Dauphin d'Auvergne, or in Occitan Dalfi d'Alvernha was Count of Clermont

Clermont-Ferrand

Clermont-Ferrand is a city and commune of France, in the Auvergne region, with a population of 140,700 . Its metropolitan area had 409,558 inhabitants at the 1999 census. It is the prefecture of the Puy-de-Dôme department...

 and Montferrand

Montferrand

Montferrand may refer to the following places in France:* Montferrand, Puy-de-Dôme, a former town, now part of Clermont-Ferrand* Montferrand, Aude, a commune in the department of Aude* Montferrand-du-Périgord, a commune in the department of Dordogne...

 (see Rulers of Auvergne

Rulers of Auvergne

-History:In the 7th century Auvergne was disputed between the Franks and Aquitanians. It was later conquered by the Carolingians, and was integrated for a time into the kingdom of Aquitaine...

), troubadour

Troubadour

A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....

 and patron of troubadours. He was born c. 1150 and died in 1234 or 1235. He is sometimes called Robert IV, Dauphin of Auvergne but there is no solid evidence for the name Robert, and the name can cause confusion since his first cousin once removed was Robert IV, count of Auvergne, who died in 1194.

Dauphin of Auvergne was the son of William of Auvergne

William of Auvergne

William of Auvergne may refer to:* William of Auvergne, Bishop of Paris * William IV of Auvergne * William V of Auvergne...

, Count of Clermont, and of Jeanne de Calabre. He married Guillemette de Comborn, countess of Montferrand, daughter of Archambaud, viscount of Comborn, and Jourdaine of Périgord. Their children were Aélis, Guillaume (William, later count of Clermont), Blanche and Alix.

Troubadours who worked with him or sang at his court include Peirol

Peirol

Peirol or PeiròlIn Occitan, peir means "stone" and -ol is a diminutive suffix, the name Peirol being understood as the equivalent of "Little Stone" but also "Petit Pierre" or "Pierrot" ; however, "peiròl" also meant a cauldron or a stove...

, Perdigon

Perdigon

Perdigon or Perdigo was a troubadour from Lespéron in the Gabales, diocese of Gévaudan, modern Lozère. Fourteen of his works survive, including three cansos with melodies...

, Peire de Maensac

Peire de Maensac

Peire de Maensac was an Auvergnat knight and troubadour. He was from Maensac in the lands of Dalfi d'Alvernha. He came from the petty nobility. His brother Austor or Austors was also a troubadour, but none of his works survives. According to Peire's vida the brothers agreed that one of them would...

, Gaucelm Faidit

Gaucelm Faidit

Gaucelm Faidit was a troubadour, born in Uzerche, in the Limousin, from a family of knights in service of the count of Turenne. He travelled widely in France, Spain, and Hungary...

, and Uc de Saint Circ

Uc de Saint Circ

Uc de Saint Circ or Hugues de Saint Circq was a troubadour from Quercy. Uc is perhaps most significant to modern historians as the probable author of several vidas and razos of other troubadours, though only one of Bernart de Ventadorn exists under his name...

; his cousin, bishop Robert of Clermont, exchanged satirical and erotic verses with him, as did Richard Coeur de Lion

Richard I of England

Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...

. One partimen

Jeu parti

Jeu parti [Fr.; Occitan joc partit, “partimen”]. A debate or dialogue in the form of a poem. According to Guilhem Molinier, the author of Las leys d'amors, a 13th-century treatise on how to write poetry in the style of the troubadours, there is a clear difference between a partimen and a tenso: in...

between Dauphin and Perdigon marks a stage in the poetical debate, begun by Guilhem de Saint-Leidier

Guilhem de Saint-Leidier

Guilhem de Saint-Leidier or Guillem de Saint Deidier was a troubadour of the 12th century, composing in Occitan. He was lord of Saint Didier-en-Velay, was born at some date before 1150, and died between 1195 and 1200...

 and taken up by Azalais de Porcairagues

Azalais de Porcairagues

Azalais de Porcairagues or Alasais de Porcaragues was a trobairitz , composing in Occitan in the late 12th century....

 and Raimbaut of Orange

Raimbaut of Orange

Raimbaut of Orange , or in Occitan Raimbaut d'Aurenga, was the lord of Orange and Aumelas. His properties included the towns of Frontignan and Mireval. He was the only son of William of Aumelas and of Tiburge, daughter of Raimbaut, count of Orange...

, as to whether a lady is dishonoured by taking a lover who is richer than herself. A tensó

Tenso

A tenso is a style of Occitan song favoured by the troubadours. It takes the form of a debate in which each voice defends a position on a topic relating to love or ethics. Closely related genres include the partimen and the cobla exchange...

on the same subject was composed by Guiraut de Bornelh and king Alfonso II of Aragon

Alfonso II of Aragon

Alfonso II or Alfons I ; Huesca, 1-25 March 1157 – 25 April 1196), called the Chaste or the Troubadour, was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1164 until his death. He was the son of Ramon Berenguer IV of Barcelona and Petronilla of Aragon and the first King of Aragon who was...

.