The sirventés (political song) ‘El dugat…’, A little known song of Pey de Ladils on the Anglo-Gascon Aquitaine

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By Guilhem Pépin

 

Le sirventés ‘el dugat…’. Une chanson méconnue de Pey de Ladils sur l’Aquitaine anglo-gasconne (article published in French in Les Cahiers du Bazadais, 152 (2006), pp. 5-27)

Attributed for a long time to the late troubadour from Rouergue Ramon de Cornet, the sirventés, (political song in langue d’oc) El dugat… is in reality the work of Pey de Ladils, a Gascon troubadour originating from Bazas who wrote it during the war of Saint-Sardos (1324-5) between the king of England – duke of Aquitaine (the king-duke) Edward II, and the king of France Charles IV. This song is one of the last literary remnants giving us the viewpoint of a Gascon of the English party. Pey de Ladils strongly criticizes the king-duke Edward II, the first king-duke who never came to Gascony and who did not come to defend the Gascons of the duchy of Aquitaine against the attacks of the king of France. However, this song does not favour the king of France either, and is after all an expression of the fidelity of the Gascons of the duchy towards the king of England – duke of Aquitaine.

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