Twelfth Century France

The setting of The Art of Courtly Love is late twelfth century France among the royal family of France.

Countess Marie's Court

Capellanus was the chaplain for Countess Marie, whose court he served.

Courtly Love

The practice of developing a deeply romantic, but non-sexual bond between a man and a woman who were married, but not to one another.

Marriage

Since most marriages in the twelfth century were arranged in France, love was largely off the table. As a result, these loveless marriages may well have given rise to the practice of courtly love.

Social Class

Social class is very important in the book. Courtly love is unavailable to the lower classes and must be negotiated carefully according to the class of the man and the woman involved.

The Rules of Love

One of the most enduring and popular elements in The Art of Courtly...