Azalais de Porcairagues (also ''Azalaïs'') or Alasais de Porcaragues was a

trobairitz The ''trobairitz'' () were Occitan female troubadours of the 12th and 13th centuries, active from around 1170 to approximately 1260. ''Trobairitz'' is both singular and plural. The word ''trobairitz'' is first attested in the 13th-century roma ...

(woman troubadour), composing in

Occitan Occitan may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania territory in parts of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain. * Something of, from, or related to the Occitania administrative region of France. * Occitan language Occitan (; o ...

in the late 12th century. The sole source for her life is her ''

vida Vida means “life” in Spanish and Portuguese. It may refer to: Geography * Vida (Gradačac), village in Bosnia and Herzegovina * Lake Vida, Victoria Valley, Antarctica * U.S. settled places: ** Vida, Montana ** Vida, Oregon ** Vida, Missour ...

'', which tells us that she came from the country around Montpellier; she was educated and a gentlewoman; she loved

Gui Guerrejat Gui Guerrejat ("the warrior") was the fifth son of William VI of Montpellier. When still a boy, in 1146, he inherited the castles of Paulhan and le Pouget from his father. After the death of his brother William VII, around 1172, Gui served joi ...

, the brother of

William VII of Montpellier William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Eng ...

, and ''made many good songs about him''; meaning, probably, that the one poem of hers known to the compiler had been addressed to Gui. Gui was perhaps born around 1135; he fell ill early in 1178, became a monk, and died later in that year. Nothing is known of the dates of Azalais's birth and death. From her name, and from the statement in the ''Biographies'' cited above, it can be concluded that she came from the village of

Portiragnes Portiragnes (; oc, Portiranhas) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Geography Climate Portiragnes has a mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification ''Csa''). The average annual temperatu ...

, just east of

Béziers Béziers (; oc, Besièrs) is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Hérault Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Every August Béziers hos ...

and about ten kilometers south of

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of ...

, close to the territories that belonged to Gui and to his brothers. Aimo Sakari argues that she is the mysterious ''joglar'' ("jongleur") addressed in several poems by

Raimbaut of Orange Raimbaut of Orange (c. 1147 – 1173) or, in his native Old Provençal, Raimbaut d'Aurenga, was the lord of Orange, France, Orange and Aumelas. His properties included the towns of Frontignan and Mireval. He was the only son of William of Aum ...

(a neighbour, and a cousin of Gui Guerrejat). One poem attributed to Azalais, classically simple and emotional, survives today. As usually printed it has fifty-two lines, but the text varies considerably between manuscripts, suggesting that it was not written down immediately on its composition. No music is attached to it.Maria V. Coldwell. "Azalais de Porcairagues", ''Grove Music Online''. The poem alludes to the death in 1173 of Raimbaut of Orange; it was possibly first composed before that date and emended afterwards. The poem's

envoi Envoi or envoy in poetry is used to describe: * A short stanza at the end of a poem such as a ballad, used either to address an imagined or actual person or to comment on the preceding body of the poem. * A dedicatory poem about sending the book ...

seems to mention

Ermengarde of Narbonne Ermengarde ( Occitan: Ermengarda, Ainermada, or Ainemarda) (b. 1127 or 1129 – d. Perpignan, 14 October 1197), was a viscountess of Narbonne from 1134 to 1192. She was the daughter of Aimery II of Narbonne and his first wife, also named Ermengarde ...

(1143–1197), a well known patroness of troubadour poetry. As observed by Sakari, the third strophe of the poem seems to contribute to a poetical debate begun by

Guilhem de Saint-Leidier Guilhem de Saint-Leidier, also spelled Guilhem de Saint Deslier, Guillem de Saint Deidier and Guilhèm de Sant Leidier was a troubadour of the 12th century, composing in Occitan. He was lord of Saint Didier-en-Velay, was born at some date before 1 ...

as to whether a lady is dishonoured by taking a lover who is richer than herself.

also comments in his poem ''A mon vers dirai chanso''. Soon afterwards there follows a ''

partimen The ''partimen'' (; ca, partiment ; also known as ''partia'' or ''joc partit'') is a cognate form of the French jeu-parti (plural ''jeux-partis''). It is a genre of Occitan lyric poetry composed between two troubadours, a subgenre of the ''tenso'' ...

'' on the topic between

Dalfi d'Alvernha Dalfi d'Alvernha (french: Dauphin d'Auvergne) was the Count of Clermont and Montferrand, a troubadour and a patron of troubadours. He was born around 1150 and died in 1234 or 1235. He is sometimes called Robert IV, but there is no solid evidence ...

and

Perdigon Perdigon or Perdigo ( fl. 1190–1220Aubrey, p. 18.) was a troubadour from Lespéron in the Gévaudan.Egan, p. 83. Fourteen of his works survive, including three ''cansos'' with melodies.Aubrey, p. 19. He was respected and admired by contempo ...

, and then a ''

tensó A ''tenso'' (; french: tençon) is a style of troubadour song. It takes the form of a debate in which each voice defends a position; common topics relate to love or ethics. Usually, the tenso is written by two different poets, but several examples ...

'' between

Guiraut de Bornelh Giraut de Bornelh (; c. 1138 – 1215), whose first name is also spelled Guiraut and whose toponym is de Borneil or de Borneyll, was a troubadour connected to the castle of the viscount of Limoges. He is credited with the formalisation, if not the ...

and king

Alfonso II of Aragon Alfonso II (1–25 March 1157Benito Vicente de Cuéllar (1995)«Los "condes-reyes" de Barcelona y la "adquisición" del reino de Aragón por la dinastía bellónida» p. 630-631; in ''Hidalguía''. XLIII (252) pp. 619–632."Alfonso II el Casto, hi ...

Excerpt

Sources and bibliography

* Pierre Bec, ''Chants d'amour des femmes-troubadours: trobairitz et chansons de femme'' (Paris: Stock, 1995) pp. 65–70: complete poem in Occitan and French. * ''Biographies des troubadours'' ed. J. Boutière, A.-H. Schutz (Paris: Nizet, 1964) pp. 341–2. * A. Sakari, 'Azalais de Porcairagues, le "Joglar" de Raimbaut d'Orange' in ''Neuphilologische Mitteilungen'' vol. 50 (1949) pp. 23–43, 56-87, 174-198.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azalais de Porcairagues French women poets 12th-century French troubadours 12th-century French women writers Trobairitz People from Hérault Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown