Pere Salvatge

Who is Pere Salvatge?

Pere Salvatge or Peire/Peyre Salvagge was a Catalan troubadour of the late thirteenth century. He is most notable as a constant attendant at the court of Peter III and Alfonso III of Aragon. He may be the same person as the Peironet who composed poems with Peter III.

Salvatge wrote the third piece in a five-piece cycle of sirventes written in Summer 1285. Early in the summer Bernart d'Auriac inaugurated the political debate by coming to the defence of the "three kings" Philip III of France, Philip of Navarre, and Charles of Valois, who claimed the Crown of Aragon. Under the direction of the French king they invaded Catalonia in the so-called "Aragonese Crusade". After Peter III of Aragon responded to Bernart, Pere responded to Peter in the short piece Senher, reys qu'enamoratz par.

Pere appears to have gotten his nickname from his occupationas a caballero salvaje or cavaller salvatge in the king's house. As such, he acted as messenger and herald. Among his duties was directing the battle cry when the king's armies went to war. Pere is first mentioned by name in 1280 as a juglar del rey.