Widely popular in Europe throughout the Middle Ages, the phenomenon of courtly love is said to have had its origins with the troubadours of the 11th century. In its true sense it referred to a stylised and idealistic relationship between a knight and his lady, which was motivated by the aims of chivalry and required by convention to be unrequited, the real reward of the knights devoted service being an educational one. Such courtly liaisons became a powerful force in shaping the literature of the day, in particular with their significant contribution to the ever popular tales of romance and chivalry.
Courtly Love in Medieval Manuscripts describes this phenomenon against a backdrop of the romantic interests and 'real life' relationships of medieval society, placing courtly love in context within the world of chivalry and illustrating some of the ways in which it played a role in the European literature of the Middle Ages.