Iolo, as a young man, was a stonemason and a farmer, and he spent some time in London. He wandered all over Wales, and was not in his lifetime either wealthy or particularly famous. Indeed, in 1786-87 he spent some time in the debtor's prison in Cardiff because of the failure of his stonemasonry business. He owed somebody £3......... So to those whom he encountered on his travels he must have appeared as a very strange fellow, more like a vagrant or tramp than a pillar of the culturalm establishment.........
Iolo was largely self-taught. But he created numerous manuscripts and poems which he presented as ancient Welsh works, purportedly from the medieval period, but which were entirely his own work. He invented the Gorsedd of the Bards and its associated rituals, presenting them as ancient Druidic traditions that had survived Roman times. He created a supposed "Bardic Alphabet" (Coelbren y Beirdd) which had no basis in historical or archaeological fact.
Iolo was largely self-taught. But he created numerous manuscripts and poems which he presented as ancient Welsh works, purportedly from the medieval period, but which were entirely his own work. He invented the Gorsedd of the Bards and its associated rituals, presenting them as ancient Druidic traditions that had survived Roman times. He created a supposed "Bardic Alphabet" (Coelbren y Beirdd) which had no basis in historical or archaeological fact.
The extent of his forgeries was not widely known during his lifetime; it was later scholars in the late 19th and early 20th centuries who exposed them -- and also acknowledged that some of them were really rather wonderful.
Despite the forgeries, Iolo provided the Welsh people with a crucial cultural re-awakening when it was most needed, effectively becoming one of the main architects of modern Welsh national identity. The institutions he established, such as the Gorsedd (which is now an integral part of the annual National Eisteddfod festival), have endured and become important parts of Welsh life. He was a genuinely talented poet, a radical political thinker (advocating for the rights of man, opposing slavery), a pioneer of the Unitarian movement in Wales, and a serious antiquarian who collected many genuine manuscripts alongside his forgeries.
Despite the forgeries, Iolo provided the Welsh people with a crucial cultural re-awakening when it was most needed, effectively becoming one of the main architects of modern Welsh national identity. The institutions he established, such as the Gorsedd (which is now an integral part of the annual National Eisteddfod festival), have endured and become important parts of Welsh life. He was a genuinely talented poet, a radical political thinker (advocating for the rights of man, opposing slavery), a pioneer of the Unitarian movement in Wales, and a serious antiquarian who collected many genuine manuscripts alongside his forgeries.
His motivations? Well, they were largely patriotic and local, aiming to elevate the reputation of Welsh language and culture, rather than for personal gain. Some theories also suggest his addiction to laudanum may have blurred the lines between fact and fiction in his mind.
Since he lived at the time that our imaginary heroine walked this earth, we had to incorporate him into our story. He died in 1826 at the age of 79. When he meets Martha in "Dark Angel" I have imagined him as a strange fellow, very intelligent, and capable of offering sound advice to a troubled woman.
Since he lived at the time that our imaginary heroine walked this earth, we had to incorporate him into our story. He died in 1826 at the age of 79. When he meets Martha in "Dark Angel" I have imagined him as a strange fellow, very intelligent, and capable of offering sound advice to a troubled woman.
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