Princess Haiku had a lovely and ghostly visit with Clemence Isaure last night. After all, said Princess Haiku, we both love the arts so much.
"Clemence is well known in Toulouse as the poets' muse and benefactress. Legend has it that her father refused to give her hand to a young knight she was infatuated with. The young man died at war and the desperate young woman promised to remain faithful to her pure love and devote her life to poetry. After her death, she bequeathed her estate to the city of Toulouse provided that the “Capitouls”, the city magistrates, would pay for the expenses of the "Compagnie des Jeux Floraux"; an association dedicated to preserving the poetry and the regional dialect “Occitane". Poets were invited every May for a festival of sorts and to share their work. A violet made in fine gold was given as a symbolic award. Soon after her death, the Capitouls denied the existence of the inheritance and in effect the very life of the generous Clemence. Today the "Compagnie des Jeux Floraux" still exists thanks to the tenacity of poets eager to maintain the Occitane language. The association is located in the Mansion d'Assezat, a beautiful palace from the Renaissance era."
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