Adenes Le Roi
Encyclopedia
Adenes Le Roi also known as Adenez, Adans Le Roi, Roi Adam, Li Rois Adenes, Adan le Menestrel or Adam Rex Menestrallus, was French
minstrel
or trouvère
. He owed his education to the kindness of Henry III, duke of Brabant
, and he remained in favour at court for some time after the death of his patron in 1261.
In 1269 he entered the service of Guy de Dampierre, afterwards count of Flanders
, probably as roi des menestrels, and followed him in the next year on the abortive crusade in Tunis
in which Louis IX
lost his life. The expedition returned by way of Sicily
and Italy
, and Adenes has left in his poems some very exact descriptions of the places through which he passed. The purity of his French and the absence of provincialisms point to a long residence in France, and it has been suggested that Adenes may have followed Mary of Brabant there on her marriage with Philip III of France
. He seems, however, to have remained in the service of Count Guy, although he made frequent visits to Paris to consult the annals preserved in the Abbey of St. Denis.
There are four poems written by Adenes: the Enfances Ogier, an enfeebled version of the Chevalerie Ogier de Danemarche (Ogier the Dane
) written by Raimbert de Paris at the beginning of the century; Berte aus granspies, the history of the mother of Charlemagne
, founded on well-known traditions which are also preserved in the anonymous Chronique de France, and in the Chronique rimee of Philippe Mousket; Bueves de Comarchis, belonging to the cycle of romance gathered round the history of Aimeri de Narbonne; and a long roman d'aventures, Cleomades, borrowed from Spanish
and Moorish traditions brought into France by Blanche, daughter of Louis IX, who after the death of her Spanish husband returned to the French court. Adenes probably died before the end of the 13th century.
The romances of Adenes were edited for the Academie Imperiale et Royale of Brussels by A. Scheler and A. Van Hasseh in 1874; Berte was rendered into modern French by G. Hecq (1897) and by R. Perie (1900); Cleomades, by Le Chevalier de Chatelain (1859). See also the edition of Berte by Paulin Paris (1832); an article by the same writer in the Hist. litt. de la France, vol. xx, pp. 679–718; Leon Gautier, Les epopees francaises, vol. iii, &c.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
or trouvère
Trouvère
Trouvère , sometimes spelled trouveur , is the Northern French form of the word trobador . It refers to poet-composers who were roughly contemporary with and influenced by the troubadours but who composed their works in the northern dialects of France...
. He owed his education to the kindness of Henry III, duke of Brabant
Henry III, Duke of Brabant
Henry III of Brabant was Duke of Brabant between 1248 and his death. He was the son of Henry II of Brabant and Marie of Hohenstaufen....
, and he remained in favour at court for some time after the death of his patron in 1261.
In 1269 he entered the service of Guy de Dampierre, afterwards count of Flanders
Count of Flanders
The Count of Flanders was the ruler or sub-ruler of the county of Flanders from the 9th century until the abolition of the position by the French revolutionaries in 1790....
, probably as roi des menestrels, and followed him in the next year on the abortive crusade in Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
in which Louis IX
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
lost his life. The expedition returned by way of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and Adenes has left in his poems some very exact descriptions of the places through which he passed. The purity of his French and the absence of provincialisms point to a long residence in France, and it has been suggested that Adenes may have followed Mary of Brabant there on her marriage with Philip III of France
Philip III of France
Philip III , called the Bold , was the King of France, succeeding his father, Louis IX, and reigning from 1270 to 1285. He was a member of the House of Capet.-Biography:...
. He seems, however, to have remained in the service of Count Guy, although he made frequent visits to Paris to consult the annals preserved in the Abbey of St. Denis.
There are four poems written by Adenes: the Enfances Ogier, an enfeebled version of the Chevalerie Ogier de Danemarche (Ogier the Dane
Ogier the Dane
Ogier the Dane is a legendary character who first appears in an Old French chanson de geste, in the cycle of poems Geste de Doon de Mayence....
) written by Raimbert de Paris at the beginning of the century; Berte aus granspies, the history of the mother of Charlemagne
Charlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
, founded on well-known traditions which are also preserved in the anonymous Chronique de France, and in the Chronique rimee of Philippe Mousket; Bueves de Comarchis, belonging to the cycle of romance gathered round the history of Aimeri de Narbonne; and a long roman d'aventures, Cleomades, borrowed from Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and Moorish traditions brought into France by Blanche, daughter of Louis IX, who after the death of her Spanish husband returned to the French court. Adenes probably died before the end of the 13th century.
The romances of Adenes were edited for the Academie Imperiale et Royale of Brussels by A. Scheler and A. Van Hasseh in 1874; Berte was rendered into modern French by G. Hecq (1897) and by R. Perie (1900); Cleomades, by Le Chevalier de Chatelain (1859). See also the edition of Berte by Paulin Paris (1832); an article by the same writer in the Hist. litt. de la France, vol. xx, pp. 679–718; Leon Gautier, Les epopees francaises, vol. iii, &c.
Works
- Berte aus grans piés (1270)
- Beuvon de Commarchis
- Les Enfances Ogier (1270)
- Cleomadés