Maria de Ventadorn

Gaucelm Faidit and Marie de Ventadour in a 13th century chansonnier. Maria de Ventadorn (or Ventedorn) was a patron of troubadour poetry at the end of the 12th century. Life Maria was one of las tres de Torena, "the three of Turenne", the three daughters of viscount Raymond II of Turenne and of Elise de Séverac. These three, according to Bertran de Born, possessed tota beltat terrena, "all earthly beauty".

Maria's husband was the grandson of Eble III (patron of the important early troubadour Bernart de Ventadorn), and the great-grandson of Eble le chanteur, believed to have been among the creators of the genre. The question at issue in the debate was this: once a man has succeeded in his plea to be accepted as a lady's lover, does he thereafter become her equal, or does he remain her servant? Maria takes the latter view.