CATALAN LITERATURE, the litera ture of Catalonia and adjacent districts speak ing the same form of the Romance tongues. It had its origin in the movement started by the troubadours who overran Catalonia, Valencia and Provence, and it attained its highest de velopment in the 14th and 15th centuries. The literature of Catalonia and Valencia is, there fore, closely related to that of Provence, and the two may be said to be practically the same development of the Latin tongue subject to dif ferent influences. The former is naturally di vided into three distinct periods, the first of which embraces the history of the Catalan lit erary movement from the first appearance of Provencal influence to the early part of the 13th century. Catalonia was closely united to the Latin-speaking people across the Pyrenees by origin, interests and customs; and the influence of Provence, which had early felt the literary movement, became supreme. But under Jaime I the Barcelona dynasty set itself to develop the national spirit of Catalonia with success. This first period of Catalan literature, therefore, was naturally Provencal in character. Troubadours were to be found all over Catalonia as they were first in Provence and later all over France and most of Spain. Up to the coming of this exotic influence there had been no native litera ture in Provence, unless it may have been pop ular songs which, if they ever existed, have al together disappeared or become so mingled with the Provencal literature as to be undis tinguishable. But though the Provencal forms dominated the Catalan literature during this first period there are signs that the Catalan spirit was beginning to assert itself. The form is Provençal, but much of the spirit of the lit erature is native in forms of expression, modes of thought and subject of poetical effort. Count Berenguer, toward the end of this Pro vencal period, thinks like a Catalan ; and through his troubadour poetry march Catalan thought, characters and customs proclaiming the corn ing of a national literature. Yet his work is still Provencal. Other Catalan writers, toward the close of the 12th century, show the same influence. The rugged spirit of Catalonia had
begun to assert itself over the more effeminate Provencal.
The Rise of About the begin ning of the 13th century the Provençal influ ence begins to give way before the new Italian literary domination which was ultimately des tined to sweep over all the Latin countries. Catalonia and Valencia, lying close to Italy and being in constant touch with it, soon came un der the influence of the new Italian literary re vival; and imitations of the Italian poets be came the order of the day. Renascent Provençal worshipped at the shrines of Boccaccio, Dante and Petrarch, while still casting loving glances to the Laws of Love and the Romance of the Rose. In Catalonia and Valencia the floral games became an institution patronized alike by sovereign, nobles and the many dabblers in lit erature who seem to have literally overrun the land. At these games poets contested for prizes and kings graciously and proudly award ed them. Among these contestants for poetical honors were many men bearing the highest titles of nobility; for literature was fashionable in Catalonia and Valencia, where even the sov ereigns themselves aspired for honors higher than their royal distinctions. Under the influ ence of the powerful personality of Jaime I, himself one of the most distinguished of the native writers of his age, the exotic Provencal heave way rapidly to the customs and beliefs of Spanish and Catalan; and under the king's patronage, encouragement and example the Cat alan speech rose into a national language and created a national literature. One of the most noteworthy monuments of the 13th century is the (Chronica o Comentari' of Jaime I, which is at once a biography of his life and a history of his kingdom for that period. It was the first work of true history to appear in Spain. About it there is a freedom, naturalness and sincerity, and at times a loftiness of style com bined with simplicity of diction and thought, which mark it as a real work of literature, throughout which the king's strong love of everything Catalan is constantly in evidence.