Bernart de Venzac

Who is Bernart de Venzac?

Bernart de Venzac was an obscure troubadour from Venzac near Rodez in the Rouergue. He wrote in the Marcabrunian style, leaving behind five moralising pieces and one religious alba. Two of his works were confused by copyists with those of Marcabru in some manuscripts.

Bernart's career can be dated because of references in his poetry to his patron, Hugh II of Rodez. In his poem Iverns vay e.l temps tenebros he even prays to his recently deceased patron requesting him change any "false" words in his poem to right ones: Prec que.l mot fals en sian ras / Pel compte N'Uc, en qui es dos. Whether this request was at all serious or merely a form of courtly flattery is not known, but the latter is suspected. Since Hugh died in 1208, this poem is usually dated to late that year or early 1209. Another reference, to the peace del bisb'e d'elh, probably refers to the concord reached between the count and the Bishop of Rodez in May 1195. For this reason the poem is usually dated to late 1195 or early 1196 and Bernart's fluorit can be established from these two dates.

Bernart is sometime clumped in a primitive Marcabrunian "school" of poetry alongside Bernart Marti, Gavaudan, and Peire d'Alvernhe. Like those of the "school", Bernart has much to say of "false love" and he moralises on the right, courtly conduct of men: