Luys d'Averçó
Encyclopedia
Luys d'Averçó or Luis de Aversó (c.1350–1412x15) was a Catalan
politician, naval
financier
, and man of letters. His magnum opus
, the Torcimany, is one of the most important medieval
Catalan-language grammars to modern historians. His name is spelled Lluís d'Averçó or d'Aversó in modern orthography.
Averçó was born to a family of naval shipowners in Barcelona
in the middle of the fourteenth century. He continued in the family business and profited from it financially all his life. He appears to be well-trained in law
, for he participated in the municipal government of Barcelona throughout his life, being a councillor
(conseller) in 1395 and again in 1403. During the interregnum
of 1410–12 he was charged by the Parliament of Catalonia
with arbitrating some disputes amongst the citizens of Lleida
. He later represented Barcelona on a diplomatic mission to Majorca
. His diverse interests economic, literary, military, and political brought him favour with the monarchs John I
("the Lover of Elegance") and Martin ("the Humane").
No poems by Averçó survive, though his reputation in the poetic world of his time is undeniable. He and Jaume March II
persuaded John I to inaugurate the jocs florals at Barcelona and establish a Consistori de la Gaya Sciènça
there. On 20 February 1393 John named Jaume and Averçó the first judges of the Consistori's contests (jocs). On 12 August 1399 their position was reaffirmed by king Martin. Averçó's poetic reputation is further established by his Torcimany, which contain a wealth of information for composing poetry in Catalan.
Torcimany survives in a single autograph
in the library of the Escorial. Its diffusion was almost null, its influence equally so, and its citation nonexistent. Not even Jaume March's Libre de concordances, which served the same purpose—a dictionary of rhymes (diccionari de rimes)—as the appendix of Averçó's Torcimany, shows any evidence of cross-fertilisation or influence. The two poets, who knew each other personally, wrote two similar but independent works. Torcimany cannot be confidently dated beyond the final third of the century. It is divided into three sections, the first on the basic concepts of grammar, the second (del trobar, "on composition") on the genres (dictats) of poetry, and the third on more difficult aspects of grammar and rhetoric
, such as compàs (rhythm
).
Torcimany is not too different from the Compendi of Joan de Castellnou
or the Flors del gay saber of Guilhem Molinier. The dictionary of rhymes with which it ends, however, is unique to it; and Averçó does not appear to have had access to the Donatz proensals of Uc Faidit. He appears to have compiled his dictionary from memory and probably for this reason he includes words that would be difficult to employ in the type of verse he seeks to enable. Generally his words have Catalan endings, but a good portion are clearly Occitan, the language of the troubadours. A few on top of that are Castilian or Aragonese
, which he clarifies with their Catalan equivalents. These Castilianisms are also unnecessary for Catalan poetry, but Averçó was fixed upon extending his rhymary.
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
politician, naval
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
financier
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
, and man of letters. His magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
, the Torcimany, is one of the most important medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
Catalan-language grammars to modern historians. His name is spelled Lluís d'Averçó or d'Aversó in modern orthography.
Averçó was born to a family of naval shipowners in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
in the middle of the fourteenth century. He continued in the family business and profited from it financially all his life. He appears to be well-trained in law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, for he participated in the municipal government of Barcelona throughout his life, being a councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
(conseller) in 1395 and again in 1403. During the interregnum
Interregnum
An interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
of 1410–12 he was charged by the Parliament of Catalonia
Parliament of Catalonia
The Parliament of Catalonia is the unicameral legislature of Catalonia. It is formed by 135 members , who are elected every four years in ordinary period, or extraordinarily upon dissolution and call of elections by the President of Catalonia, by universal suffrage in proportional lists with four...
with arbitrating some disputes amongst the citizens of Lleida
Lleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
. He later represented Barcelona on a diplomatic mission to Majorca
Kingdom of Majorca
The Kingdom of Majorca was founded by James I of Aragon, also known as James The Conqueror. After the death of his first-born son Alfonso, a will was written in 1262 which created the kingdom in order to cede it to his son James...
. His diverse interests economic, literary, military, and political brought him favour with the monarchs John I
John I of Aragon
John I , called by posterity the Hunter or the Lover of Elegance , but the Abandoned in his lifetime, was the King of...
("the Lover of Elegance") and Martin ("the Humane").
No poems by Averçó survive, though his reputation in the poetic world of his time is undeniable. He and Jaume March II
Jaume March II
Jaume March was a Catalan language poet.Brother of Pere March and uncle of Arnau March and the renowned Ausiàs March, Jaume's family had been lawyers and officers of the court of the kingdom of Aragon. Born in Valencia he was seemingly the eldest son, and inherited the family's possessions around...
persuaded John I to inaugurate the jocs florals at Barcelona and establish a Consistori de la Gaya Sciènça
Consistori de Barcelona
The Consistori de Barcelona was a literary academy founded in Barcelona by John the Hunter, King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona, in 1393 in imitation of the Consistori del Gay Saber founded at Toulouse seventy years earlier . The poetry produced by and for the Consistori was heavily influenced...
there. On 20 February 1393 John named Jaume and Averçó the first judges of the Consistori's contests (jocs). On 12 August 1399 their position was reaffirmed by king Martin. Averçó's poetic reputation is further established by his Torcimany, which contain a wealth of information for composing poetry in Catalan.
Torcimany survives in a single autograph
Autograph
An autograph is a document transcribed entirely in the handwriting of its author, as opposed to a typeset document or one written by an amanuensis or a copyist; the meaning overlaps with that of the word holograph.Autograph also refers to a person's artistic signature...
in the library of the Escorial. Its diffusion was almost null, its influence equally so, and its citation nonexistent. Not even Jaume March's Libre de concordances, which served the same purpose—a dictionary of rhymes (diccionari de rimes)—as the appendix of Averçó's Torcimany, shows any evidence of cross-fertilisation or influence. The two poets, who knew each other personally, wrote two similar but independent works. Torcimany cannot be confidently dated beyond the final third of the century. It is divided into three sections, the first on the basic concepts of grammar, the second (del trobar, "on composition") on the genres (dictats) of poetry, and the third on more difficult aspects of grammar and rhetoric
Rhetoric
Rhetoric is the art of discourse, an art that aims to improve the facility of speakers or writers who attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. As a subject of formal study and a productive civic practice, rhetoric has played a central role in the Western...
, such as compàs (rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
).
Torcimany is not too different from the Compendi of Joan de Castellnou
Joan de Castellnou
Joan de Castellnou was a troubadour of the Consistori del Gay Saber active in Toulouse. He left behind five or six cansos, three vers, a dansa, a conselh, and a sirventes...
or the Flors del gay saber of Guilhem Molinier. The dictionary of rhymes with which it ends, however, is unique to it; and Averçó does not appear to have had access to the Donatz proensals of Uc Faidit. He appears to have compiled his dictionary from memory and probably for this reason he includes words that would be difficult to employ in the type of verse he seeks to enable. Generally his words have Catalan endings, but a good portion are clearly Occitan, the language of the troubadours. A few on top of that are Castilian or Aragonese
Aragonese language
Aragonese is a Romance language now spoken in a number of local varieties by between 10,000 and 30,000 people over the valleys of the Aragón River, Sobrarbe and Ribagorza in Aragon, Spain...
, which he clarifies with their Catalan equivalents. These Castilianisms are also unnecessary for Catalan poetry, but Averçó was fixed upon extending his rhymary.
External links
- Torcimany, vol. I, 1956 in Biblioteca, Corpus Literari Digital, Aula Màrius Torres.
- Incipitario di Lluís d'Averçó, with edited original-language texts of five poetic examples from Torcimany