Jaufre Rudel

Shortly after the succession of William VIII of Poitou, who had inherited it from his father, Blaye was taken by Wulgrin II of Angoulême, who probably vested Jaufre with it.

According to his legendary vida, or fictionalised biography, he was inspired to go on crusade upon hearing from returning pilgrims of the beauty of Countess Hodierna of Tripoli, and that she was his amor de lonh, his far-off love.

His composition Lanquan li jorn is thought to be the model for the Minnesinger Walther von der Vogelweide's crusade song Allerest lebe ich mir werde (Palästinalied).

Sir Nizamat Jung Bahadur, of Hyderabad, also wrote an epic poem on the subject, Rudel of Blaye, in 1926.

However, there are older mentions of Rudel loving Melisende, such as Frederic Mistral's 1878 Provençal dictionary Lou Tresor dóu Felibrige which states (translation): "Mélisende, Mélissande or Mélissène, countess of Tripoli, daughter of Aimeri de Lusignan, loved by the troubadour Geoffroi^ Rudel".

Jaufre Rudel dies in the arms of Hodierna of Tripoli (from chansonnier I, Lombardy, 13th century, Bib. Nat. Française 854, fol. 121v. ) [ 1 ]
A Romantic portrayal of Jaufre singing to his love from the frontispiece of Étienne-François de Lantier's 's play "Geoffroy Rudel, ou le Troubadour" (1825) [ 3 ]