Catalan Literature and Crown Expansion in the Middle Ages
1. Courtly Love and the Troubadours
Courtly love was a literary and cultural phenomenon in which a troubadour declared himself a servant, faithful and loyal to his lady. The lady, regarded as a higher being, was often married, making it a forbidden love hidden from the husband. The lady’s name was often concealed under a pseudonym.
Key figures:
- Troubadours: Composed poems and plays.
- Minstrels: Sang and spread troubadour poetry with musical accompaniment.
- Poets: Versified in Latin (e.g., Gilles de Cabestany, Bergueda, Ramon Vidal de Bezaudun, Cerverí, Countess of Dia, Queen of Majorca).
Genres and styles:
- Canso: The most characteristic composition, expressing feelings of love.
- Sirventes: Ideological propaganda or personal attacks against enemies.
- Planh: Song of praise and lamentation for the dead.
- Alba: Feelings of lovers as they bid farewell after spending the night together.
- Pastorela: Dialogue between a knight and a shepherdess.
- Balada and Dansa: Amorous topics meant to be danced.
- Viadeira: Song of travel and longing.
- Trobar clus: Rhetorical and conceptual, using artificial language.
- Trobar leu: Plain and understandable.
- Trobar ric: Wealthiest in formal language.
2. Expansion of the Catalan Crown
The Catalan crown expanded with the conquest of Mallorca and Valencia, distributing land among the nobility. Catalans inhabited coastal areas, while Aragonese settled inland, explaining the current linguistic map. Kings collected taxes to fund military expenditures, crown administration, and courts in peninsular kingdoms, as well as parliament in England and the States-General in France. The bourgeoisie organized into guilds, and trade routes expanded. Some rationalists began to doubt religious knowledge and defended reason.
Ramon Llull (1232-1316)
Ramon Llull was the first writer to use a Romance language to discuss religious issues. In his youth, he enjoyed court life and cultivated troubadour poetry. He married Blanca Picanya and had two children. After 30 years, he experienced a spiritual change and radical conversion to Christianity after a vision of Christ crucified. He dedicated his life to God and spreading Christianity.
Llull’s ideals:
- Asceticism
- Missionary work and conversion of non-believers
- Establishment of monasteries and missionary schools to teach Christian doctrine.
He studied philosophy, sciences, grammar, Latin, and Arabic. He traveled to spread his teachings, even among Muslims. He died in Majorca in 1316.
Llull’s importance: He enriched literary Catalan and was the first writer to promote it.
Works:
- Philosophical and Doctrinal: Book of Contemplation, Ars Magna, Blanquerna, Doctrina pueril.
- Narrative: Book of Evast and Aloma, Felix, Book of Wonders.
- Mystical: Book of the Lover and the Beloved.
- Poetry: Lo Desconhort, Cant de Ramon.
Llull created new vocabulary and used both formal and popular elements in his syntax. He brought the Catalan language to maturity through his syntactic and lexical enrichment from Latin and Arabic.
3. Chronicles
Chronicles narrated the deeds of the kings of the Crown of Aragon. They blended objective facts with legendary elements and aimed to justify royal policies.
Characteristics:
- Fictional elements added to the story (except in the chronicle of Peter IV).
- Patriotism and exaltation of the nation to justify policies.
- Religious sentiment, reflecting the belief that the king’s decisions were God’s will.
- Moralizing and didactic aims.
Key Chronicles:
- James I: Narrates events from his birth until the conquest of Mallorca, Valencia, and Murcia. Vivid, simple, and expressive language. Autobiographical, using the royal “we”.
- Bernard Desclot: Court official. Covers the reign of Peter the Great and the Sicilian campaign. Uses the third person, exalting King Peter II. Simple language.
- Ramon Muntaner: Gentleman. Praised the deeds of James I, Peter II, James II, and Alfonso III. Recounts memories and experiences with a minstrel’s style. Uses first, second, and third person.
- Peter IV: Recounts events during the reign of Alfonso III and his own. Elegant, majestic, and mature language.