; Wiliam 1991: 7). It is possible that he died around 1480 (Wiliam 1991: 7).
Bibliography
Carr, A.D. (1982), Medieval Anglesey (Llangefni)
Wiliam, D.W. (1991), Y Canu Mawl i Deulu Llwydiarth (Llangefni)
