How did Welsh court poets serve princes and their families?

In the medieval Welsh bardic system, court poets—known as the gogynfeirdd—served princes and their families through a structured hierarchy with specific professional duties.1

The bardic order was organized into distinct grades, each with defined responsibilities:

• Pencerdd (Chief of Song or Craft): As the ruler's highest-ranking poet, the pencerdd was tasked with singing the praises of God, the ruler, and the ruler's family.1
• Bardd Teulu (Poet of the War Band): This poet served the ruler’s war band and was also responsible for composing works for the ruler's family.1
• Lower Grades: Other poets held less exalted positions, which often included the license to engage in satire and ribaldry.1

These poets primarily utilized two forms of composition: moliant (eulogy), which praised the ruler's deeds and generosity, and marwnad (elegy), which commemorated the deceased. This tradition was highly conventional, emphasizing linguistic virtuosity and intricate poetic systems like cynghanedd. Bardism was frequently passed down through families, with poets often remaining attached to specific royal courts, such as that of Gwynedd at Aberffraw.12