Chrétien de Troyes
(c. 1135–c. 1190)
Few facts are known about the life of Chrétien de Troyes, one of the most famous of French medieval poets, except that he lived in the twelfth century, was a native of Champagne, and wrote five of the most popular long romances about the knights of King Arthur's court. He apparently depended on traditional Celtic or Breton materials, perhaps already translated into French by an earlier poet, but the lightness and freshness of the narratives are his own.
Chrétien is most famous for the romance Perceval, or the Story of the Grail. The romance was written at the request of Philip, Count of Flanders. It tells the story of a crude, naïve young Welshman who becomes the most famous knight of his day. Chrétien's romances are long, entertaining narratives of exciting or marvelous adventures.
