About Gormonda de Monpeslier
Gormonda de Monpeslier was a French troubadour, poet, composer and writer.
Na Gormonda de Monpeslier or Montpelher (fl. 1226–1229) was a trobairitz from Montpellier in Languedoc. Her lone surviving work, a sirventes, has been called "the first French political poem by a woman."
She wrote a response, Greu m'es a durar, to the famous anti-papal sirventes of Guilhem Figueira, following Figueira's poem in metre and rhyme for about twenty stanzas. Instead of blaming the papal legate Pelagius of Albano for the failure of the Fifth Crusade, she laid the blame on the "foolishness" of the wicked. She went on to justify the Crusade against the heretics at home on the grounds that the heresy was more dangerous than Islam and the heretics had falser hearts. Finally, she expressed a desire to see Figueira tortured to death. Her poem fell well within the bounds of orthodox piety and her position, far from being radical, was that of the Church as expressed by Pope Innocent III and contemporary troubadour Lanfranc Cigala.
Though nothing is known of Gormonda save what can be confidently gleaned from her sirventes, it seems plausible that she was associated closely with the orthodox clergy of southern France and had sympathies for the Papacy and the French monarchy. She was possibly a Dominican.
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Important facts
Frequently asked questions
Who was Gormonda de Monpeslier?
French troubadour, poet and composer
When did Gormonda de Monpeslier die?
Gormonda de Monpeslier died in 1299.
What was Gormonda de Monpeslier's occupation?
Gormonda de Monpeslier was a troubadour, poet, composer and writer.
What nationality was Gormonda de Monpeslier?
Gormonda de Monpeslier was French.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Gormonda de Monpeslier
· DBpedia: Gormonda de Monpeslier
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Gormonda de Monpeslier. https://biography.guide/gormonda-de-monpeslier/
MLA: "Gormonda de Monpeslier." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/gormonda-de-monpeslier/.
Chicago: "Gormonda de Monpeslier." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/gormonda-de-monpeslier/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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