Pistoleta
Encyclopedia
Pistoleta was a Provençal
troubadour
. His name (actually a nickname) means "little letter (epistle)" in Occitan. He left behind eleven songs, comprising nine cansos
and two tenso
s. Some of his pieces are assigned to an otherwise unknown Jordan de Born in the table of contents of chansonnier
C, a fourteenth-century Occitan manuscript.
According to his vida
, he was a cantaire (singer) of Arnaut de Maruoill, which probably implies that he was a jongleur who sang Arnaut's songs or perhaps acted as a messenger to bring his songs from one place to another both orally and in writing. He may have carried Arnaut's love songs to the "Countess of Burlatz"
(comtessa de Burlats); this would explain his nickname. If the vida be correct about Pistoleta's early career, then he was probably a jongleur from about 1195 or perhaps as early as 1185 and only began his own composing career around 1205.
Five of Pistoleta's songs contain references to the King of Aragon, usually presumed to be Peter II
. At some point he became a vassal of Peter's, as he writes in Ai! tan sospir mi venon noit e dia of the reis d'Arragon, de cui ai fait siengnor ("king of Aragon, whom I have made [my] lord"). From this it can be deduced that he spent some time at Peter's court, but he also addressed the king in at least one poem, Anc mais nulhs hom no fon apoderatz, from far away. He is also said to have had relations with Ebles V of Ventadorn, Thomas I of Savoy
, and Blacas III of Aulps
. In his youth he may have travelled into Limousin
and Languedoc
and met Maria de Ventadorn
, Ebles' wife. He composed a tenso with the latter, which has been dated to late 1228, making it his last known work and the only known work by Maria.
Sometime after October 1214 Pistoleta wrote Ses chantars fos grazitz, which was something of a planh
, since it mourns the passing of Peter II and Alfonso VIII of Castile
in 1213 and 1214 respectively:
Sometime after composing this song, probably in Languedoc or Catalonia
(Pistoleta implies perhaps visiting Perpignan
), where Peter and Alfonso were frequently active, Pistoleta returned east of the Rhône
to Provence
. Probably about this time he travelled into Savoy
, where he met Thomas I. It was also during this period in Provence that he met and debated with Blacas sometime after 1220, for he mentions the emperaire (emperor) Frederick II who was crowned in 1220 and became suzerain of Provence that year.
Though Pistoleta's biographer implies that "graceful melodies" (avinens sons, lit. pleasing sounds) were typical of his work, only one melody has survived (for his popular and well-preserved sirventes
beginning Ar agues eu mil mars de fin argen) and that in two different versions. His composing was very conservative, more so than his master, Arnaut. Though well-esteemed by "high society", he was a poor conversationalist and unpleasant in appearance. He eventually settled down in Marseille
, took a wife, and became a merchant, acquiring considerable wealth which allowed him to stop his itinerant "court-hopping". Unfortunately, there is no corroborating documentation for anything contained in Pistoleta's vida.
Pistoleta also wrote two tensos with two trobairitz
(female troubadour): Bona domna, un conseill vos deman ("Good lady, I beg you to advise me") with an anonymous lady and the aforementioned piece with Maria de Ventadorn.
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...
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....
. His name (actually a nickname) means "little letter (epistle)" in Occitan. He left behind eleven songs, comprising nine cansos
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...
and two tenso
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...
s. Some of his pieces are assigned to an otherwise unknown Jordan de Born in the table of contents of chansonnier
Chansonnier
A chansonnier is a manuscript or printed book which contains a collection of chansons, or polyphonic and monophonic settings of songs, hence literally "song-books," although some manuscripts are so called even though they preserve the text but not the music A chansonnier is a manuscript or...
C, a fourteenth-century Occitan manuscript.
According to 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...
, he was a cantaire (singer) of Arnaut de Maruoill, which probably implies that he was a jongleur who sang Arnaut's songs or perhaps acted as a messenger to bring his songs from one place to another both orally and in writing. He may have carried Arnaut's love songs to the "Countess of Burlatz"
Azalais of Toulouse
Azalais of Toulouse was the daughter of count Raymond V of Toulouse and Constance of France. Her maternal grandparents were Louis VI of France and his second wife Adélaide de Maurienne....
(comtessa de Burlats); this would explain his nickname. If the vida be correct about Pistoleta's early career, then he was probably a jongleur from about 1195 or perhaps as early as 1185 and only began his own composing career around 1205.
Five of Pistoleta's songs contain references to the King of Aragon, usually presumed to be Peter II
Peter II of Aragon
Peter II the Catholic was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1196 to 1213.He was the son of Alfonso II of Aragon and Sancha of Castile...
. At some point he became a vassal of Peter's, as he writes in Ai! tan sospir mi venon noit e dia of the reis d'Arragon, de cui ai fait siengnor ("king of Aragon, whom I have made [my] lord"). From this it can be deduced that he spent some time at Peter's court, but he also addressed the king in at least one poem, Anc mais nulhs hom no fon apoderatz, from far away. He is also said to have had relations with Ebles V of Ventadorn, Thomas I of Savoy
Thomas I of Savoy
Thomas I or Tommaso I was Count of Savoy from 1189-1233. He was the son of Humbert III of Savoy and Beatrice of Viennois. His birth was seen as miraculous; his monkish father had despaired of having a male heir after three wives. Count Humbert sought counsel from St...
, and Blacas III of Aulps
Blacatz
Blacatz, known in French genealogy as Blacas de Blacas III , was feudal lord of Aups and a troubadour. Sordello composed a lament on his death, inviting the kings of his time to share and eat the heart of Blacatz and thus acquire a portion of his courage.He was the father of the troubadour...
. In his youth he may have travelled into Limousin
Limousin (province)
Limousin is one of the traditional provinces of France around the city of Limoges. Limousin lies in the foothills of the western edge of the Massif Central, with cold weather in the winter...
and Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
and met Maria de Ventadorn
Maria de Ventadorn
Maria de Ventadorn was a patron of troubadour poetry at the end of the 12th century.Maria was one of las tres de Torena, "the three of Turenne", the three daughters of viscount Raymond II of Turenne and of Elise de Séverac. These three, according to Bertran de Born, possessed tota beltat terrena,...
, Ebles' wife. He composed a tenso with the latter, which has been dated to late 1228, making it his last known work and the only known work by Maria.
Sometime after October 1214 Pistoleta wrote Ses chantars fos grazitz, which was something of a planh
Planh
The planh or plaing is a funeral lament used by the troubadours, modeled on the medieval Latin planctus. It differed from the planctus in that it was intended for a secular audience...
, since it mourns the passing of Peter II and Alfonso VIII of Castile
Alfonso VIII of Castile
Alfonso VIII , called the Noble or el de las Navas, was the King of Castile from 1158 to his death and King of Toledo. He is most remembered for his part in the Reconquista and the downfall of the Almohad Caliphate...
in 1213 and 1214 respectively:
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Sometime after composing this song, probably in Languedoc or Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
(Pistoleta implies perhaps visiting Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
), where Peter and Alfonso were frequently active, Pistoleta returned east of the Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
to 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...
. Probably about this time he travelled into Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
, where he met Thomas I. It was also during this period in Provence that he met and debated with Blacas sometime after 1220, for he mentions the emperaire (emperor) Frederick II who was crowned in 1220 and became suzerain of Provence that year.
Though Pistoleta's biographer implies that "graceful melodies" (avinens sons, lit. pleasing sounds) were typical of his work, only one melody has survived (for his popular and well-preserved 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...
beginning Ar agues eu mil mars de fin argen) and that in two different versions. His composing was very conservative, more so than his master, Arnaut. Though well-esteemed by "high society", he was a poor conversationalist and unpleasant in appearance. He eventually settled down in Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, took a wife, and became a merchant, acquiring considerable wealth which allowed him to stop his itinerant "court-hopping". Unfortunately, there is no corroborating documentation for anything contained in Pistoleta's vida.
Pistoleta also wrote two tensos with two trobairitz
Trobairitz
The trobairitz were Occitan female troubadours of the 12th and 13th centuries, active from around 1170 to approximately 1260. The word trobairitz was first used in the 13th-century romance Flamenca. It comes from the Provençal word trobar, the literal meaning of which is "to find", and the...
(female troubadour): Bona domna, un conseill vos deman ("Good lady, I beg you to advise me") with an anonymous lady and the aforementioned piece with Maria de Ventadorn.