Chrétien de Troyes and Al-Andalus - Islam & the Grail

Reichert, Michelle. Between Courtly Literature and Al-Andalus: Matière D'Orient and the Importance of Spain in the Romances of the Twelfth-Century Writer Chrétien De Troyes. New York: Routledge, 2006. (Search the text at amazon.com)

This is a book that Henry Corbin would have delighted to see.

Publisher's description: "Chrétien de Troyes uses repeated references to Spain throughout his romances; despite past suggestions that they contain Mozarabic and Islamic themes and motifs, these references have never been commented upon. The book will demonstrate that these allusions to Spain occur at key moments in the romances, and are often coupled with linguistic "riddles" which serve as roadmaps to the manner in which the romances are to be read. These references and riddles seem to support the idea that some of their themes and motifs in Chrétien's romances are of Andalusi origin. The book also analyzes Chrétien's notion of "conjointure" and shows it to be the intentional elaboration of a sort of Mischliteratur, which integrates Islamic and Jewish themes and motifs, as well as mystical alchemical symbolism, into the standard religious and literary canons of his time. The contrast afforded by Chrétien's use of irony, and his subtle integration of this matière d'Orient into the standard canon, constitutes a carefully veiled criticism of the social and moral conduct, as well as spiritual beliefs, of twelfth-century Christian society, the crusading mentality, chivalric mores, and even the notion of courtly love. The primary interest of the book lies in the fact that it will be the first to comment upon and analyze Chrétien's references to Spain and the rich matière d'Orient in his romances, while suggesting channels for its transmission, through scholars, merchants, and religious houses, from northern Spain to Champagne."

From the Introduction: "Pierre Gallais has suggested, based on the work of Henry Corbin, the master of French orientalists, that the symbolism of the Conte du Graal not only contains oriental motifs but also reflects the mystical theosophy of Isma’ilite Shiite circles. I shall attempt to demonstrate, over and beyond this theory, that the matiere d’Orient in Chretien’s romances is specifically derived from syncretic forms of Sufi theosophy and mystical alchemy, such as they were disseminated in twelfth-century Andalusi circles, whence, I suggest in the book, they were transmitted to northern Europe through twelfth-century Benedictine clerics and translators who had some association with Cluny."

For a bit of short commentary on Gallais and his monumental work see Lacy, Norris J. A History of Arthurian Scholarship. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer, 2006. Google Book search



Image: Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Manuscrits, ms fr 12577