Portal:Poets Laureate of the United Kingdom
This index lists people who have held the post of Poet Laureate in the United Kingdom, or constituents thereof.
The Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, also referred to as the (English or British) Poet Laureate, is the Poet Laureate appointed by the monarch of the United Kingdom on the advice of the Prime Minister. Traditionally a post held from appointment until death, with the exception of Dryden, who was dismissed in 1688, the title has had a term of 10 years since Andrew Motion.
Originally, laureates were of the Kingdom of England (to 1707), then of the Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1801), then of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1801–1922); and since 1922 of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."
Medieval period edit
In the medieval period, the royal poet was called the Versificator Regis, and the dates are not exactly known.
- Richard Canonicus employed by Richard I (reigned 1189–99)
- Gulielmus Peregrinus (d. c. 1207) employed by Richard I
- Master Henry employed by Henry III (reigned 1216–72) (according to Thomas Warton)
- Andrew Baston
- Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1343–1400)
- John Kay in the reign of Edward IV, 1461–83
1500 onwards edit
- ?–1522: Bernard André
- 1522–1529: John Skelton
- ?–1599: Edmund Spenser
- 1599–?: Samuel Daniel
- 1616–1637: Ben Jonson
- 1638–1668: William Davenant
- 1668: John Dryden
- 1689–1692: Thomas Shadwell
- 1692–1715: Nahum Tate
- 1715–1718: Nicholas Rowe
- 1718–1730: Laurence Eusden
- 1730–1757: Colley Cibber
- 1757-1785: William Whitehead
- 1785–1790: Thomas Warton
- 1790–1813: Henry James Pye
- 1813–1843: Robert Southey
- 1843–1850: William Wordsworth
- 1850–1892: Alfred, Lord Tennyson
- 1896–1913: Alfred Austin
- 1913–1930: Robert Bridges
- 1930–1967: John Masefield
- 1968–1972: Cecil Day-Lewis
- 1972–1984: John Betjeman
- 1984–1998: Ted Hughes
- 1999–2009: Andrew Motion
- 2009–present: Carol Ann Duffy
Refused edit
The following poets turned down the post and others were selected in their places.
- 1757: Thomas Gray
- 1785: William Mason
- 1813: Walter Scott
- 1850: Samuel Rogers
- 1896: William Morris
- 1984: Philip Larkin