The cultural idea of chivalry describes the chivalrous code of interpersonal attitudes that medieval knights were supposed to demonstrate towards women. These chivalrous ideas and norms of gallant behavior created a new culture of love. Many people think that the culture of courtly love in the Middle Ages was the origin of romantic love (Karandashev, 2017).
The gallantry of chivalry and the gallant courtly love became important cultural phenomena in Spain, France, and Germany during those times.
Courtly love was widely popularized in the fascinating chivalry tales of the Middle Ages. The Spanish tales of Don Quixote and the German tale of Ulrich von Lichtenstein were among those. These stories show the noble chivalry and the gallantry of courtly love. Other significant cultural contributions in the history of romantic love ideas came from medieval European cultures’ poetic images and language. Among these were the Provencal troubadours’ chivalrous poetry and the German minnesingers’ chivalrous poetry. They represent significant national differences in the history and psychology of love. Here I briefly consider the chivalrous poetry of French troubadours as it is described by Henry Finck (1887/2019).
Why the French Troubadours Were So Important in Creating a New Culture of Love
In the French medieval period, troubadours were the influential moral and cultural forces disseminating new cultural ideas and norms. In terms of their public influence, they can be compared with modern magazines and social media. As the French historian Augustin Thierry wrote,
“In the twelfth century, the songs of the troubadours, circulating rapidly from castle to castle and from town to town, supplied the place of periodical gazettes in all the country between the rivers Isère and Vienne, the mountains of Auvergne, and the two seas.”
Augustin Thierry, cited in Finck (1887/2019).
These wandering minstrels were from various social classes, including nobility, artisans, and clergy. They wielded a strong poetic power.
The Noble French Troubadours
As the German-English music critic of the 19th century, Francis Hueffer, remarked on Provençal life and poetry,
“By far the largest number of the Troubadours known to us—fifty-seven in number—belong to the nobility, not to the highest nobility in most cases, it is true. In several instances, poverty is distinctly mentioned as the cause for adopting the profession of a troubadour. It almost appears, indeed, as if this profession, like that of the churchman, and sometimes in connection with it, had been regarded by Provençal families as a convenient mode of providing for their younger sons.”
Francis Hueffer, cited in Finck (1887/2019).
During that time, social class distinctions were strictly observed. So, it is worthwhile to note that the majority of these singers were of noble descent. The medieval aristocracy was hesitant to welcome commoners into their castles. They were reluctant to allow their wives the privilege of adoration in verse and deed.
The Troubadours Were Welcome in the Castles Despite Jealousy
Women, however, showed a preference for bards and tenors regardless of such social characteristics. Their husbands as the heads of households displayed remarkable leniency towards their poetic guests. Undoubtedly, having a well-known poet sing about their spouse in person was flattering to their ego. The troubadours’ appearances at all social circles of society gave them the influence in social relations. So, for the hosts of the castles it was wise not to lose their favor.
The Intriguing Romantic Jealousies of Chivalry Love
Occasionally, however, men’s jealousy appeared in relationships and held its high price. It was illustrated, for instance, in the case of Guillem, the protagonist of Hueffer and Mackenzie’s opera “The Troubadour.” He was murdered by the injured husband and the unfaithful wife who was forced to drink the wine dubbed “the poet’s blood,” which had been horribly realistically adulterated.
The women were also prone to jealousy. However, they often were jealous not for their husbands, but for the troubadours. They desired a monopoly over their art and adoration.
Women, however, showed a preference for bards and tenors regardless of such social characteristics. Their husbands, as the heads of households, displayed remarkable leniency towards their poetic guests. Undoubtedly, having a well-known poet sing about their spouse in person was flattering to their ego. The troubadours’ appearances in all social circles of society gave them influence in social relations. So, for the hosts of the castles, it was wise not to lose their favor.
Occasionally, however, men’s jealousy appeared in relationships and held its high price. It was illustrated, for instance, in the case of Guillem, the protagonist of Hueffer and Mackenzie’s opera “The Troubadour.” He was murdered by the injured husband and the unfaithful wife, who was forced to drink the wine dubbed “the poet’s blood,” which had been horribly realistically adulterated. The women were also prone to jealousy. However, they were often jealous not for their husbands, but for the troubadours. They desired a monopoly over their art and adoration.
Inconsistencies of Favors and Affections of Troubadours
However, the troubadours tended to transfer their affections to other women.
Their fickleness, however, was not the greatest flaw of these bards. Their major moral failing was that they ignored the distinction between conjugal and romantic love. There were many love stories about the troubadours’ love, but none of them involved a woman who wasn’t married. Francis Hueffer noted that an odd point of similarity between these troubadours’ love stories and the French novels of the 19th century. In this regard, he highlighted the interest in this feature of French national psychology.
The Troubadour’s Pastorals of Love
Hueffer analyzed the pastoral of Guirant (1260) as a case in point:
“The idea is simple enough: an amorous knight, whose importunate offers to an unprotected girl are kept in check by mere dint of graceful, witty, sometimes tart reply.” These offers of love are repeated at intervals of two, three, seven, and six years, and finally transferred to the woman’s daughter, always with the same bad luck. His own wife, meanwhile, is never considered a proper object for his poetic effusions. Concerning the German imitator of foreign customs—Ulrich von Lichtenstein, mentioned a few pages back—we have likewise seen that his wife never entered his mind except when he came home “tired and dilapidated, to be restored by her nursing.”
Francis Hueffer, cited in Finck (1887/2019).
The Other Types of Troubadours’ Love Songs
In addition to pastorals of the type just mentioned above, the troubadours had a variety of songs of other kinds, including tensons and contentions, which were “metrical dialogues of lively repartee on some disputed points of gallantry.”
This could be the reason why the fable said that aristocratic women of the time “instituted courts of love,” in which questions of gallantry were gravely discussed and determined by their suffrages.
The question remained, for example, whether a husband could really love his wife. Scholars have continued to argue whether such debating clubs for discussing the ethics and etiquette of love existed. The evidence, however, appears to be negative.