de Dia, Beatrice (c. 1160–1212)
de Dia, Beatrice (c. 1160–1212)
French troubadour. Name variations: Contessa Beatrice de Dia. Born around 1160, lived in Provence; died in 1212; may have married William of Poitiers, count of Valentinois.
Beatrice de Dia is now known mainly for writing four ballads, all love elegies that still survive. She may have been the wife of William of Poitiers and the mistress of Rambaud of Orange (Raibaut d'Orange), also a troubadour. (Some accounts indicate that she may have married the count of Ambrunois and have been the mistress of Guillaume Adhermar.) A historical account by Father Millet confirms that most probably William was her husband and Rambaud her lover. De Dia's ballads indicate that Rambaud left her in later years, inspiring her to write her most acclaimed ballad, Plang. Passionate and sensual, this ballad documents the love of a woman who expresses her sentiments candidly. Beatrice de Dia's compositions document the important role women played in Europe's medieval musical world.
John Haag , Athens, Georgia