Gruffudd Hiraethog

Who was Gruffudd Hiraethog?

Gruffudd Hiraethog was a Welsh language poet, born in Llangollen, north-east Wales.

Gruffudd was one of the foremost poets of the sixteenth century to use the cywydd metre. He was a prolific author and gifted scholar. Though he was member of the medieval guild of poets and notable upholder of that tradition, he was also closely associated with William Salesbury, Wales' leading Renaissance scholar. In fact one of the first Welsh books to be published was Gruffudd's collection of proverbs in 1547, Oll synnwyr pen Kembero ygyd.