Eustache Deschamps
Eustache Deschamps was a notable French poet and courtier born in 1346 in Vertus, Champagne. He received an education in classical studies under the influential poet Guillaume de Machaut before studying law at the University of Orleans. Deschamps served as a messenger for King Charles V, during which he traveled extensively through Europe and the Middle East, reportedly enduring a period of enslavement in Egypt. Upon returning to France, he held various positions at court, including gentleman-usher and governor of Fismes. A prolific writer, Deschamps is credited with composing approximately 1,175 ballads and is often regarded as the inventor of the ballad form. His literary contributions reflect a significant transition in French poetry, showcasing a blend of satire and moralism, particularly in addressing social injustices and the plight of the poor. Notably, his work includes the treatise "L'art de dictier," recognized as the first comprehensive guide to French versification. Deschamps's poetry offers valuable insights into the political and social landscape of his time.
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Eustache Deschamps
Poet
- Born: 1346
- Birthplace: Vertus, Champagne, France
- Died: 1407
Biography
Eustache Deschamps, also known as Morel because of his dark complexion, was born to a middle-class family at Vertus in Champagne, France, in 1346. He was educated in classical studies at the episcopal school at Reims by the poet Guillaume de Machaut, whose influence on him is recognizable in his poetry. He then studied law at the university at Orleans. He spent some years traveling through Europe and to Syria, Palestine and Egypt as the messenger of Charles V, King of France. It is believed that he was held as a slave for a period of time in Egypt.
Upon Deschamps’s return to France, he was appointed gentleman-usher by Charles V; he continued in this position under Charles VI. As gentleman-usher, he accompanied Charles VI on several campaigns in Flanders. In 1381, Charles VI appointed him governor of the French town of Fismes, and then in 1388 bailiff of Senlis. He unfortunately lost his position as bailiff as well as his pension and office at court before his death in 1407.
In addition to serving France in various administrative and diplomatic positions, Deschamps made significant contributions to the literature of the country. He was a prolific poet; he wrote in various poetic forms including the rondeau, the lay and the ballad. He wrote approximately 1,175 ballads and is, in fact, often credited with inventing the ballad form. He also wrote 171 rondeaux.
Deschamps’s poems represent a stage in the transition of French poetic style from that of Guillaume de Machaut to the very technically elaborate style of the Grands Rhetoriqueurs of the late fifteenth century. His work, some fifteen hundred pieces in all, contains light verse as well as erudite poems. Many of his poems are satirical and demonstrate his bent toward moralism as he attacks injustices, especially the ill treatment of the poor by the upper classes.
Deschamps’s work also often reflects the events of his life. His estates were reportedly pillaged by the English and they are often the butt of his poetical satire. He wrote a ballad about his daughter’s wedding and a ballad about his request to the Pope that his son Guillet be made a canon. He wrote ballads about financiers, against war, and about Paris. Thus, his work is a valuable source for the political history of the period. His most important contribution to French letters was perhaps his L’art de dictier, written in 1392, which was the first treatise on French versification.