Gaucelm Faidit

Gaucelm Faidit C. 1170 – C. 1202 Was A Troubadour Born In Uzerche In The Limousin From A Family Of Knights In Service Of The Count Of Turenne. He Travelled Widely In France Spain And Hungary. His Known Patrons Include Geoffrey II Duke Of Brittany And Dalfi D'Alvernha He Was At One Time In Poitiers At The Court Of Richard I Of England For Whose Death He Wrote A Famous Planh Lament . It Is Possible But Controversial That Gaucelm Took Part In The Third Crusade From 1189-1191 It Seems Clear That In 1202 He Set Out On The Fourth Crusade As Did His Current Patron Boniface Of Montferrat. After 1202 There Is No Further Historical Trace Of Him. Three Sources - The Anonymous Vida Biography Of Gaucelm An Exchange Of Verses Between Gaucelm And Elias D'Ussel And The Satirical Sirventes On Rival Troubadours By The Monk Of Montaudon - Allege That Gaucelm Married A Prostitute. According To The Vida Her Name Was Guillelma Monja "she Was Very Beautiful And Well Educated" And Accompanied Her Husband On Crusade. The Vida Also Claims That Gaucelm Was Rather Fat And That After Their Marriage Guillelma Also Put On Weight. About Seventy Of Gaucelm's Poems And Fourteen Of His Melodies Survive. Six Poems Are Addressed To Boniface Of Montferrat And Twelve To Maria De Ventadorn. Several Of His Poems Are Accompanied In The Manuscripts By Detailed Explanations Razós Usually Concerning Love Affairs And Rivalries That Allegedly Inspired The Poems. These Tales Involve Gaucelm With Hugh IX Of Lusignan His Son Hugh X Alfonso II Count Of Provence And Others. read less