Troubadours unyieldingly adored their mistress muses and derived artistic inspiration from their deep feelings for their ladies. Robotham (1969) described the typical ‘lady’ celebrated and praised within the poems of troubadours as the object of adoration to all who encounters her presence.  Her face is “milk-white” with cheeks of “vermilion” hues, and her hair is the color of silky, shimmering flax. This type of woman was the subject of most troubadour canso. The troubadour association with true love is comparable to the way a knight in the Middle Ages might have publicly professed his devotion to his one true love as he traversed from town to town because the troubadours traversed from court to court, also publicly vowing their sentiments of affection.Although troubadours addressed the subject of love, a personal matter of the heart, and composed performances with light and lofty tones, their promotion of love and joy was profoundly appealing to the people of the Middle Ages during a forlorn period of international turmoil in Europe.  

The spoils of idealistic love and joy as promoted through the troubadour performances would not withstand the pressures of the encroaching skirmishing that, for years, had threatened the borders of Occitan. In the late 13^th century, during the Albigensian Crusade, France had annexed the Occitan region and commenced to infiltrate the culture in such a way that led to the fall of the troubadours. The crusade led to the definitive end to the troubadour era. It brought about the awareness and sensitivity for foreign occupation as well as the stereotype of the ‘drunken Frenchman’ (Paterson, 1993). The intrusion discouraged the Occitan idea of love and joy and made certain troubadours resented the French, thus creating a cultural cleavage and ultimately led to the decline of the troubadour performances and popularity.  

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Natikan Peek
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