Scotto, Scotz, or Scot was a Genoese

Genoa

Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....

 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....

 of the mid-thirteenth century. His identity is shrouded in obscurity and scholars have suggested that his full name was perhaps Ogerio Scotto, Alberto Scotto, or Scotto Scotti. A document of 25 September 1239 names Guglielmo (William), Corrado (Conrad), Balbo, and Scotto as four brothers of the Scotti family, lending credence to the last suggestion.

In all copies of his only surviving work, his name appears in the Occitan rubric

Rubric

A rubric is a word or section of text which is traditionally written or printed in red ink to highlight it. The word derives from the , meaning red ochre or red chalk, and originates in Medieval illuminated manuscripts from the 13th century or earlier...

s as "Scotz". This lone surviving piece is a 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...

(and a descort

Descort

The descort is a subgenre of Occitan lyric poetry used by the troubadours. It is a song heavily discordant in verse form and/or feeling and often used to express disagreement. It was invented by Garin d'Apchier when he wrote Quan foill'e flors reverdezis...

)—Scotz, quals mais vos plazeria—with Bonifaci Calvo

Bonifaci Calvo

Bonifaci, Bonifatz, or Bonifacio Calvo was a Genoese troubadour of the late thirteenth century. The only biographical account of his life is found in the vida of Bertolome Zorzi. He is, however, the most notable Genoese troubadour after Lanfranc Cigala...

, another troubadour of Genoa. It could have been written either before Calvo left Genoa (c.1250) or after he returned in 1266.

Sources

• Bertoni, Giulio. I Trovatori d'Italia: Biografie, testi, tradizioni, note. Rome: Società Multigrafica Editrice Somu, 1967 [1915].