Conon de Béthune
Encyclopedia
Conon de Béthune was a crusader and "trouvère
" poet.
and justice officer (avoué
) of the Abbey of Saint-Vaast of Arras
(in today's Pas-de-Calais), who died at the siege of Acre in 1191. Through his grandmother, Conon de Béthune was related to the ruling Hainaut family in Flanders
. It is probable (from comments made in one of his poems) that Conon appeared before the French court at the occasion of the marriage of king Philippe Auguste
with Isabelle of Hainaut
in 1180 and sang his songs before Marie de Champagne
(noted for her connection to Chrétien de Troyes
).
After having taken part in the Third Crusade
, Conon de Béthune went (with his brother Guillaume) on the Fourth Crusade
in 1200, accompanying the knights of Baldwin, Count de Flanders
and serving as official orator. His eloquence, wisdom and chivalry were praised by Geoffroi de Villehardouin (who said of Conon: "Bon chevalier et sage estoit et bien eloquens"). After the conquest of Constantinople
(1204), Conon de Béthune served a number of important positions in Baldwin's (and later Henry of Flanders
and Peter of Courtenay
's) government and played a key role in Baldwin's reconciliation with Boniface of Montferrat
and in the Battle of Adrianople
. After the death of Empress Yolanda of Flanders
in 1219, he was chosen by the barons as Regent of the Empire, but died shortly after in 1219 or 1220 in the town of Adrianople (now Edirne
, European Turkey).
, who taught him the art of poetry. He poetry was written to be sung and ten of his poems give musical notation. The majority of his poems are courtly love songs, but two of them are important chansons de croisade or crusade songs in which the poet-lover deplores his approaching departure from his beloved but nevertheless accepts the "noble calling" of crusader. Conon de Béthune also shows himself at times to be ironic or satirical, and in one of his crusade poems he rails with vehemence against financial abuses by those collecting funds for the crusaders.
Some works by Conon are:
Chançon legiere a entendre (A quick song to hear)
Si voiremant con cele don je chant (If heaven would really let me sing)
Mout me semont Amors que je m'envoise (Greatly Love spreads to me so that I may sing)
Ahi! Amors, com dure departie (O! Love, which cruelly left)
Bien me deüsse targier (I well need to cease)
Se raige et derverie (Such rage and madness)
Belle doce Dame chiere (Beautiful, dear, sweet Lady)
Tant ai amé c'or me convient haïr (I have loved so much that now I must hate)
L'autrier un jor aprés la Saint Denise (The day after Saint Denis
' Day)
L'autrier avint en cel autre païs (The future in this foreign country)
Trouvère
Trouvère , sometimes spelled trouveur , is the Northern French form of the word trobador . It refers to poet-composers who were roughly contemporary with and influenced by the troubadours but who composed their works in the northern dialects of France...
" poet.
Life
Born in 1150, he was the 10th son of Robert V, seigneur of BéthuneBéthune
Béthune is a city in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department.-Geography:Béthune is located in the former province of Artois. It is situated South-East of Calais, West of Lille, and North of Paris.-Landmarks:...
and justice officer (avoué
Advocatus
An advocatus, or advocate, was generally a medieval term meaning "lawyer". The term was also used in continental Europe as the title of the lay lord charged with the protection and representation in secular matters of an abbey, known more fully as an advocatus ecclesiae.-Middle Ages:The office is...
) of the Abbey of Saint-Vaast of Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
(in today's Pas-de-Calais), who died at the siege of Acre in 1191. Through his grandmother, Conon de Béthune was related to the ruling Hainaut family in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. It is probable (from comments made in one of his poems) that Conon appeared before the French court at the occasion of the marriage of king Philippe Auguste
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
with Isabelle of Hainaut
Isabelle of Hainaut
Isabella of Hainault was queen consort of France as the first wife of King Philip II of France.- Early life :...
in 1180 and sang his songs before Marie de Champagne
Marie de Champagne
Marie of France , Countess of Champagne was the elder daughter of Louis VII of France and his first wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine.- Family :Marie's younger sister was Alix of France....
(noted for her connection to Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes
Chrétien de Troyes was a French poet and trouvère who flourished in the late 12th century. Perhaps he named himself Christian of Troyes in contrast to the illustrious Rashi, also of Troyes...
).
After having taken part in the Third Crusade
Third Crusade
The Third Crusade , also known as the Kings' Crusade, was an attempt by European leaders to reconquer the Holy Land from Saladin...
, Conon de Béthune went (with his brother Guillaume) on the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
in 1200, accompanying the knights of Baldwin, Count de Flanders
Baldwin I of Constantinople
Baldwin I , the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, as Baldwin IX Count of Flanders and as Baldwin VI Count of Hainaut, was one of the most prominent leaders of the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the capture of Constantinople, the conquest of the greater part of the Byzantine...
and serving as official orator. His eloquence, wisdom and chivalry were praised by Geoffroi de Villehardouin (who said of Conon: "Bon chevalier et sage estoit et bien eloquens"). After the conquest of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
(1204), Conon de Béthune served a number of important positions in Baldwin's (and later Henry of Flanders
Henry of Flanders
Henry was the second emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. He was a younger son of Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut , and Margaret I of Flanders, sister of Philip of Alsace, count of Flanders....
and Peter of Courtenay
Peter of Courtenay
Peter of Courtenay was emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople from 1216 to 1217.He was a son of Peter I of Courtenay , the youngest son of Louis VI of France and his second Queen consort Adélaide de Maurienne...
's) government and played a key role in Baldwin's reconciliation with Boniface of Montferrat
Boniface of Montferrat
Boniface of Montferrat was Marquess of Montferrat and the leader of the Fourth Crusade. He was the third son of William V of Montferrat and Judith of Babenberg, born after his father's return from the Second Crusade...
and in the Battle of Adrianople
Battle of Adrianople (1205)
The Battle of Adrianople occurred on April 14, 1205 between Bulgarians under Tsar Kaloyan of Bulgaria, and Crusaders under Baldwin I. It was won by the Bulgarians after a skillful ambush using the help of their Cuman and Greek allies. Around 300 knights were killed, including Louis of Blois, Duke...
. After the death of Empress Yolanda of Flanders
Yolanda of Flanders
Yolanda of Flanders ruled the Latin Empire in Constantinople for her husband Peter II of Courtenay from 1217 to 1219.She was the daughter of Baldwin V, Count of Hainault, and Countess Margaret I of Flanders. Two of her brothers, Baldwin I and then Henry, were emperors in Constantinople...
in 1219, he was chosen by the barons as Regent of the Empire, but died shortly after in 1219 or 1220 in the town of Adrianople (now Edirne
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
, European Turkey).
Poetry
Only 14 works of poetry attributed to Conon de Béthune have survived, and several of these attributions may be doubtful. He was educated by a family relation, Huon d'Oisy, châtelain de CambraiCambrai
Cambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Cambrai is the seat of an archdiocese whose jurisdiction was immense during the Middle Ages. The territory of the Bishopric of Cambrai, roughly coinciding with the shire of Brabant, included...
, who taught him the art of poetry. He poetry was written to be sung and ten of his poems give musical notation. The majority of his poems are courtly love songs, but two of them are important chansons de croisade or crusade songs in which the poet-lover deplores his approaching departure from his beloved but nevertheless accepts the "noble calling" of crusader. Conon de Béthune also shows himself at times to be ironic or satirical, and in one of his crusade poems he rails with vehemence against financial abuses by those collecting funds for the crusaders.
Some works by Conon are:
Chançon legiere a entendre (A quick song to hear)
Si voiremant con cele don je chant (If heaven would really let me sing)
Mout me semont Amors que je m'envoise (Greatly Love spreads to me so that I may sing)
Ahi! Amors, com dure departie (O! Love, which cruelly left)
Bien me deüsse targier (I well need to cease)
Se raige et derverie (Such rage and madness)
Belle doce Dame chiere (Beautiful, dear, sweet Lady)
Tant ai amé c'or me convient haïr (I have loved so much that now I must hate)
L'autrier un jor aprés la Saint Denise (The day after Saint Denis
Denis
Saint Denis is a Christian martyr and saint. In the third century, he was Bishop of Paris. He was martyred in connection with the Decian persecution of Christians, shortly after A.D. 250...
' Day)
L'autrier avint en cel autre païs (The future in this foreign country)