In the Middle Ages, there was a group of individuals who would go around to various courts and perform poetry. They would verbally paint beautiful images of chivalry and love, with perhaps even a bit of humor every now and then, to the point where they would capture the hearts and imaginations of their audiences. They were the troubadours, and were regarded as almost magical storytellers in their own right.

The tradition of the troubadours began in the 11th century in Southern Europe, in the Occitania region. The troubadours started spreading throughout Spain and Italy, and eventually northern Europe as well. One of the earliest works by the troubadours was that of Guilhèm de Peitieus, who depicted the Duke William IX of Aquitaine as a knight returning from the Crusades. But it was only in the 1300s that the troubadours start to blossom. However, despite its popularity, they disappeared when the Black Death came to Europe, causing millions to die. 

Troubadours usually travelled from place to place, performing poetry and other songs for the nobility. They were regarded as poor knights, and were often considered a part of a lowly noble line. Troubadours were relegated to the lower classes, such as merchants and tradesmen, as well as fishermen. Interestingly enough, troubadours were knowledgable about clerical duties, and as such, had a wide variety of skills they could rely on other than their artistic talent. Some of these troubadours include Folquet de Marselha and Peire de Bussignac. 

Whenever troubadours performed, they would follow a specific set of rules, despite their individual styles. A variety of song forms would soon follow, some of which include:

- Alba, a song dedicated to a beloved, usually taking the form of an affair that has to end once the morning comes

- Canso, a love song that has approximately six stanzas

- Comiat, a break up song

- Pastorela, an interesting tale of a knight who falls in love with a shepherdess 

- Sirventes, a satire making fun of the political climate at the time 

Many poems have survived throughout the last centuries in the form of songbooks. The songbooks are included in many libraries in Italy and France, and have provided a basis as to what art in the Middle Ages was like. Even now, troubadours continue to inspire modern tales of courage in bravery. With troubadours now immortalized, they continue to impact modern literature today. For example, in Eternal Troubadour: The Improbable Life of Tiny Tim by Alanna Wray McDonald and Justin Martell, Tiny Tim represents a more modernized troubadour, albeit during the late 1900s. In The Last Troubadour by Derek Armstrong, one of the last troubadours has been abandoned by the church, and must use his wits to reclaim a sacred object, with the Crusades used as a setting. In The Troubadour’s Song: The Capture and Ransom of Richard the Lionheart by David Boyle, Richard the Lionheart meets a lone troubadour named Blondel, who carries a song with a hidden message that Richard must decipher. 

Troubadours carried a rich tradition that continues to be revered. Whether it be through their songs, their importance, or even their own personal stories, troubadours have impacted our culture, so much so that many writers, myself included, have fallen in love with their timelessness.