Makars

A makar ( /ˈmækər/) is a term from Scottish literature for a poet or bard, often thought of as a royal court poet.

In literary history, the term The Makars is specifically used to refer to a number of poets of fifteenth and sixteenth century Scotland, in particular Robert Henryson, William Dunbar and Gavin Douglas, who wrote a diverse genre of works in Middle Scots in the period of the Northern Renaissance.

The Makars have often been referred to by literary critics as Scots Chaucerians. In modern usage, poets of the Scots revival in the 18th century, such as Allan Ramsay and Robert Fergusson are also makars.

Since 2002, the term "makar" has been revived as the name for a publicly funded poet, first in Edinburgh, followed by Glasgow, Stirling and Dundee, and in 2004 the position of The Scots Makar, in the sense of a Scottish poet laureate, was introduced by the Scottish Parliament.

Middle Scots (plural makaris) is the equivalent of English . The word functions as a literal translation of Greek term (poiētēs) "maker; ". The term is normally applied to poets writing in Scots although it need not be exclusive to Scottish writers. William Dunbar for instance referred to the English poets Chaucer, Lydgate and Gower as makaris.

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