Troubadour

medieval music · poetry · storytellers

Singing storytellers. Troubadours were composers and performers who created beautiful lyric poetry and music during the High Middle Ages, roughly from 1100 to 1350. They traveled from place to place, performing for nobles and common people alike.

They invented romance. Troubadours are famous for creating some of the earliest love songs in European history. They sang about chivalry, courtly love, and adventures in a poetic style that was totally new and exciting for their time.

Southern France origin. Troubadours came from Occitania, a region in southern France where the language was Old Occitan. Their style of music and poetry spread across Europe and influenced musicians for centuries to come.

Women poets too. While the word troubadour is masculine, there were also female poets and performers called trobairitz who wrote and performed their own songs. They were skilled artists who deserve equal recognition.

Professional performers. Troubadours weren't just hobbyists, they were professional musicians who were hired by wealthy lords and ladies to entertain them at feasts and celebrations. Being a troubadour was an actual career!