Raimbaut de Vaqueiras facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raimbaut de Vaqueiras
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Raimbaut de Vaqueiras, from a collection of troubadour songs, BNF Richelieu Manuscrits Français 854, Bibliothèque Nationale Française, Paris.
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| Born | c. 1180 |
| Died | 4 September 1207 Rhodope Mountains
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| Nationality | Provence |
| Occupation | Troubadour and, later in his life, knight |
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Notable work
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Eras quan vey verdeyar |
Raimbaut de Vaqueiras (born around 1180 – died 1207) was a famous troubadour from Provence, a region in what is now southern France. Troubadours were poets and musicians who wrote and performed songs, often about love and chivalry. Later in his life, Raimbaut also became a knight. He spent most of his time in courts in Italy. In 1203, he joined the Fourth Crusade, a big military journey.
His writings, especially a piece called the Epic Letter, tell us a lot about the politics of the Latin Empire when it was first formed. Raimbaut de Vaqueiras wrote a special poem called Eras quan vey verdeyar. This poem was unique because it used many languages, including French, Italian, Galician-Portuguese, Gascon, and his own Provençal.
Life and Adventures
Raimbaut de Vaqueiras came from a town called Vacqueyras, which is near Orange. For most of his career, he was a court poet and a close friend of Boniface I of Montferrat. He even fought alongside Boniface in battles against the cities of Asti and Alessandria.
Raimbaut said he became a knight by protecting Boniface with his shield during a battle in Messina. This happened when they were part of Emperor Henry VI's invasion of Sicily. Raimbaut was also there when the city of Constantinople was attacked and captured in 1204. After that, he went with Boniface to Thessalonica. Most people believe that Raimbaut died on September 4, 1207, in an ambush by the Vlach, along with Boniface.
His Music and Poems
Experts have found 33 songs written by Raimbaut de Vaqueiras that still exist today. However, only eight of the tunes for these songs have survived. He used many different styles in his writing. These included a descort (a song with different languages or rhyme schemes), several cansos (love songs), and tensos (debates between two or more speakers). He also wrote an alba (a dawn song) and a gap (a boastful song).
Raimbaut, along with two other troubadours named Perdigon and Ademar de Peiteus, helped create the torneyamen. This was a type of poem where several troubadours would take turns adding verses. One of his most famous songs is "Kalenda Maia." It is called an estampida, which was usually a piece of music played only with instruments. Even though it's a song, it's considered one of the best troubadour melodies. It is said that he borrowed the tune for "Kalenda Maia" from two other musicians. This might be why it's called an estampida, as it started as an instrumental piece.
See also
In Spanish: Raimbaut de Vaqueiras para niños
