Maria de Ventadorn (or Ventedorn) () was a patron of

troubadour A troubadour (, ; ) was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (1100–1350). Since the word ''troubadour'' is etymologically masculine, a female equivalent is usually called a ''trobairitz''. The tr ...

poetry at the end of the 12th century. Maria was one of ''las tres de Torena'', "the three of Turenne", the three daughters of viscount Raymond II of Turenne and of Elise de Séverac. These three, according to

Bertran de Born Bertran de Born (; 1140s – by 1215) was a baron from the Limousin in France, and one of the major Occitan troubadours of the 12th-13th century. He composed love songs (cansos) but was better known for his political songs (sirventes). He ...

, possessed ''tota beltat terrena'', "all earthly beauty". Her date of birth is uncertain; she possibly died in 1222. Her name is variously recorded as Marie de Turenne and Marguerite de Turenne. She married viscount Eble V of Ventadour (

Corrèze Corrèze (; ) is a département in France, named after the river Corrèze which runs through it. Although its prefecture is Tulle, its most populated city is Brive-la-Gaillarde. Corrèze is located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, on the bo ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

); they had a son, Eble (VI), who married Dauphine de la Tour d'Auvergne, and a daughter, Alix or Alasia. Maria's husband was the grandson of Eble III (patron of the important early troubadour Bernart de Ventadorn), and the great-grandson of Eble le chanteur, believed to have been among the creators of the genre. Maria is addressed, or at least mentioned, in the work of several troubadours including

Gaucelm Faidit Gaucelm Faidit ( literally "Gaucelm the Dispossessed" c. 1156 – c. 1209) was a troubadour, born in Uzerche, in the Limousin (province), Limousin, from a family of knights in service of the count of Turenne. He travelled widely in France, Sp ...

, the Monk of Montaudon, Gausbert de Puicibot, Pons de Capduelh, Guiraut de Calanso, Bertran de Born and Gui d'Ussel. According to a poetic commentary included in the Biographies des Troubadours, Hugh IX of Lusignan was Maria's "knight" (). Maria de Ventadorn is listed as a

trobairitz The ''trobairitz'' () were Occitania, Occitan female troubadours of the 12th and 13th centuries, active from around 1170 to approximately 1260. ''Trobairitz'' is both singular and plural. The word ''trobairitz'' is first attested in the 13th-c ...

in her own right on the strength of a single ''

tensó A ''tenso'' (; ) is a style of troubadour song. It takes the form of a debate in which each voice defends a position; common topics relate to love or ethics. Usually, the tenso is written by two different poets, but several examples exist in which ...

'' or poetic debate (dated ''c.'' 1197), of which alternate verses were apparently composed by her and by Gui d'Ussel. The question at issue in the debate was this: once a man has succeeded in his plea to be accepted as a lady's lover, does he thereafter become her equal, or does he remain her servant? Maria takes the latter view.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* ''Biographies des troubadours'' ed. J. Boutière, A.-H. Schutz (Paris: Nizet, 1964) pp. 170–179, 208-214, 314-320. * Pierre Bec, ''Chants d'amour des femmes-troubadours: trobairitz et chansons de femme'' (Paris: Stock, 1995) pp. 164–171: Occitan text and French translation of the ''tensó''. * Jean Mouzat, ''Les poèmes de Gaucelm Faidit''. Paris: Nizet, 1965. 12th-century births 1220s deaths 12th-century French women writers 12th-century French troubadours 12th-century women composers 12th-century composers 13th-century French women French untitled nobility French patrons of literature Trobairitz Year of birth unknown {{France-poet-stub