Guilhem de Montanhagol ( fl. 1233–1268) was a Provençal

troubadour A troubadour (, ; oc, trobador ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a ''trobairit ...

, most likely active in

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...

, but known in the courts of

Provence Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...

, Castile, and

Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and an, Aragón ; ca, Aragó ) is an autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces (from north to sou ...

.Gaunt and Kay, appendix.Paden, "Guilhem de Montanhagol". Guilhem left behind seven ''

cansos The ''canso'' or ''canson'' or ''canzo'' () was a song style used by the troubadours. It was, by far, the most common genre used, especially by early troubadours, and only in the second half of the 13th century was its dominance challenged by a ...

'' and six ''

sirventes The ''sirventes'' or ''serventes'' (), sometimes translated as "service song", was a genre of Old Occitan lyric poetry practiced by the troubadours. The name comes from ''sirvent'' ('serviceman'), from whose perspective the song is allegedly wr ...

''. He also left behind one ''

tenso 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 ...

'' (specifically, 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'' ...

'') with

Sordello Sordello da Goito or Sordel de Goit (sometimes ''Sordell'') was a 13th-century Italian troubadour. His life and work have inspired several authors including Dante Alighieri, Robert Browning, and Samuel Beckett. Life Sordello was born in the m ...

(perhaps suggesting a brief sojourn in

Lombardy Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that covers ; it is located in the northern-central part of the country and has a population of about 10 ...

) and his total surviving output comes to fourteen pieces. The meaning of Guilhem's name has been debated. "Montanhagol" means "from Montanhac", but it is not known which of the several places named Montanhac that could be.Egan, 57. For a long time it was thought that the correct form of the troubadour's name was simply "Guilhem Montanhagol", since the "de" (of) would be redundant.Riquer. Contemporary documents, however, clearly use "de". He was of humble birth. According to his ''

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 ...

'' he was from Provence, though some modern scholars suspect he was a Toulousain. His ''vida'' records that he was "a good inventor (''trobaire'') of poetry, and a great lover." His lover was a lady named Jauseranda from Lunel, the lord of which castle, Raymond Gaucelm V, Guilhem probably knew. His ''cansos'' are awkward, and he emulated the earlier troubadours, praising ''mezura'' (moderation) among all the virtues. He stated that "from love proceeds chastity" (''d'amor mou castitatz''), which may mean no more than that love is necessary for fidelity.Topsfield, 127. He has been viewed, most ardently by

Cesare de Lollis Cesare, the Italian version of the given name Caesar, may refer to: Given name * Cesare, Marquis of Beccaria (1738–1794), an Italian philosopher and politician * Cesare Airaghi (1840–1896), Italian colonel * Cesare Arzelà (1847–1912), I ...

, as a precursor of the ''

Dolce Stil Novo ''Dolce Stil Novo'' (), Italian for "sweet new style," is the name given to a literary movement in 13th and 14th century Italy. Influenced by the Sicilian School and Tuscan poetry, its main theme is Divine Love. The name ''Dolce Stil Novo'' was ...

'' and as an important link between

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 ...

and

Italian literature Italian literature is written in the Italian language, particularly within Italy. It may also refer to literature written by Italian people, Italians or in Languages of Italy, other languages spoken in Italy, often languages that are closely re ...

through his work with Sordello. He has been credited with an innovative picture of

courtly love Courtly love ( oc, fin'amor ; french: amour courtois ) was a medieval European literary conception of love that emphasized nobility and chivalry. Medieval literature is filled with examples of knights setting out on adventures and performing vari ...

blended with Christian morality, and indeed he refers to ''noel dig de maestria'' ("a new saying of mastery"), though this is probably not an indication of any conscious reformation.Spiers, "''Vita Nuova'' and ''Dolce Stil Nuovo''", 39. Guilhem's political ''sirventes'' concern Toulousain and Spanish politics. Writing in the aftermath of the

Albigensian Crusade The Albigensian Crusade or the Cathar Crusade (; 1209–1229) was a military and ideological campaign initiated by Pope Innocent III to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc, southern France. The Crusade was prosecuted primarily by the French crown ...

which devastated

Languedoc The Province of Languedoc (; , ; oc, Lengadòc ) is a former province of France. Most of its territory is now contained in the modern-day region of Occitanie in Southern France. Its capital city was Toulouse. It had an area of approximately ...

, Guilhem was an opponent of the Papal Inquisition, though not of the Church itself. He encouraged the gentle correction of the

Cathars Catharism (; from the grc, καθαροί, katharoi, "the pure ones") was a Christian dualist or Gnostic movement between the 12th and 14th centuries which thrived in Southern Europe, particularly in northern Italy and southern France. Fol ...

, but not their violent suppression by means of war. Guilhem was grieved in a ''

planh A genre of the troubadours, the or (; "lament") is a funeral lament for "a great personage, a protector, a friend or relative, or a lady."Elisabeth Schulze-Busacker, "Topoi", in F. R. P. Akehurst and Judith M. Davis, eds., ''A Handbook of the T ...

'' written by his brother-in-law

Pons Santolh Pons (de) Santolh was a thirteenth-century troubadour, probably a member of the Centulli family, but whether of the Castelsarrasin or Toulouse branch remains a mystery. He was a brother of the wife of Guilhem de Montanhagol. He composed a ''planh ...

. __NOTOC__

Works

*''A Lunel lutz una luna luzens'' *''Ar ab lo coinde pascor'' *''Del tot vey remaner valor'' *''Bel m'es quan d'armatz aug refrim'' *''Ges, per malvastat qu'er veya'' *''Leu chansoneta m'er a far'' *''No sap per que va son joy pus tarzan'' *''Non an tan dig li primier trobador'' *''Non estarai, per ome qe-m casti'' *''Nulhs hom no val ni deu esser prezatz'' *''On mais a hom de valensa'' *''Per lo mon fan li un dels autres rancura '' *''Qui vol esser agradans e plazens'' *''Senh'En Sordel, mandamen''

References

External links

Complete works
at Trobar.org {{authority control 13th-century French troubadours People from Provence

Works

References

Further reading

External links