What is a Troubadour?

A Troubadour was a composer and performer of songs during the Middle Ages in Europe. The tradition began to flourish during the 11th. Many troubadours travelled for great distances, aiding in the transmission of trade and news. A complementary role was filled at the same period by performers known as joglares in Occitan, jongleurs in French (minstrels in English). Jongleurs are often addressed in troubadour lyrics. Their profession was that of popular entertainer; as such jongleurs sometimes performed troubadour compositions but more often other genres, notably chansons de geste (epic narratives). Today we could say that a Troubadour was a travelling artist, transmitting news.