History Extra podcast

Troubadours: everything you wanted to know

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Apr 26, 2025
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INSIGHT

Troubadour vs. Jongleur Roles

  • Troubadours were composers distinct from jongleurs who mainly performed for payment.
  • Courts mattered as venues for troubadours, either stationary or traveling with lords, attracting patrons offering gifts.
INSIGHT

Troubadours' Social Power

  • Troubadours spread courtly values and could act as political propagandists through their songs.
  • Their music held social and political influence beyond mere entertainment.
ANECDOTE

William IX's Risqué Story

  • William IX, the first troubadour, told a humorous tale about disguising as a pilgrim to seduce women, tested by a cat's scratching.
  • He claimed to have had 184 encounters, portraying himself as a playful and skillful lover, though this was uncommon.
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