Pontus and Sidonia
Encyclopedia
Pontus and Sidonia is a medieval prose roman
, originally composed in French in ca. 1400, known as Ponthus et la belle Sidonie, possibly by Geoffroy IV de la Tour Landry
(d. 1391) or by another member of the La Tour family.
It is about Pontus, the son of the king of Galicia, who falls in love with Sidonia, daughter of the king of Britanny. The text is associated with lords of La Tour because it derives the ancestors of that family, whose ancestral possessions were in Britanny, from members of the train of prince Pontus.
The story is based on an earlier work, the Anglo-Norman
chanson de geste
Horn et Rimenhild
(ca. 1180).
Several German translations were made during the 15th century (viz., in the period corresponding to the final phase of Middle High German
or the formative phase of Early New High German
). There is a surviving version in Alemannic German, possibly written in the Old Swiss Confederacy
, dated to between 1440 and 1460, and another version in Franconian German, probably written in the region of Trier
. Another translation of the French text was made by Eleanor, Archduchess of Austria
(1433–1480).
Romance (genre)
As a literary genre of high culture, romance or chivalric romance is a style of heroic prose and verse narrative that was popular in the aristocratic circles of High Medieval and Early Modern Europe. They were fantastic stories about marvel-filled adventures, often of a knight errant portrayed as...
, originally composed in French in ca. 1400, known as Ponthus et la belle Sidonie, possibly by Geoffroy IV de la Tour Landry
Geoffroy IV de la Tour Landry
Geoffrey IV de la Tour Landry was a nobleman of Anjou who compiled Livre pour l'enseignement de ses filles for the instruction of his daughters, in 1371–1372. A similar book he had previously written for his sons, according to his opening text, has disappeared. The work became the most popular...
(d. 1391) or by another member of the La Tour family.
It is about Pontus, the son of the king of Galicia, who falls in love with Sidonia, daughter of the king of Britanny. The text is associated with lords of La Tour because it derives the ancestors of that family, whose ancestral possessions were in Britanny, from members of the train of prince Pontus.
The story is based on an earlier work, the Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
chanson de geste
Chanson de geste
The chansons de geste, Old French for "songs of heroic deeds", are the epic poems that appear at the dawn of French literature. The earliest known examples date from the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries, nearly a hundred years before the emergence of the lyric poetry of the trouvères and...
Horn et Rimenhild
Horn et Rimenhild
Horn et Rimenhild is an Anglo-Norman chanson de geste, written in ca. 1180.Horn et Rimenhild has exerted influence on the later Middle English King Horn, and on the Middle French Pontus et Sidonie.-References:...
(ca. 1180).
Several German translations were made during the 15th century (viz., in the period corresponding to the final phase of Middle High German
Middle High German
Middle High German , abbreviated MHG , is the term used for the period in the history of the German language between 1050 and 1350. It is preceded by Old High German and followed by Early New High German...
or the formative phase of Early New High German
Early New High German
Early New High German is a term for the period in the history of the German language, generally defined, following Wilhelm Scherer, as the period 1350 to 1650.Alternative periodisations take the period to begin later; e.g...
). There is a surviving version in Alemannic German, possibly written in the Old Swiss Confederacy
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
, dated to between 1440 and 1460, and another version in Franconian German, probably written in the region of Trier
Trier
Trier, historically called in English Treves is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle. It is the oldest city in Germany, founded in or before 16 BC....
. Another translation of the French text was made by Eleanor, Archduchess of Austria
Eleanor of Scotland
Eleanor of Scotland was a daughter of James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort. She first married Sigismund , a Habsburg Duke, then Archduke of Further Austria, and finally ruler of Tyrol ....
(1433–1480).