Peire de Valeira
Encyclopedia
Peire de Valeira, Valeria, or Valera (fl. early–mid twelfth century) was a Gascon
troubadour
. Since troubadour poetry probably originated in northwest Aquitaine
(Poitou
and Saintonge
) and first spread—within a generation—south into Gascony, Peire was one of the earliest troubadours. Only two of his poems survive, one canso
("Vezer volgra n'Ezelgarda") and one cobla
("Qui qu'Amors don son voler").
His birthplace was Valera, near Podensac
and Saint-Macaire
in the Gironde
. His vida
places his birthplace in the fief of Arnaut Guillem de Marsan, who was himself a troubadour. He was a contemporary of Marcabru
and originally a jongleur. His poems were typical for the time, according to Uc de Saint Circ
, the probable author of his vida, being about natural objects (like leaves, flowers, and birds), but not of great value to the biographer's time. But Uc saves his harshest critique for the end, as Elizabeth Poe relates:
Peire's entire vida, found in MSS
I and K, however, is probably unreliable, since it appears to confuse him with another Gascon troubadour, Arnaut de Tintinhac
.
Peire is often placed in a hypothetical "school" of poetry which includes Bernart de Ventadorn
, Cercamon
, Jaufre Rudel
, Marcabru
, Marcoat
, and Peire Rogier
among others. Further, the references in his vida to songs of the time concerning leaves, flowers, songs, and birds may be evidence for an early troubadour genre which did not survive. It may also be that the distinctiveness of Peire's genre was regional, a Gascon style. The later Gascon troubadour Guiraut de Calanso
wrote verses that were d'aquella saison ("of that time") and disliked in Provence
, perhaps pointing to a Gascon tradition (or "literary fad") which was not popular outside of Gascoigna (Gascony). The paubra valor ("poor value") of Peire's songs may be a reflection of the popularity of Gascon influence.
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
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....
. Since troubadour poetry probably originated in northwest Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
(Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
and Saintonge
Saintonge
Saintonge is a small region on the Atlantic coast of France within the département Charente-Maritime, west and south of Charente in the administrative region of Poitou-Charentes....
) and first spread—within a generation—south into Gascony, Peire was one of the earliest troubadours. Only two of his poems survive, one canso
Canso (song)
The canso is a song style used by the troubadours. It consists of three parts. The first stanza is the exordium, where the composer explains his purpose. The main body of the song occurs in the following stanzas, and usually draw out a variety of relationships with the exordium. The canso can end...
("Vezer volgra n'Ezelgarda") and one cobla
Cobla (Occitan literary term)
A cobla is a stanza in Occitan lyric poetry, the art form of the troubadours. Though not usually standalone work in itself, in many instances a cobla or two is all that survives of what was once a complete poem. Each cobla of a song was usually played to the same melody, but a few songs were...
("Qui qu'Amors don son voler").
His birthplace was Valera, near Podensac
Podensac
Podensac is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-Structures:*Château d´eau Le Corbusier *Château Chavat-References:*...
and Saint-Macaire
Saint-Macaire
Saint-Macaire is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
in the Gironde
Gironde
For the Revolutionary party, see Girondists.Gironde is a common name for the Gironde estuary, where the mouths of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers merge, and for a department in the Aquitaine region situated in southwest France.-History:...
. His vida
Vida (Occitan literary form)
Vida is the usual term for a brief prose biography, written in Old Occitan, of a troubadour or trobairitz.The word vida means "life" in Occitan languages. In the chansonniers, the manuscript collections of medieval troubadour poetry, the works of a particular author are often accompanied by a...
places his birthplace in the fief of Arnaut Guillem de Marsan, who was himself a troubadour. He was a contemporary of Marcabru
Marcabru
Marcabru is one of the earliest troubadours whose poems are known. There is no certain information about him; the two vidas attached to his poems tell different stories, and both are evidently built on hints in the poems, not on independent information.According to the brief life in MS...
and originally a jongleur. His poems were typical for the time, according to 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...
, the probable author of his vida, being about natural objects (like leaves, flowers, and birds), but not of great value to the biographer's time. But Uc saves his harshest critique for the end, as Elizabeth Poe relates:
The unexpected afterthough, one of the factors contributing to the humor of the sentence ... is another typical device of Uc's style. He catches us off guard with this tactic at the end of the short vida about Peire de Valeira, for example, which he concludes with the harsh judgement: Sei cantar non aguen gran valor "His songs did not have much value" . . .and just when we think he has completed his devastating critique, he adds ni el "and neither did he."
Peire's entire vida, found in MSS
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
I and K, however, is probably unreliable, since it appears to confuse him with another Gascon troubadour, Arnaut de Tintinhac
Arnaut de Tintinhac
Arnaut de Tintinhac or Tintignac was a 12th-century Gascon nobleman and troubadour from Naves, near Tulle. He was the lord of Tintinhac, probably a feudatory of the viscount of Turrenne, and very proud of his heritage, as indicated when he refers to himself anonymously as sel de Tintinhac: "he of...
.
Peire is often placed in a hypothetical "school" of poetry which includes Bernart de Ventadorn
Bernart de Ventadorn
Bernart de Ventadorn , also known as Bernard de Ventadour or Bernat del Ventadorn, was a prominent troubador of the classical age of troubadour poetry. Now thought of as "the Master Singer" he developed the cançons into a more formalized style which allowed for sudden turns...
, Cercamon
Cercamon
Cercamon , whose real name, as well as any actual biographical data, is unknown, was one of the earliest troubadours. He was apparently a jester of sorts, born in Gascony, who spent most of his career in the courts of William X of Aquitaine and perhaps of Eble III of Ventadorn...
, Jaufre Rudel
Jaufré Rudel
Jaufre Rudel was the Prince of Blaye and a troubadour of the early–mid 12th century, who probably died during the Second Crusade, in or after 1147...
, Marcabru
Marcabru
Marcabru is one of the earliest troubadours whose poems are known. There is no certain information about him; the two vidas attached to his poems tell different stories, and both are evidently built on hints in the poems, not on independent information.According to the brief life in MS...
, Marcoat
Marcoat
Marcoat was a minor Gascon troubadour and joglar who flourished in the mid twelfth century. He is often cited in connexion with Eleanor of Aquitaine and is placed in a hypothetical "school" of poetry which includes Bernart de Ventadorn, Marcabru, Cercamon, Jaufre Rudel, Peire Rogier, and Peire de...
, and Peire Rogier
Peire Rogier
Peire Rogier or Rotgiers was a twelfth-century Auvergnat troubadour and cathedral canon from Clermont. He left his cathedral to become a travelling minstrel before settling down for a time in Narbonne at the court of the Viscountess Ermengard...
among others. Further, the references in his vida to songs of the time concerning leaves, flowers, songs, and birds may be evidence for an early troubadour genre which did not survive. It may also be that the distinctiveness of Peire's genre was regional, a Gascon style. The later Gascon troubadour Guiraut de Calanso
Guiraut de Calanso
Giraut or Guiraut de Calanso or Calanson was a Gascon troubadour in the Occitan language. Of his lyric works that remain five are cansos, two descorts, a congé, a planh, and a vers . He also wrote a mock ensenhamen entitled Fadet juglar.Guiraut's hometown cannot be located...
wrote verses that were d'aquella saison ("of that time") and disliked in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, perhaps pointing to a Gascon tradition (or "literary fad") which was not popular outside of Gascoigna (Gascony). The paubra valor ("poor value") of Peire's songs may be a reflection of the popularity of Gascon influence.