ARNAUT DE MAREUIL

born , Mareuil-sur-Belle, Prigord; fl. 11701200 Perigordian troubadour who is credited with having introduced into Provenal poetry the amatory epistle (salut d'amour) and the short didactic poem (ensenhamen). Little is known of Arnaut's life. His early poems were dedicated to his patroness, Adelaide, the daughter of Raymond V, count of Toulouse, and wife of Roger II, viscount of Bziers. Later Arnaut was at the court of William VIII, count of Montpellier. Most of his extant work is passionate love poetry that combines conventional courtly love imagery (extravagant praise of his lady's beauty, despair at her cruel indifference) with unexpectedly delicate sentiment.