Terramagnino da Pisa
Encyclopedia
Terramagnino da Pisa was a Pisa
n author in Italian
and Occitan of the second half of the 13th century. In Italian he wrote lyric poetry
and in Occitan he penned the famous Doctrina de cort, basically a condensed form of the Razos de trobar of Raimon Vidal. Because his Doctrina is composed in verse, and conjecturing from his surviving Italian lyrics, he is sometimes classified as a troubadour
, though none of his Occitan lyrics survive.
His Occitan name was Teramayguis or Teramaygnis de Piza, as he himself recorded in his Doctrina, addressed to Nino Visconti
, Judge of Gallura. This was probably not a first name, as some scholars have thought, but rather an indicator that he came from Pisan territory, which suggests his birthplace was in peninsular Italy (near Pisa), yet his home to be in Sardinia
, where he undoubtedly composed his main work.
This work, however, was badly handled by copyists, with the result that the surviving manuscripts of the Doctrina are riddled with errors, unclear, and inaccessible. What can be gleaned, however, suffices to demonstrate that Terramagnino's work lacked originality. His Occitan, too, is not he best and there are Italianisms. Italian cities (like Pisa, Lucca
, Florence
, Genoa
, and Piacenza
) also appear often. Terramagnino also alludes to Paolo Lanfranchi de Pistoja and Dante da Majano, proving a connexion with peninsular Occitan poets.
Terramagnino may be the same person as the author of an obscure sonnet
, "Poi dal mastro Guitton latte tenete", addressed to a Guidonian
of the "Tuscan school". The Guidonian scholar replied with an even more obscure poem of his own, following Terramagnino's rime, but citing the authority of Saint Jerome
. This has led to some speculation that Terramagnino's Christian name was Girolamo or Gerolamo.
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
n author in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
and Occitan of the second half of the 13th century. In Italian he wrote lyric poetry
Lyric poetry
Lyric poetry is a genre of poetry that expresses personal and emotional feelings. In the ancient world, lyric poems were those which were sung to the lyre. Lyric poems do not have to rhyme, and today do not need to be set to music or a beat...
and in Occitan he penned the famous Doctrina de cort, basically a condensed form of the Razos de trobar of Raimon Vidal. Because his Doctrina is composed in verse, and conjecturing from his surviving Italian lyrics, he is sometimes classified as 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....
, though none of his Occitan lyrics survive.
His Occitan name was Teramayguis or Teramaygnis de Piza, as he himself recorded in his Doctrina, addressed to Nino Visconti
Nino Visconti
Ugolino Visconti , better known as Nino, was the Giudice of Gallura from 1275 or 1276 to his death. He was a son of Giovanni Visconti and nephew of Ugolino della Gherardesca. He was the first husband of Beatrice, daughter of Obizzo II d'Este...
, Judge of Gallura. This was probably not a first name, as some scholars have thought, but rather an indicator that he came from Pisan territory, which suggests his birthplace was in peninsular Italy (near Pisa), yet his home to be in Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, where he undoubtedly composed his main work.
This work, however, was badly handled by copyists, with the result that the surviving manuscripts of the Doctrina are riddled with errors, unclear, and inaccessible. What can be gleaned, however, suffices to demonstrate that Terramagnino's work lacked originality. His Occitan, too, is not he best and there are Italianisms. Italian cities (like Pisa, Lucca
Lucca
Lucca is a city and comune in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plainnear the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
, Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Genoa
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....
, and Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
) also appear often. Terramagnino also alludes to Paolo Lanfranchi de Pistoja and Dante da Majano, proving a connexion with peninsular Occitan poets.
Terramagnino may be the same person as the author of an obscure sonnet
Sonnet
A sonnet is one of several forms of poetry that originate in Europe, mainly Provence and Italy. A sonnet commonly has 14 lines. The term "sonnet" derives from the Occitan word sonet and the Italian word sonetto, both meaning "little song" or "little sound"...
, "Poi dal mastro Guitton latte tenete", addressed to a Guidonian
Guittone d'Arezzo
Guittone d'Arezzo was a Tuscan poet and the founder of the Tuscan School. He was an acclaimed secular love poet before his conversion in the 1260s, when he became a religious poet. In 1256, he was exiled from Arezzo due to his Guelf sympathies....
of the "Tuscan school". The Guidonian scholar replied with an even more obscure poem of his own, following Terramagnino's rime, but citing the authority of Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome
Saint Jerome is a Christian church father, best known for translating the Bible into Latin.Saint Jerome may also refer to:*Jerome of Pavia , Bishop of Pavia...
. This has led to some speculation that Terramagnino's Christian name was Girolamo or Gerolamo.