COUCY, LE CHATELAIN DE, French trouvere of the 12th century. He is probably the Guy de Couci who was castel lan of the castle of that name from I186 to 1203. Some 26 songs are attributed to him, and about 15 or 16 are undoubtedly authen tic. They are modelled very closely on Provencal originals, but are saved from the category of mere imitations by a grace and simplicity peculiar to the author. The legend of the love of the Chatelain de Coucy and the Lady of Fayel, in which there figures a jealous husband who makes his wife eat the heart of her lover, has no historical basis, and dates from a late 13th century ro mance by Jakemon Sakesep. It is worth noting that the story, which seems to be Breton in origin, has been also told of a Pro vencal troubadour, Guilhem de Cabestaing, and of the minne singer Reinmar von Brennenberg. Pierre de Belloy, who wrote some account of the family of Couci, made the story the subject of his tragedy Gabrielle de Vergy.
The songs of the Chatelain de Coucy were edited by Fritz Fath (Heidelberg, 1883). For the romance see Gaston Paris, in the Hist. litt. de la France (vol. 28, pp. 352-360.