Thomàs Périz de Fozes
Encyclopedia
Thomàs Périz de Fozes was an Aragonese
troubadour
of the knight
ly class, who has left two poems in the Occitan language. His mother tongue was evidently Aragonese
. His Occitan is the literary koiné
of the classical era of the troubadours (1160–1220) and was apparently learned: it is in general grammatically and rhythmically perfect asides from a few errors of declension
caused by his greater familiarity with Aragonese.
Thomàs is mentioned among the barons of Aragon in a sirventes
of Joan de Castellnou
, which is sufficient to show that he was considered an exemplar of the practice of courtly love
between the years 1339 and 1343. In 1339 he was a counsellor
of Peter IV of Aragon
, who named him administrator of the Val d'Aran
and castellan
of Castell-lleons. Through his brother, Artal de Fozes, who married Esclaramonda, daughter of James III of Majorca
, Thomàs was related by marriage to the royal House of Barcelona
. His brother's second wife (1371) and widow, Sibil•la de Fortià, was a mistress and then wife (1377) of Peter IV.
Thomàs tried to use his influence at court for the benefit of his relatives when, early in 1342, he composed a poem, Trop me desplay can vey falir, petitioning the king for clemency towards James III, whom he designed to depose. He admits to the pride and infidelity of James, who had refused to swear fealty to Peter, but urges that he should not lose everything for a moment's folly. Finally, he draws on the magnanimity of Peter's paternal and maternal lineages, which earned his father, Alfonso IV
, the epithet "the Benign", in a direct appeal to the king to spare his vassal. In the end, James III died at the Battle of Llucmajor
in 1349.
Thomàs' second poem, Si col vassayl can servex longamen, is a canso
addressed to a Na Resplendens (Resplendent Lady) mentioned in the second tornada
of his earlier poem. This senhal (code name) refers to an unknown lady of high rank. The main theme of the poem is the poet's need to "seize the day" (carpe diem
):
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
of the knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ly class, who has left two poems in the Occitan language. His mother tongue was evidently Aragonese
Aragonese language
Aragonese is a Romance language now spoken in a number of local varieties by between 10,000 and 30,000 people over the valleys of the Aragón River, Sobrarbe and Ribagorza in Aragon, Spain...
. His Occitan is the literary koiné
Koine language
In linguistics, a koiné language is a standard language or dialect that has arisen as a result of contact between two mutually intelligible varieties of the same language. Since the speakers have understood one another from before the advent of the koiné, the koineization process is not as rapid...
of the classical era of the troubadours (1160–1220) and was apparently learned: it is in general grammatically and rhythmically perfect asides from a few errors of declension
Declension
In linguistics, declension is the inflection of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and articles to indicate number , case , and gender...
caused by his greater familiarity with Aragonese.
Thomàs is mentioned among the barons of Aragon in a sirventes
Sirventes
The sirventes or serventes is a genre of Occitan lyric poetry used by the troubadours. In early Catalan it became a sirventesch and was imported into that language in the fourteenth century, where it developed into a unique didactic/moralistic type...
of Joan de Castellnou
Joan de Castellnou
Joan de Castellnou was a troubadour of the Consistori del Gay Saber active in Toulouse. He left behind five or six cansos, three vers, a dansa, a conselh, and a sirventes...
, which is sufficient to show that he was considered an exemplar of the practice of courtly love
Courtly love
Courtly love was a medieval European conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration. Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the nobility. It was also generally not practiced between husband and wife....
between the years 1339 and 1343. In 1339 he was a counsellor
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
of Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, , called el Cerimoniós or el del punyalet , was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica , King of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona Peter IV, (Balaguer, September 5, 1319 – Barcelona, January 6, 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one...
, who named him administrator of the Val d'Aran
Val d'Aran
The Val d'Aran is a valley in the Pyrenees mountains and a comarca in the northwestern part of the province of Lleida, in Catalonia, northern Spain. Most of the valley constitutes the only part of Spain, and of Catalonia, on the north face of the Pyrenees, hence the only part of Catalonia whose...
and castellan
Castellan
A castellan was the governor or captain of a castle. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum "castle". Also known as a constable.-Duties:...
of Castell-lleons. Through his brother, Artal de Fozes, who married Esclaramonda, daughter of James III of Majorca
James III of Majorca
James III , called the Rash or the Unfortunate, son of Ferdinand of Majorca and Isabelle de Sabran, heiress of Principality of Achaea, was the King of Majorca from 1324 to 1344. He was the last independent king of Majorca of the House of Barcelona.James was born at Catania...
, Thomàs was related by marriage to the royal House of Barcelona
House of Barcelona
The House of Barcelona was a medieval dynasty that ruled the County of Barcelona continuously from 878 and the Crown of Aragon from 1137 . From the male part they descend from the Bellonids, the descendants of Wifred the Hairy...
. His brother's second wife (1371) and widow, Sibil•la de Fortià, was a mistress and then wife (1377) of Peter IV.
Thomàs tried to use his influence at court for the benefit of his relatives when, early in 1342, he composed a poem, Trop me desplay can vey falir, petitioning the king for clemency towards James III, whom he designed to depose. He admits to the pride and infidelity of James, who had refused to swear fealty to Peter, but urges that he should not lose everything for a moment's folly. Finally, he draws on the magnanimity of Peter's paternal and maternal lineages, which earned his father, Alfonso IV
Alfonso IV of Aragon
Alfonso IV, called the Kind was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1327 to his death. He was the second son of James II and Blanche of Anjou...
, the epithet "the Benign", in a direct appeal to the king to spare his vassal. In the end, James III died at the Battle of Llucmajor
Battle of Llucmajor
The Battle of Llucmajor occurred in 1349 when Peter IV of Aragon's forces defeated and killed his cousin James III of Majorca in the town of Llucmajor on the Balearic Islands, resulting in the end of the independent Kingdom of Majorca.-References:...
in 1349.
Thomàs' second poem, Si col vassayl can servex longamen, is a canso
Canso (song)
The canso is a song style used by the troubadours. It consists of three parts. The first stanza is the exordium, where the composer explains his purpose. The main body of the song occurs in the following stanzas, and usually draw out a variety of relationships with the exordium. The canso can end...
addressed to a Na Resplendens (Resplendent Lady) mentioned in the second tornada
Tornada (Occitan literary term)
In Occitan lyric poetry, a tornada refers to a final, shorter stanza which is addressed to a patron, lady, or friend. They often contain useful information about the piece's composition and the troubadour's circle....
of his earlier poem. This senhal (code name) refers to an unknown lady of high rank. The main theme of the poem is the poet's need to "seize the day" (carpe diem
Carpe diem
Carpe diem is a phrase from a Latin poem by Horace that has become an aphorism. It is popularly translated as "seize the day"...
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External links
- Incipitario di Thomàs Périz de Fozes
- Vers d'en Thomas Periz de Fozes. «Trop me desplay can vey falir». Folio 116v from the Cançoner GilCançoner GilThe Cançoner Gil is an Occitan chansonnier produced in Catalonia in the middle of the 14th century. In the systematic nomenclature of Occitanists, it is typically named MS Sg, but as Z in the reassignment of letter names by François Zufferey. It is numbered MS 146 in the Biblioteca de Catalunya in...
showing Fozes' vers. Presented by the Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes.