Troubadours

The French word "amour" comes from the Occitan language through the troubadours, otherwise it would be "ameur".

Surely the life of troubadours in the Middle Ages was not as idyllic as we see in the movies.

"Then your worship understands rhyming too?" "And better than thou thinkest," replied Don Quixote, "as thou shalt see when thou carriest a letter written in verse from beginning to end to my lady Dulcinea del Toboso, for I would have thee know, Sancho, that all or most of the knights-errant in days of yore were great troubadours and great musicians, for both of these accomplishments, or more properly speaking gifts, are the peculiar property of lovers-errant: true it is that the verses of the knights of old have more spirit than neatness in them."

Who were the troubadours?

The troubadours were medieval lyrical poets whose school originated in Occitania. They sang of courtly love and gained disciples in northern France and Germany, where they were called minstrels.