Bertran de Born
Bertran de Born (1140s – by 1215)
was a baron from the Limousin in France,
and one of the major Occitan troubadours
of the twelfth century
Bertran de Born was the eldest
son of Bertran de Born, lord of Autafort
(Occitan: Autafòrt, French: Hautefort),
and his wife Ermengardis. He had two
younger brothers, Constantine and Itier.
His father died in 1178, and Bertran
succeeded him as lord of Autafort. By
this time, he was already married to his
first wife, Raimonda, and had two sons.
Autafort lies at the border between
the Limousin and Périgord. As a result,
Bertran became involved in the conflicts
of the sons of Henry II Plantagenet. He
was also fighting for control of
Autafort.
According to the feudal custom of his
region, he was not the only lord of
Autafort, but held it jointly with his
brothers. Other cases of co-seigneuries
were known among the troubadours, the
most famous being that of the "four
troubadours of Ussel", three brothers
and a cousin, and that of Raimon de
Miraval and his brothers. A typical
strategy employed by the major
territorial principalities (such as the
duchy of Aquitaine or the county of
Toulouse) to decrease the influence of
the local lords of the manor was to
encourage feudal conflicts within their
families. Bertran's struggle, especially
with his brother Constantine, is at the
heart of his poetry, which is dominated
by political topics.
His first datable work is a sirventes
(political or satirical song) of 1181,
but it is clear from this he already had
a reputation as a poet. In 1182, he was
present at his overlord Henry II of
England's court at Argentan. That same
year, he had joined in Henry the Young
King's revolt against his younger
brother, Richard, Count of Poitou and
Duke of Aquitaine. He wrote songs
encouraging Aimar V of Limoges and
others to rebel, and took the oath
against Richard at Limoges. His brother
Constantine took the opposing side, and
Bertran drove him out of the castle in
July.
Henry the Young King, whom Bertran
had praised and criticised in his poems,
died on campaign in June 1183 in Martel.
Bertran wrote a planh (lament), in his
memory, Mon chan fenisc ab dol et ab
maltraire. (Another planh for Henry, Si
tuit li dol e.l plor e.l marrimen,
formerly attributed to Bertran, is now
thought to be the work of Rigaut de
Berbezill). In his punitive campaign
against the rebels, Richard, aided by
Alfonso II of Aragon, besieged Autafort
and gave it to Constantine de Born.
Henry II, however, is reported to have
been moved by Bertran's lament for his
son, and returned the castle to the
poet. Constantine seems to have become a
mercenary.
Bertran was reconciled also with
Richard, whom he supported in turn
against Philip II of France. At various
times, he sought to exploit the
dissensions among the Angevins in order
to keep his independence. He gave them
senhals (nicknames): Henry the Young
King was Mariniers (Sailor), Geoffrey of
Brittany was Rassa, and Richard, Oc-e-Non
(Yes-and-No). He commemorated Geoffrey's
death in the planh, A totz dic que ja
mais non voil. He had contact with a
number of other troubadours and also
with the Northern French trouvère, Conon
de Béthune, whom he addressed as Mon
Ysombart.
Although he composed a few cansos
(love songs), Bertran de Born was
predominantly a master of the sirventes.
Be.m platz lo gais temps de pascor,
which revels in warfare, was translated
by Ezra Pound:
“ ...We shall see battle axes and
swords, a-battering colored haumes and
a-hacking through shields at entering
melee; and many vassals smiting
together, whence there run free the
horses of the dead and wrecked. And when
each man of prowess shall be come into
the fray he thinks no more of (merely)
breaking heads and arms, for a dead man
is worth more than one taken alive.
I tell you that I find no such savor in
eating butter and sleeping, as when I
hear cried "On them!" and from both
sides hear horses neighing through their
head-guards, and hear shouted "To aid!
To aid!" and see the dead with lance
truncheons, the pennants still on them,
piercing their sides.
Barons! put in pawn castles, and
towns, and cities before anyone makes
war on us.
Papiol, be glad to go speedily to
"Yea and Nay", and tell him there's too
much peace about.”
When Richard (by then King) and
Philip delayed setting out on the Third
Crusade, he chided them in songs
praising the heroic defence of Tyre by
Conrad of Montferrat (Folheta, vos mi
prejatz que eu chan and Ara sai eu de
pretz quals l'a plus gran). When Richard
was released from captivity after being
suspected of Conrad's murder, Bertran
welcomed his return with Ar ven la
coindeta sazos. Ironically, one of
Bertran's sources of income was from the
market of Châlus-Cabrol, where Richard
was fatally wounded in 1199.
Widowed for the second time c. 1196,
Bertran became a monk and entered the
Cistercian abbey of Dalon at Sainte-Trie
in the Dordogne region. He had made
numerous grants to the abbey over the
years. His last datable song was written
in 1198. He ceases to appear in charters
after 1202, and was certainly dead by
1215, when there is a record of a
payment for a candle for his tomb.
His œuvre consists of about
forty-seven works, thirty-six
unanimously attributed to him in the
manuscripts, and eleven uncertain
attributions. Several melodies survive,
and some of his songs have been recorded
by Sequentia, Gérard Zuchetto and his
Troubadours Art Ensemble, and the Martin
Best Mediæval Consort, who released an
album of songs by "Dante Troubadours".
Youth and Age
I love to see the previous order
turning,
when the old leave all their
property to youth:
it's this, not buzz of bee or
flowers returning,
that makes me feel the world has
found its truth;
and if a man produces sons enough,
the chances are at least one will
be tough;
and a younger loyalty in love or
war
will make the heart and sword arm
young once more.
A woman is old who sets no warrior
yearning;
she's old, if she keeps faithful
to her spouse;
old, if she uses black and
sorcerous learning,
or lets more than one lover in her
house.
She's old, if her hair's a mess of
ragged stuff,
or if she takes a lover who is
rough.
She's old, if she thinks that
music is a chore,
and she's old when all her talk
becomes a bore.
Women are young, whose hearts
remain discerning,
whose actions show the values they
espouse,
who do not look with scorn on
merit's earning,
whose virtues are a light no
scandals douse.
A woman is young, whose manner is
not gruff,
yet gives impetuous youths a wise
rebuff.
She's young, if her figure's
nothing to ignore,
and she doesn't pry and listen at
every door.
I call a man young who's
passionate concerning
jousts and courts, considering
thrift uncouth.
He's young, when he thinks that
money is for burning;
when, ruined, he smiles without a
trace of ruth.
He's young, when he stakes his
fortune on a bluff,
and feels that no extravagance is
enough.
He's young, if he is skilled in
lovers' lore,
and he's young, if he judges risk
what life is for.
Though a man be rich, I say that
he's old, if, spurning
pillage and war, he wastes away
his youth
piling up bread and beef and wine,
then turning
monkish, serves eggs, as if we'd
nary a tooth.
He's old, if he muffles himself in
woven stuff,
and can't command a horse and ride
him rough.
He's old, if he rests in peace
when battles roar;
old, if he shirks the field and
bars the door.
Poet Arnaut, go take this song of
youth
and age to Richard, that he may
feel its truth
and never wish to heap up worldly
store,
since youthful daring enriches
honor more.
Translated by Jon Corelis
