Louise Labé facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Louise Labé
Louise Labé; engraving by Pierre Woeiriot, 1555
Born	1522 Lyon, Lyonnais, Kingdom of France
Died	25 April 1566 Parcieux-en-Dombes, Lyonnais, Kingdom of France
Language	French
Nationality	French

Louise Labé (born around 1524 – died April 25, 1566) was a famous French poet. She lived during the Renaissance period. Louise was born in Lyon, France. Her family was wealthy and made ropes. People sometimes called her "La Belle Cordière," meaning "The Beautiful Ropemaker." She was known for being a strong woman who supported women's voices.

Who Was Louise Labé?

Louise Labé was born into a family of ropemakers in Lyon. Her father, Pierre Charly, had a very successful rope-making business. He had five children, and Louise was one of them. She was likely born between 1516 and 1523.

Early Life and Education

Even though her family started humbly, Louise's father became quite respected. He even helped start a charity for the poor in Lyon. Louise received a good education. She learned several foreign languages like Greek, Latin, Italian, and Spanish. She also learned to play the lute, a musical instrument.

A Brave Knight and Poet

When she was young, Louise was known for her amazing skills. She was an excellent horse rider and archer. Some people called her "la belle Amazone," meaning "the beautiful Amazon." Stories say she even dressed in men's clothes. She fought as a knight on horseback in a battle at Perpignan. This was alongside the French prince, who later became King Henry II. She also took part in jousting tournaments held in Lyon.

Her Literary Salon

Between 1543 and 1545, Louise married Ennemond Perrin. He was also a ropemaker in Lyon. This marriage helped continue her family's rope business. The business did very well. They bought a large house in Lyon and a country estate nearby.

Lyon was a very important cultural city in France during the 1500s. Louise Labé hosted a special gathering called a literary salon. Many famous poets and thinkers from Lyon visited her salon. These included Maurice Scève and Clement Marot.

Publishing Her Works

Louise Labé started writing her own poems. She might have been inspired by another poet, Pernette du Guillet. In 1555, King Henry II gave Louise a special right. This allowed her to be the only one to publish her works for five years.

Her book, called Œuvres (meaning "Works"), was printed in 1555. It was published by a famous printer in Lyon. Her book included her own writings. It also had 24 poems written by other poets in her honor. These poets praised Louise Labé. They even compared her to Sappho, a famous ancient Greek poet. They called her the "Tenth Muse."

Later Life

In 1564, a serious illness spread in Lyon. Some of Louise's friends passed away. In 1565, Louise herself was not well. She moved to live with a friend, Thomas Fortin. She died there in 1566. She was buried on her country property near Lyon.

Her Books in English

• Complete poetry and prose : a bilingual edition, Chicago, Ill.; London: University of Chicago Press, 2006. ISBN: 9780226467153,
• Louise Labé's complete works, Troy, N.Y.: Whitston Pub. Co., 1986. ISBN: 9780878753192,
• Debate of folly and love, New York: P. Lang, 2000. ISBN: 9780820437521,
• Love sonnets, New York: New Directions, 1947.
• Love sonnets & elegies, New York: New York Review Books, 2014. ISBN: 9781590177310,

See Also

In Spanish: Louise Labé para niños

• Pernette Du Guillet
• Enzo Giudici