Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Arnaut Daniel

Role / Field:

A celebrated Occitan troubadour of the 12th century, master of poetic love.

Born:

1150

Died:

1210

Century / Era:

1150s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Arnaut Daniel (Occitan: [aɾˈnawd daniˈɛl]; fl. 1180–1200) was an Occitan troubadour of the 12th century, praised by Dante as "the better craftsman" (miglior fabbro) and called a "grand master of love" (gran maestro d'amore) by Petrarch. In the 20th century he was lauded by Ezra Pound in The Spirit of Romance (1910) as the greatest poet to have ever lived. According to one biography, Daniel was born of a noble family at the castle of Ribérac in Périgord; however, the scant contemporary sources point to him being a jester with pernicious economic troubles: Raimon de Durfort calls him "a student, ruined by dice and shut-the-box".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His Vida, preserved in Troubadour Manuscript B, is as follows: Arnautz Daniels si fo d’aquella encontrada don fo Arnautz de Maroill, de l’evescat de Peiregos, d’un chastel que a nom Ribairac, et fo gentils hom. Et amparet ben letras e deleitet se en trobar et en caras rimas, per que las soas chanssons non son leus ad entendre ni ad aprendre.Et amet una auta dompna de Gascoigna, moiller d’En Guillem de Buonvila, mas non fo crezut qez anc la dompna li fezes plazer en dreich d’amor. Per que el ditz: Eu sui Arnautz q’amas l’aura e caz la lebre ab lo boue...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Fakhr al-Din al-Razi — Contemporary (Born in 1150) (1150): Influential 12th-century Sunni theologian, philosopher, and polymath.
• Guy of Lusignan — Contemporary (Born in 1150) (1150): King of Jerusalem, whose reign was marked by political strife and the fall of the city.
• Suryavarman II — Contemporary (Died in 1150) (1150): Great ruler of the Khmer Empire, famed for building Angkor Wat.
• Afonso III of Portugal — Contemporary (Born in 1210) (1210): King of Portugal who completed the Reconquista and established the modern state structure.
• Guan Hanqing — Contemporary (Born in 1210) (1210): A celebrated Yuan dynasty playwright, poet, and master of vernacular drama.
• Jinul — Contemporary (Died in 1210) (1210): Founding figure of Korean Seon (Zen) Buddhism and the Jogye Order.
• Gottfried von Strassburg — Historical peer (Born in 1180) (1180): Master poet of Middle High German, famed for the courtly romance Tristan.
• Louis VII of France — Historical peer (Died in 1180) (1180): King of France (1137–1180), known for his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Second Crusade.
• Albertus Magnus — Historical peer (Born in 1200) (1200): A towering figure of medieval philosophy, science, and theology.
• Dōgen — Historical peer (Born in 1200) (1200): Founder of the Sōtō school of Zen in Japan, known for zazen practice.
• 1150 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1150
• 1210 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1210

Frequently Asked Questions about Arnaut Daniel