Humanities 1st Period

Troubadours

Who are they?
◉ Poets who grew in number from the 11th to the
13th century
◉ Traveling musicians
◉ Invented a lyrical poetry with a meter, rhyme, and with a romantic, sensual force
◉ Originated from Old Occitan o Modern day Southern France o Earliest form of the Occitan Romance languages

Traveling
◉ Traveled from village to village spreading music and news
◉ Went to the major cities of Europe or to the Holy
Land, accompanying people who went on the
Crusades

Music
◉ Romantic ballads o Typically about Chivalry and Courtly love o Their songs told stories of faraway lands and historical events
◉ Lutes were the main instrument used

Elite Troubadours
◉ Nobles and knights from Crusades
◉ Nobility o o o
King Alfonso II of Aragon
Richard the Lionheart of England
Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine
 Made troubadours a part of the English society

Types of Troubadours
◉ Trouveres o Troubadours of Northern France (wrote in French)
◉ Jongleurs o Assistants to the troubadours o Would dance, conjure, do acrobatics, and juggle
◉ Minnesingers o German troubadours that used a viol

Chivalry

What is it?
◉ Comes from the French word chevalier meaning a horseman a knight or a “gallant young man”
◉ Was the honor code of the knight o Was admired and understood by all
◉ Had rules in regard to honor, bravery, courteousness, and honesty

Code of Chivalry made by Charlemagne

For his beauty the ladies hold him dear;
Who looks on him, with him her heart is pleased,
When she beholds, she can but smile for glee.
Was no pagan of such high chivalry

Courtly Love

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What is it?
◉ Combined with the Code of Chivalry and the art of
Chivalry
◉ Allowed knights and ladies to show their admiration
◉ Story of Sir Lancelot is an example of this o Queen Guinevere (married to King Arthur) was in love with him
◉ Many court romances were fueled by Courtly Love

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Rules of Medieval Courtly Love
Written by Andreas Capellanus
◉ Demonstrate how playing this game could lead to problems within the court circle
◉ Some include o o o o o
Marriage is no real excuse for not loving
He who is not jealous cannot love
When one lover dies, a widowhood of two years is required of the survivor
A new love puts to flight an old one
A man who is vexed by too much passion usually does not love

♥
Love Poems and Songs
◉ Courtly Love was published in poems, ballads, writing, and literary works o Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troubadour http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Occitan http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-music/troubadours.htm
http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-knights/chivalry.htm
http://www.medieval-life-and-times.info/medieval-knights/medieval-courtlylove.htm