# Bertran de Born

> Occitan troubadour

**Wikidata**: [Q4510](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4510)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertran_de_Born)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/bertran-de-born

## Summary
Bertran de Born was an Occitan troubadour and aristocrat from France, recognized as a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages. He is identified as a human instance of the species Homo sapiens and is noted for his contributions to the field of literature and music composition.

## Biography
- **Born**: Circa 1140
- **Died**: 1215
- **Nationality**: France
- **Known for**: Composing and performing Old Occitan lyric poetry; being a major troubadour of the High Middle Ages.
- **Occupations**: Troubadour, Poet, Aristocrat, Composer.
- **Field(s)**: Literature/Poetry (Old Occitan lyric poetry).

## Contributions
Bertran de Born contributed to the cultural landscape of the High Middle Ages through his work in the field of Old Occitan lyric poetry. As a troubadour, he functioned as both a composer and performer, creating works that fall under the genre of Occitan literature. His artistic output is documented in historical manuscripts, such as BnF ms. 12473 fol. 160, which preserves his image and legacy. He is associated with the creation of poetic works cataloged under identifiers like the "Bertran de Born" lyrics collection.

## FAQs
**What was Bertran de Born's profession?**
Bertran de Born was a multi-faceted figure who worked as a troubadour, poet, and composer. He also held the social standing of an aristocrat.

**When did Bertran de Born live?**
Bertran de Born was born around the year 1140 and died in 1215.

**What is Bertran de Born's connection to France?**
Bertran de Born was a citizen of France, a country in Western Europe, and his work as a troubadour is rooted in the Occitan region of that nation.

**What type of poetry is Bertran de Born known for?**
He is known for Old Occitan lyric poetry, a form of literature composed and performed by troubadours during the High Middle Ages.

## Why They Matter
Bertran de Born matters as a significant historical figure within the tradition of the troubadours, representing the aristocratic engagement with the arts during the High Middle Ages. His existence illustrates the role of the aristocrat not merely as a political figure but as an active creator and performer of culture. As a composer and poet, he contributed to the foundation of Western lyrical poetry, influencing the structure and themes of vernacular literature in France and beyond. His preserved visual representation in manuscripts like BnF ms. 12473 underscores his enduring status as a subject of historical and academic study.

## Notable For
- **Troubadour Tradition**: A recognized composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry.
- **Aristocratic Status**: A member of the aristocracy who actively participated in cultural creation.
- **Historical Record**: Documented in the BnF ms. 12473 (fol. 160) with a specific coat of arms (Blason Bertran de Born.svg).
- **Academic Cataloging**: Extensively cataloged across multiple international authority files, including VIAF, BnF, Library of Congress, and MusicBrainz.

## Body
### Historical Context and Identity
Bertran de Born was a human male who lived during the High Middle Ages, with a birth estimated around 1140 and a death recorded in 1215. He held the status of an aristocrat, a person possessing hereditary titles or related to such people, and was a citizen of France. His life and work are situated within the context of Western Europe, specifically within the Occitan cultural sphere.

### Occupations and Roles
Bertran de Born is primarily defined by his professional roles as a troubadour, poet, and composer.
*   **Troubadour**: He is classified as a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry. This role links him to the broader tradition of troubadours, a group of 66 related entities in the knowledge base.
*   **Poet**: He authored poetry, contributing to a field with 171 related entities.
*   **Composer**: He is credited as an author of music in any form, a category with 130 related entities.
*   **Aristocrat**: His social standing as an aristocrat placed him within a specific societal hierarchy, distinct from the general population.

### Field of Work
His specific field of work was Old Occitan lyric poetry. This genre involves the composition and performance of verse in the Occitan language, prevalent in the regions of modern-day France during the High Middle Ages.

### Documentation and Identifiers
Bertran de Born is extensively documented in historical and modern databases, reflecting his enduring relevance.
*   **Visual Representation**: An image of him is preserved in the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF) manuscript ms. 12473, folio 160 ("Bertran de Born (1).jpg").
*   **Heraldry**: He is associated with a specific coat of arms, documented as "Blason Bertran de Born.svg".
*   **Authority Files**: He possesses a vast array of unique identifiers across global systems, confirming his recognition in literary, historical, and musical databases. These include:
    *   **Library Systems**: BnF (118917221, 026724723), Library of Congress (n50048954), VIAF (7358398), and ISNI (0000000080860297).
    *   **Academic & Cultural**: IdRef (026724723), SELIBR (36546849), and the National Diet Library of Japan (DA01534430).
    *   **Music Databases**: MusicBrainz (Artist ID: 454aaf18-476e-40b0-adcd-49f07477440a; Recording ID: 0UqBwS7J6KQdObZrHmScYK), and AllMusic (mn0002152829).
    *   **Digital Encyclopedias**: Encyclopædia Britannica (biography/Bertran-de-Born), DBpedia, and Wikipedia (Bertran de Born).
    *   **Other Identifiers**: He is tracked in systems like GeoNames, Open Library, Quora, and various national libraries (e.g., Spain, Czech Republic, Latvia).

### Geographic and Cultural Setting
Bertran de Born operated within the territory of modern-day France. France, officially the French Republic, is a country in Western Europe with a history tracing back to the Treaty of Verdun in 843. While France has evolved through various political forms—from West Francia to the First French Empire and the current Fifth Republic—Bertran de Born's life in the 12th and 13th centuries places him in the medieval period of this region. The culture of France, particularly its linguistic diversity (including Occitan), provides the backdrop for his work in Occitan lyric poetry.

## References

1. [general catalog of BnF](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb118917221)
2. Musicalics
3. International Standard Name Identifier
4. CiNii Research
5. MusicBrainz
6. Integrated Authority File
7. Open Library
8. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
9. CERL Thesaurus
10. [LIBRIS. 2002](https://libris.kb.se/katalogisering/rp355v7912z1vwg)
11. Virtual International Authority File