Castelloza

Castelloza in a 13th-century chansonnier, Recueil des poésies des troubadours

Na^[a] Castelloza (fl. early 13th century) was a noblewoman and trobairitz from Auvergne.

Life[]

Castelloza in a 13th-century chansonnier, Chansonnier provençal

According to her later vida, Castelloza was the wife of Turc de Mairona, probably the lord of Meyronne.^[1] Turc's ancestors had participated in a Crusade around 1210 or 1220, which was the origin of his name (meaning "Turk").^[1] She was reputed to have been in love with Arman de Brion, a member of the house of Bréon and of greater social rank than her, about whom she wrote several songs.^[1] Her vida records her to have been "very gay", "very learned", and "very beautiful".^[1] Only three—perhaps four if recent scholarship is accepted—of her songs (all cansos) survive, all without music.^[2] This, however, makes her at least the second most prolific of trobairitz in terms of surviving works: only Beatriz de Dia certainly has more, with four cansos to her name.^[3] The subject of all her poems is courtly love.

Compared with Beatriz de Dia, Castelloza is a more conservative poet. Her persona throughout her works is consistent and though she raises the tension between conditional and unconditional love she always remains committed to absolute fidelity.^[4]

One scholar, Peter Dronke, has seen Castelloza's songs as forming a lyric cycle.^[5]

List of works[]

• Ja de chantar non degra aver talan
• Amics, s'ie.us trobes avinen
• Mout avetz faich lonc estatge
• Per joi que d'amor m'avegna (disputed)

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