(b ?1210–15; d 1270, or shortly thereafter). French trouvère. The second son of Count Raoul le Bon of Soissons, he became Sire de Coeuvres in 1232. He took part in three crusades, the first led by Thibaut IV in 1239. During his ensuing stay in Cyprus, Raoul married Queen Alix, thus becoming a claimant to the Kingdom of Jerusalem. He returned to France after 1243, but took up the crusade led by Louis IX (1248–54). In 1270 he embarked on the second crusade led by the French king. Since nothing further is known of him, it is assumed that he died on that venture. Raoul exchanged a jeu-parti (R.1393) with Thibaut IV, and dedicated Rois de Navare to him. In turn, Raoul’s name appears in three envois by Thibaut (R.741, 1811 and 2095). He was the judge of a jeu-parti between Henri III, Duke of Brabant, and Gillebert de Berneville (R.491). In addition to R.1393 (of possible joint authorship), seven chansons are attributed to Raoul in various manuscripts, all but E, cuens d’Anjou being contested by other attributions, including four works (R.1267, 1978, 2063 and 2107) ascribed also to Thierri de Soissons, who may be identifiable with Raoul. The ascriptions of R.130 and 1885 to Raoul are undoubtedly erroneous. Chançon m’estuet and Rois de Navare each served as model for two others; Quant voi la glaie was particularly appreciated and provided the model for five other works. Three of Raoul’s works comprise isometric, decasyllabic strophes, while the remainder are heterometric, using heptasyllabic lines mingled with shorter ones. All melodies are in bar form: Quant voi la glaie is unusual for the repetition (DEFG DEFG) constituting the cauda. No melodies survive in mensural notation, and there is no clear evidence of symmetrical rhythmic organization.
Edition: Trouvère Lyrics with Melodies: Complete Comparative Edition, ed. H. Tischler, CMM, cvii (1997)
(R) etc. indicates a MS (using Schwan sigla: see Sources, ms) containing a late setting of a poem
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Chançon m’estuet et fere et comencier, R.1267 [model for: Anon., ‘Par mainte fois m’ont mesdisant grevé’, R.462; Anon., ‘Chanter m’estuet de cele sans targier’, R.1315] (R) |
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E, cuens d’Anjou, on dit par felonie, R.1154 |
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Quant je voi et fueille et flour, R.1978 (V) |
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Quant voi la glaie meure, R.2107 [model for: Anon., ‘Deus, je n’os nomer amie’, R.1104; Jaque de Cambrai, ‘Mere, douce creature’, R.2091 (without music); ? Phelipe de Remi, ‘Ausi com l’eschaufeure’, R.2096; Anon., ‘Vierge des cieus, clere et pure’, R.2112; Adam de la Bassée, ‘O constantie dignitas’] |
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Rois de Navare et sire de Vertu, R.2063 [model for: Thibaut IV, ‘Bon rois Thibaut, sire, conseilliez moi’, R.1666; Oede de la Couroierie, ‘Ma derreniere veul fere en chantant’, R.321] |
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Sir, loez moi a loisir, R.1423a = 1393 (with Thibaut IV) |
E. Winkler: Die Lieder Raouls von Soissons (Halle, 1914)
F. Gennrich: ‘Die altfranzösische Liederhandschrift London, Brit. Mus. Egerton 274’, Zeitschrift für romanische Philologie, xlv (1926), 402–44
H. van der Werf: The Chansons of the Troubadours and Trouvères: a Study of the Melodies and their Relation to the Poems (Utrecht, 1972)
For further bibliography see Troubadours, trouvères.
THEODORE KARP