Martin Le Franc

Martin le Franc (* 1410, † 1461 ) was a French writer and cleric.

Life

Martin le Franc was born in the county of Aumale in Normandy. He studied in Paris where he acquired the degree of Master of Arts, with which the right was acquired to be allowed to hold positions in the church ( benefice ). In 1435 he was present in unknown function in Arras, as there, the peace treaty between Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy and the young English King Henry VI. was signed, which had in 1431 also to be crowned King of France. A little later took Le Franc, also in an undetermined role in the Council of Basel ( 1431-48 ) and was a in the service of the Duke of Savoy active. When he was elected in 1439 by the Council Antipope Felix V, became Le Franc with him as apostolic prothonotary and clerk. Thanks to his close relationship with Felix he could cumulate several canons - benefices and deaneries also: 1443 in Lausanne, 1444 in Turin and Geneva. When Felix in 1449 resigned from his office, all of which were confirmed by him assigned positions and sinecures by Pope Nicholas V, so that Le Franc was able to maintain its positive acquis. However, he remained in Savoyard services and was appointed " maître de requêtes " from the new Duke, Ludwig I., . 1459 he took over the administration of the Abbey of Novalese and was perhaps even a short time before his death, nor their Dept.

Works

The most important work of Martin le francs is Le Champion des Dames ( = the fighter for women). It covers 24384 verses, was 1441-1442 and is dedicated to Duke Philip the Good. It tells of the noble deeds of many women of history, including Joan of Arc. In addition, Le Franc is turned passionately against corruption and extravagance of the aristocracy. However, it was also noted that is located misogynist basically description of a Witches' Sabbath in the Champion.

The apparently only cool reception of the Champion at the Burgundian court disappointed Le Franc, as he complains in a longer poem ( Complainte du livre " Le Champion des Dames " a maistre Martin Le Franc son acteur = action of the book " Le Ch d D. " against its author M. Le F. ). Perhaps to compensate him something commissioned Duke Philip him a few years later ( 1447 ) the drafting of a new work, the Estrif de Fortune et Vertu, a moralizing disputation between the fate goddess Fortuna and Virtus, the "virtue". The written in prose, in the numerous passages are inserted in verse, was built between 1447-1448, probably mainly in Lausanne.

In the history of music is Le Franc for the expression " la contenance angloise " known. Thus, the typical, sweet - sounding tone of contemporary English music is meant, as it was composed for example of John Dunstaple. This style of music had a great influence on the Burgundian School, while Burgundy was allied with England.

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