Courtly Love

The Crusade

Practicing of courtly love has been part of the castles in four different regions. These regions include: Champagne, Ducal Burgundy, Provence, Aquitaine, since its first arrival in 1099. The ideology of courtly love was first presented by Eleanor of Aquitaine from Aquitaine to be the first one in the court of France, moving on England; there she became queen of two Kings. Marie, daughter of Eleanor of Aquitaine, who was the countess of Champagne, also brought in the same courtly behaviour to the court of Count of Champagne (Christopher, 679).

Courtly Love has been expressed in the lyrics and poems which were written by troubadours like Duke of Aquitaine (1071-1126, first ever troubadours poetry writers), William IX. These poetry writers adopted the feudalistic terminologies and declared themselves services providers to the lady and addressed her as my lord. This term was used as a code name so that the poets and writers do no have to reveal the name of the lady, but this flattered her, since, they addressed her as their lord (Christopher, 680). The model of Troubadours of an ideal lady was that she should be a wife of their lord or employer, a lady having a higher status. These generally included the powerful and rich females of the castle.

When the husbands used to be away from the castle, probably on Crusades, she would dominate the cultural affairs and the household. The lady was powerful and rich, and the poetry writers and troubadours would give voice top the inspirations of the class present at the courts, specifically to those who would be noble and were able to get engaged with courtly love. It is new and innovative form of love which was honoured, not because of family history and their wealth status, but because of the characters and their actions, therefore, creating an appeal poor knights who could see a way of advancement.

As the marriages have nothing to do with real love, courtly love became a noble way of expressing love that people could not find in their marriage (Christopher, 680). In terms of courtly love, the love was referred to the act of passionate love and emotional loving instead of sex. These people,, who were termed as “lovers”, had small secretive trysts, which were mentally intensified but never included physical involvement.

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor of Aquitaine was born in 1122, and was one of the most powerful and wealthiest women in the West of Europe, during the time of High Middle Age. She has been the queen and the wife of King of France, from 1137 to 1152, along with being the Duchess of Aquitaine. She also became the Queen of England from 1154 to 1189. She was one of the biggest supporters of literary and poetic figures like Chrétien de Troyes, Wace and Benoît de Sainte-More. As being the eldest daughter of Duke William, Duke of Aquitaine, she got married with King Louis VII of France. As soon as the second Crusade was over, her ...