trobairitz

Trobairitz, along with men trobairitz (commonly known as troubadours) composed and sang poetic, lyric songs from the twelfth through fourteenth centuries mainly in Provence (southern France) in the Old Occitan language. Troubadours have been wrongly understood as exclusively proponents of men-abasing courtly love. Trobairitz and troubadour songs were in fact wide-ranging. They include trenchant works of men’s sexed protest, appreciation for men’s sexuality, and frank recognition of lower bodily functions.

The names of about 460 trobairitz and troubadours are known and about 2,500 of their songs (some with melodies) have survived. Scholars common refer to specific songs as PC (trobairitz/troubadour number),(song number of the that singer), according to the work of Alfred Pillet and Henry Carstens (PC), Bibliographie der Troubadours (1933). Trobairitz / troubadour songs are commonly titled by their first line.