Guilhem Fabre
Encyclopedia
Guilhem or Guillem Fabre was a troubadour
and burgher
from Narbonne
. He may be the same person as the dedicatee of En Guillems Fabres, sap fargar, a eulogistic poem by Bernart d'Auriac
. He was one of several mid–late thirteenth century troubadours from Narbonne, with Bernart Alanhan
and Miquel de Castillon
.
Guilhem's own works comprise On mais vei, plus trop sordejor, a sirventes
on decadence, a Pos dels majors princeps auzem conten, a Crusade song
. In the first, Guilhem criticises contemporary politics and religion as too worldly, relating them to the sorry state of the Holy Land
at the time. In the second, inspired by piety, Guilhem blames internal wars in Christendom
for the failures of the Crusades
. He also suggests that the mendicant orders
are partly to blame. It is universally agreed that this song was written after the loss of Jerusalem in 1244. Some scholars place it in the years 1245–58 (C. Fabre) or 1254–1269 (Karl Appel, Sergio Vatteroni). During the pontificate of Clement IV
(1264–68) the wars between the Guelphs and Ghibellines
were intense. Guilhem reveals his Ghibelline sympathies when he heaps especial blame on the pope, remarking that the pontiff himself has never led a crusade. Because of this reference to the pope, Guilhem's song cannot have been written during the papal interregnum of 1268–71
. Scholar Amos Parducci suggests that it was written during the War of the Sicilian Vespers
, as late as 1284–85.
The contemporary troubadour Uc de Saint Circ
criticised Guilhem Fabre in his cobla esparsa Guillelms Fabres nos fai en brau lignatge for using such artful phrasing that his meaning is obscured. From this criticism it can be assumed that Guilhem belonged to the trobar clus
school of composition, which favoured short words, a high ratio of consonants to vowels, and generally harsh sounds and unusual rimes. The identification of "Guillelms Fabres" with Guilhem is problematic. Several internal usages suggest that Uc's criticisms may be particularly appropriate to Guilhem Ademar
, in which case "Fabre" may be read as a nickname meaning "[word]smith".
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 burgher
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
from Narbonne
Narbonne
Narbonne is a commune in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Once a prosperous port, it is now located about from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea...
. He may be the same person as the dedicatee of En Guillems Fabres, sap fargar, a eulogistic poem by Bernart d'Auriac
Bernart d'Auriac
Bernat or Bernart d'Auriac was a minor troubadour notable mainly for initiating a cycle of five short sirventes in the summer of 1285. According to a rubric of the chansonnier in which the cycle is preserved, Bernart was a mayestre de Bezers .The sirventes cycle was prompted by the Aragonese...
. He was one of several mid–late thirteenth century troubadours from Narbonne, with Bernart Alanhan
Bernart Alanhan de Narbona
Bernart Alanhan de Narbona was a minor troubadour probably from Narbonne. He left behind only one song, No posc mudar qu'eu no diga, a sirventes about the loss of Jerusalem to the Saracens, though it was not classified as a Crusade song in the seminal work on the genre by Kurt Lewent .Three...
and Miquel de Castillon
Miquel de Castillon
Miquel de Castillon or Castilho was a troubadour of Narbonne. A man of high standing in the city, he was called a probus homo in 1270 when consulted by the city consuls. He was probably the Michael de Castilione who was of the knightly class, belonging to family of vassals of the Viscounts of...
.
Guilhem's own works comprise On mais vei, plus trop sordejor, a sirventes
Sirventes
The sirventes or serventes is a genre of Occitan lyric poetry used by the troubadours. In early Catalan it became a sirventesch and was imported into that language in the fourteenth century, where it developed into a unique didactic/moralistic type...
on decadence, a Pos dels majors princeps auzem conten, a Crusade song
Crusade song
A Crusade song is any vernacular lyric poem about the Crusades. Crusade songs were popular in the High Middle Ages: 106 survive in Occitan, forty in Old French, thirty in Middle High German, two in Italian, and one in Old Castilian. The study of the Crusade song, which may be considered a genre of...
. In the first, Guilhem criticises contemporary politics and religion as too worldly, relating them to the sorry state of the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
at the time. In the second, inspired by piety, Guilhem blames internal wars in Christendom
Christendom
Christendom, or the Christian world, has several meanings. In a cultural sense it refers to the worldwide community of Christians, adherents of Christianity...
for the failures of the Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
. He also suggests that the mendicant orders
Mendicant Orders
The mendicant orders are religious orders which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood. In principle, they do not own property, either individually or collectively , believing that this was the most pure way of life to copy followed by Jesus Christ, in order that all...
are partly to blame. It is universally agreed that this song was written after the loss of Jerusalem in 1244. Some scholars place it in the years 1245–58 (C. Fabre) or 1254–1269 (Karl Appel, Sergio Vatteroni). During the pontificate of Clement IV
Pope Clement IV
Pope Clement IV , born Gui Faucoi called in later life le Gros , was elected Pope February 5, 1265, in a conclave held at Perugia that took four months, while cardinals argued over whether to call in Charles of Anjou, the youngest brother of Louis IX of France...
(1264–68) the wars between the Guelphs and Ghibellines
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
were intense. Guilhem reveals his Ghibelline sympathies when he heaps especial blame on the pope, remarking that the pontiff himself has never led a crusade. Because of this reference to the pope, Guilhem's song cannot have been written during the papal interregnum of 1268–71
Papal election, 1268–1271
The papal election from November 1268 to September 1, 1271, following the death of Pope Clement IV, was the longest papal election in the history of the Catholic Church. This was due primarily to political infighting between the cardinals...
. Scholar Amos Parducci suggests that it was written during the War of the Sicilian Vespers
War of the Sicilian Vespers
The War of the ' Vespers started with the insurrection of the Sicilian Vespers against Charles of Anjou in 1282 and finally ended with the peace of Caltabellotta in 1302...
, as late as 1284–85.
The contemporary troubadour 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...
criticised Guilhem Fabre in his cobla esparsa Guillelms Fabres nos fai en brau lignatge for using such artful phrasing that his meaning is obscured. From this criticism it can be assumed that Guilhem belonged to the trobar clus
Trobar clus
Trobar clus , or closed form, was a complex and obscure style of poetry used by troubadours for their more discerning audiences, and it was only truly appreciated by an elite few. It was developed extensively by Marcabru, but by 1200 its inaccessibility led to its disappearance...
school of composition, which favoured short words, a high ratio of consonants to vowels, and generally harsh sounds and unusual rimes. The identification of "Guillelms Fabres" with Guilhem is problematic. Several internal usages suggest that Uc's criticisms may be particularly appropriate to Guilhem Ademar
Guilhem Ademar
Guilhem Ademar was a troubadour from the Gévaudan. Noble by birth, but very poor, he travelled between the courts of Albi, Toulouse, Narbonne, and Spain. He achieved fame enough in his lifetime to be satirised by the Monge de Montaudon. He entered holy orders towards the end of his life...
, in which case "Fabre" may be read as a nickname meaning "[word]smith".