Editing Troubadour (section)

===''Vidas'' and ''razos''===

A ''vida'' is a brief prose biography, written in [[Occitan language|Occitan]], of a troubadour. The word ''vida'' means "life" in Occitan. In the [[chansonnier]]s, the manuscript collections of medieval troubadour poetry, the works of a particular author are often accompanied by a short prose biography. The ''vidas'' are important early works of vernacular prose nonfiction.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Egan |first1=Margarita |title=The Vidas of the Troubadours |date=2018 |publisher=Routlegde |location=Abingdon |isbn=978-0367189440 |pages=xiv}}</ref> Nevertheless, it appears that many of them derive their facts from literal readings of their objects' poems, which leaves their historical reliability in doubt. Most of the ''vidas'' were composed in Italy in the 1220s, many by [[Uc de Saint Circ]].

A ''razo'' (from Occitan for "reason") was a similar short piece of Occitan prose detailing the circumstances of a particular composition. A ''razo'' normally introduced the poem it explained; it might, however, share some of the characteristics of a ''vida''. The ''razos'' suffer from the same problems as the ''vidas'' in terms of reliability. Many are likewise the work of Uc de Saint Circ.

[[File:Perceval Doria.jpg|thumb|right|Late 16th-century Italian cursive on paper, recording a song of Perceval Doria]]