Tomier and Palaizi
Encyclopedia
Tomier and Palaizi were two knight
s and troubadour
s from Tarascon
, possibly brothers, and frequent comrades and co-composers (fl.
1199–1226).
Palaizi and Tomier were involved in the Albigensian Crusade
. In the sirventes
De chantar farai, written probably during Louis VIII's
siege of Avignon
in 1226, they criticised the Albigensian Crusaders and the Papacy — "those who have turned the crusade" — for diverting "succour and valour" (aid and military support) from the "Sepulchre" (the Holy Land
), which was "disbelief", ie "a sin against the faith":
The Albigensian Crusade was described as a falsa croisada and the song had a rhyming refrain which must have been inteded to arouse Provenç passions for the fight against the French: Segur estem, seignors, / E ferm de ric socors! ("Lords, we are certain and confident of mighty aid"). Tomier and Palaizi blamed the church leadership, especially the legate
Romain de Saint-Ange, for avarice. In an earlier, and less violent sirventes, Si col flacs molins torneja (c. 1216), the two troubadours explain that the Albiensian venture ruins the roads and ports that lead to Acre, where the true Crusade is being waged. To them, the Crusaders pauc a en Deu d'esperanssa (have little hope in God). In the end Tomier and Palaizi attacked the Church for heresy and thus marked themselves out as heretics from the Church of Rome.
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....
s and 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....
s from Tarascon
Tarascon
Tarascon , sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rhône, is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Geography:...
, possibly brothers, and frequent comrades and co-composers (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
1199–1226).
Palaizi and Tomier were involved in the Albigensian Crusade
Albigensian Crusade
The Albigensian Crusade or Cathar Crusade was a 20-year military campaign initiated by the Catholic Church to eliminate Catharism in Languedoc...
. In the 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...
De chantar farai, written probably during Louis VIII's
Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
siege of Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
in 1226, they criticised the Albigensian Crusaders and the Papacy — "those who have turned the crusade" — for diverting "succour and valour" (aid and military support) from the "Sepulchre" (the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
), which was "disbelief", ie "a sin against the faith":
Al Sepolcr'an tout
socors e valenza
cil q'an la croz vout,
et es decredenza.
The Albigensian Crusade was described as a falsa croisada and the song had a rhyming refrain which must have been inteded to arouse Provenç passions for the fight against the French: Segur estem, seignors, / E ferm de ric socors! ("Lords, we are certain and confident of mighty aid"). Tomier and Palaizi blamed the church leadership, especially the legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
Romain de Saint-Ange, for avarice. In an earlier, and less violent sirventes, Si col flacs molins torneja (c. 1216), the two troubadours explain that the Albiensian venture ruins the roads and ports that lead to Acre, where the true Crusade is being waged. To them, the Crusaders pauc a en Deu d'esperanssa (have little hope in God). In the end Tomier and Palaizi attacked the Church for heresy and thus marked themselves out as heretics from the Church of Rome.