Peire Vidal facts for kids
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Peire Vidal was a famous troubadour from the 12th century. Troubadours were poets and musicians who wrote and performed songs, mostly in a language called Old Occitan. Peire Vidal was known for his amazing musical talent. We still have 45 of his songs today, and 12 of them even have their original melodies!
Contents
Who Was Peire Vidal?
We don't have many true facts about Peire Vidal from his own time. Most of what we know comes from a short biography called a vida. This vida was written about 50 years after he died. It, along with two razos (short stories about his poems), might be made-up tales based on his songs.
Early Life and Family
The most reliable part of his vida says that Peire Vidal "was from Toulouse, the son of a furrier". A furrier is someone who works with animal furs. Toulouse, a city in France, had a big fur and leather business in the 1100s. The rest of his life story is mostly made up from his poems. It does mention that he might have had a wife.
Peire Vidal's Career
Peire Vidal started his career as a troubadour around 1176. He worked with another troubadour named Bernart Durfort. They both started at the court of Count Raymond V of Toulouse.
Working for Count Raymond V
Peire stayed with Count Raymond V until 1190. He wrote many early poems for Vierna de Porcellet, who was a relative of the count. In some of his poems, Peire, Vierna, and Raymond were part of a love story. After a disagreement with the count, Peire left Toulouse to find new supporters.
Traveling to New Courts
From Toulouse, Peire went to the court of King Alfonso II of Aragon. He was well-liked there until the king passed away in 1196. Peire sometimes visited the court of Alfonso's son, Peter II. Peire always supported Aragon in its rivalry with Toulouse.
He also visited the court of King Alfonso VIII of Castile in Toledo. This was in 1195 and then off and on until 1201. Peire also spent time at the court of King Alfonso IX of León. In León, people preferred a different style of poetry called Galician–Portuguese lyric over the Occitan style.
Other Important Supporters
Peire had many other supporters, even if they weren't as powerful as kings. These included Lord William VIII of Montpellier and his wife, Princess Eudokia Komnene. William was connected to King Peter II of Aragon.
Peire also visited the Aragonese court when it was in Narbonne. The ruler of Narbonne, Ermengarde, was a big supporter of troubadours. However, there is no sign that she supported Peire or that he wrote songs for her.
Connections to Other Nobles
Peire Vidal was also linked to Raimon Jaufre Barral. Barral was the viscount of Marseille and the brother-in-law of Vierna, whom Peire wrote poems for. Barral's son-in-law, Hugh of Baux, also supported Peire Vidal. Another troubadour named Blacatz, who was related to Hugh, also helped Peire.
Peire Vidal's Legacy
Peire Vidal's work has inspired many artists and writers over the centuries.
- He is mentioned in Ezra Pound's poem Pierre Vidal Old.
- He appears in Ford Madox Ford's novel The Good Soldier.
- He is also referenced in Leopold von Sacher-Masoch's story Venus in Furs.
- George W. Cronyn wrote a fictional book about Peire Vidal called The Fool of Venus: The Story of Peire Vidal (1934). This book includes many lines from Peire's poems.
Images for kids
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Peire Vidal (his name is written at top) as portrayed in a 13th-century chansonnier.
See also
In Spanish: Peire Vidal para niños
