The long list of troubadours begins with GUILLEM IX. count of Poictiers (1087-1127), the earliest of whom we have any knowledge, and whose verses exhibit partly the popu lar ballad style, and partly a more elaborate mode of poetic conception. His life and works appear to have been equally immoral.—After him comes BERNARD DE VENTADOUR (1140-95), one of the first poets of the golden age of troubadour-minstrelsy. He was the son of.a poor serf of the vicomte Ebles II. of Ventadour. Recognizing the talent of young Bernard. his master encouraged and assisted him; but his poetic enthusiasm was more excited by his passion for Ebles's wife, Agnes de Monthicon, than by Ebles's own commendations, and by the favor shown him by later patronesses, queen Eleanor, Joanna of Este, etc., all of whom he celebrated in fiery and delicate strains.—MAIWADRUN (1140-85), a foundling, was much feared for his power of satire, and was, in fact, inur tiered by the castellan of Guinn for an exercise of his fatal gift. He is reckoned the inventor of the art-song (cansos).—JAUFRE RUDER, prince of Blaya (1140-70), is equally famous for his languishing love-songs, and his romantic passion for the countess of Tripoli, whom he 'never saw till he was at the point of death.—PErrtE D'AITVERGNE. (1152-1215), son of a citizen of Clermont, called himself "master of tire troubadours;" yet his songs are more remarkable for their artistic finish than for their poetic inspita tion.—GUILLEM DE CABESTAING (1181-90), son of a poor knight, has become fatuous through his tragic love for the wife of his lord, Rairnon de Roussillon.—Ilicauto THE LION-HEART'S song composed during his captivity in Austria, is widely known; and the songs of GUIRANT DE BORNEIL (1175-1220) have a manly and earnest ring about them; but perhaps the most celebrated of the whole fraternity was PEIRE VIDAL (1175-1215), a man wondrously endowed with poetic gifts, but who led so mad, wasteful, immoral a life, and committed such extravagant follies, that one doubts whether he was altogether sane. He was the terror of husbands.—BERTRAND DE BORN (1180-05), equally celebrated as warrior and poet, played an important part in the wars of Henry II. of England with his rebellious sons, and was a zealous French patriot. His songs arc for the most part of a political cast, full of martial ardor and the love of fatherland. In his lifetime, men dreaded his sharp tongue no less than his keen sword.—FOLQUET DE MARSEILLE (1180-1231) was the son of a Genoese merchant established at Marseille. After wasting his youth in amorous gayeties, in a fit of grief for the death of one of his many mis tresses, he entered the church, rose to the dignity of bishop of Toulouse, and signalized himself by the fanatical zeal with which he persecuted the Albigenses. Folquet's songs, twenty-five in number, are of an impassioned nature.—RAMBAUT DE VAQUEIRAS (1180-1207), a native of the co. of Orange, in the s. of France, was the son of a knight, and so great a favorite with Bouifacio II., marquis of Montferrat, that the latter positively tolerated his sister's intimacy with the poet. He accompanied his patron to the East, and probably fell with him fighting against the Bulgarians. Some of his songs have found their way into different Romanic tongues.—PEntoT (1180-1225), in his condition and fortunes, curiously resembled his contemporaryjust mentioned.
His pieces rank among the finest love-songs of the troubadours.—TnE MONK OE MoNTAunolsi (1180-1200) is a poet whose proper name is not known. He was sprung from a noble family belonging to Auvergne, and became prior of Montaudon, but, notwithstanding, led the free life of a wandering poet. Finally, he betook himself to the court of Aragon; Agonso II. made him prior of Villafranca, where he died. He was more renowned for his satire than for his sentiment, and his songs are full of personalities directed against his brother trouhadours—very cynical and very caustic. —AENArrEr DANIEL (1180-1200), a nobleman of Riberac, in Perigord, whom love made a troubadour. His powers of invention have been highly praised. Petrarch calls him it grande maestro d' Amore. Dante also celebrates his genius.—GArrcELNr FAIDIT (1190-12,40), son of a burgher of Uzerche, in Limousin, led at first, with his wife Guillelma Monja, the free and pleasant life of a jongleur; but subsequently left her, and became enamored of the countess Marie of Ventadour, who made him her trou badour. He would fain have been her paramour also, but she was too prudent; and so, to revenge himself, he carried on intrigues with other women; but his sweetest songs were those he sang in his lady's praise.—Rnimon Mnt.A.vor. (1190-1220), one of the most lovable of the troubadours, although the women—his spouse not excepted, who was herself a poetess—abused him so bitterly, that for two years he was out of his mind. —SAVARIE DE MAuEEoN (1200-30), a French baron, became grand seneschal of Aqui tania, and took part with Raimund of Toulouse against Simon de Montfort. His politi cal career was marked by great vacillation. As a poet, he is noted for his PEIRE CARDINAL G210-30},, son of a knight, was intended for the church, but preferred the live of a troubadour:and traveled with his jongleur from court to court. Jago I. of Aragon was his great patron. He was a master of the moralistic Strventes, and assailed —but only with a sort of generalized satire—the nobles and clergy.—The last represen tative of the troubadours was GUIRAUT RIQUIER (1250-94), a native of Narbonne. Although he had in his time many patrons, of whom the most distinguished was Alfonso. X. of Castile, he was often in sore need; and his poems, full of complaints of the disre pute into which his order had.fallen, may be regarded as the swan-song of troubadour poetry.—See Diez, Leben and Werke der Troubadours (Zwickau, 1829); Fauriel, Histoire de la hitterature Provencale (3 vols., Par. 1846); Galvani, Osservazioni sulla Poesia de' Trovadori (Modena, 1829), and Fiore di Stories letteraria e eavalleresect della Oceitania (Milan, 1845); De Laveleye, Histoire de la Langue et de in Litteratu,re Provenfale (Brfiss. 1845); Mahn, his 1Verlce der Troubadours (Berl. 1846); and Die Biographien der Troubadours (Berl. 1853); Brinckmeier, Blumenlese alms den Werlcen der Troubadours (Halle, 1849), and Ragelieder der Troubadours (Halle, 1846,) Kannegiesser, Gedichte der troubadours (Tub, 1852), and Ungedruckte Provenzal. Lieder (1853); Bartsch, Grundries zur Geschichte der Provenzaliselten Literatur (1872); Bayle, La Poesie Provencale au Mayen Age (1876).