William of Tudela facts for kids
William of Tudela (also known as Guilhem de Tudela in Occitan, and Guillaume de Tudèle in French) was a writer who lived around the years 1199 to 1214. He wrote the first part of an important poem called the Canso de la Crozada, which means Song of the Albigensian Crusade. This long poem was written in Old Occitan, an old language spoken in parts of France and Spain. It tells the story of the Albigensian Crusade, a big war fought against a religious group called the Cathars.
Who Was William of Tudela?
William of Tudela was born in a town called Tudela in the Kingdom of Navarre, which is now part of Spain. In his poem, he calls himself a "master" and a "cleric." This means he had studied a lot and had taken some steps to become a church official. He also said he studied something called geomancy, which was a way people tried to predict the future using patterns on the ground.
Life and Work
Around the year 1199, William of Tudela moved to Montauban in France. He lived there for 11 years. He believed his knowledge of geomancy told him to move again in 1210. So, he moved to Bruniquel. At that time, Bruniquel had just been given to Baldwin of Toulouse, who was the brother of a powerful count named Raymond VI of Toulouse.
When William moved, he started working for Baldwin. He became a "canon" at a church in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val. A canon is a type of priest or church official. This town had recently been taken by Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester during the Albigensian Crusade and given to Baldwin.
Most importantly, it was around this time that William began writing his famous poem, the Chanson de la Croisade Albigeoise. He started working on the first part in 1210, but it seems he finished writing it all in 1213.
What Happened Next?
We don't know much about William's life after 1213 or 1214. His poem talks about Baldwin as if he was still alive. However, Baldwin was captured and later died on February 17, 1214. He was accused of being a traitor by his brother Raymond.
William's poem also ends before a big battle called the Battle of Muret, which happened on September 12, 1213. In that battle, Baldwin was on the winning side. Raymond lost his city, Toulouse, and his powerful leader, Peter II of Aragon, was killed.
If William of Tudela lived past these events, he stopped writing his poem. The second part of the Chanson was written by a different person, whose name we do not know.
See also
In Spanish: Guillermo de Tudela para niños
