Girart de Roussillon

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Marriage of Girart de Roussillon from an illuminated manuscript, ca. 1450, in the collection of the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna.
Marriage of Girart de Roussillon from an illuminated manuscript, ca. 1450, in the collection of the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna.

Girart de Roussillon, also called Girard, Gérard II, Gyrart de Vienne, and Girart de Fraite, (c. 810–877/879?) was a Burgundian chief who became Count of Paris in 837, and embraced the cause of Lothair I against Charles the Bald. He was a son of Leuthard I, Count of Fézensac and of Paris, and his wife Grimildis.

Girart is not described as being from Roussillon in authentic historical sources. The placename in his title is derived from a castle he built on Mont Lassois, near Vix and Châtillon-sur-Seine. Nevertheless, Girart de Roussillon is an epic figure in the cycle of Carolingian romances, collectively known as the Matter of France. In the genealogy of the cycle’s heroes, Girart is a son of Doon de Mayence and appears in various irreconcilable events.

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[edit] Biography

Obelisk commemorating the Battle of Fontenay (841)
Obelisk commemorating the Battle of Fontenay (841)

Girart fought at the Battle of Fontenay in 841, and doubtlessly followed Lothair I, his future brother-in-law, to Aix-en-Provence. In 843, he married Bertha, daughter of Hugh of Tours and sister of Ermengarde of Tours, Lothair's wife.

In 855, Girart became governor of Provence for Lothair's son Charles, nominal king of Provence. His wife Bertha defended Vienne unsuccessfully against Charles the Bald in 870. Girart, who had perhaps aspired to be the titular ruler of the northern part of Provence, continued to administer it under Lothair II until that prince's death in 869. He retired with his wife to Avignon where he died probably in 877, certainly before 879.

[edit] Romance

The legend of Girart is contained in Vita Girardi de Roussillon (ed. P. Meyer, in Romania, 1878). The original chanson de geste, entitled Girart de Roussillon, dates from the beginning of the 12th century. It probably was written by a monk in the abbey of Pothières or Vézelay, both of which were founded in about 860 by Girart. The text is composed in a dialect midway between French and Provençal. It appears to have been based on an earlier Burgundian poem that also inspired a 14th century romance in alexandrines (ed. T.J.A.P. Mignard, Paris and Dijon, 1878), and a prose romance by Jehan Wauquelin in 1447 (ed. L. de Montille, Paris, 1880).

The legend of Girart’s piety, the heroism of his wife Bertha, and of his wars with Charles passed into the genre of literary romance; however, the historical facts are so distorted that, in the epic Girart de Roussillon, he became an opponent of Charles Martel to whom he was related as brother-in-law. Southern French traditions concerning Girart, in which he is called the son of Garin de Monglane, are embodied in the 13th century work, Girart de Viane by Bertrand de Bar-sur-l'Aube, a narrative about the siege of Vienne by Charlemagne. The same traditions also are embraced in Aspramonte by Andrea da Barberino, based on the French chanson Aspremont, where he is called Girart de Frete or de Fraite and he leads an army of infidels against Charlemagne. The legendary narrative Girart de Roussillon was long held to be a Provençal work, but its Burgundian origin has been proven.

[edit] References

  • Bloch, R. Howard (1977). Medieval French Literature and Law. Berkeley, Los Angeles & London: University of California Press.
  • Meyer, Paul (1878). La légende de Girart de Roussillon, Romania, no. 7, 1878. p. 161-235
  • Meyer, Paul (1884). Girart de Roussillon. A translation in modern French with a comprehensive introduction.
  • Michel, F. (1856) Gerard de Rossillon ... publié en francais et en provençal d'après les MSS. de Paris et de Londres. Paris.
  • Tarb, P. (Ed.) (1850). Girart de Viane, in: L. Gautier, Epopées francaises, vol. iv. Reims.
  • Wulif, F. A. (1874). Notice sur les sagas de Magus et de Geirard. Ed.: Lund.
  • This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links