When was the Red Book of Hergest created?
The Red Book of Hergest emerged from the scribe's hand between 1382 and 1410. One copyist responsible for this massive volume was Hywel Fychan fab Hywel Goch of Buellt.
The Red Book of Hergest emerged from the scribe's hand between 1382 and 1410. One copyist responsible for this massive volume was Hywel Fychan fab Hywel Goch of Buellt.
Hopcyn ap Rhys held the manuscript until the end of the 15th century before his family lost property after being complicit in rebellion against King Edward IV. The Vaughans of Tretower obtained the book around 1465 when they received Hopcyn's forfeited possessions.
Today the institution keeps the manuscript on deposit at the Bodleian Library. Jesus College donated the volume to them on the 17th of February 1701 after Thomas Wilkins the Younger gave it up.
The first part of the manuscript contains prose including the Mabinogion tales and historical texts like a Welsh translation of Geoffrey of Monmouth's work. A collection of herbal remedies fills specific sections associated with Rhiwallon Feddyg who founded a medical dynasty.
Some researchers believe J. R. R. Tolkien borrowed the title for his fictional work where he created the Red Book of Westmarch as an imagined legendary source for his own tales. This connection links the real-world manuscript to modern fantasy literature through a direct line between the Welsh scribe's work and Tolkien's invented history.