house of Burgundy in 1455. Re-appointed in 1467 by Philip’s successor, Charles the
Bold, who named him a knight of the Golden Fleece in 1473, he continued his work until
his death. Although his chronicles are considered his most important contribution, he left
numerous literary works, virtually all of which reflect his interest in court life and exhibit
the same didactic, moralistic tone. His two historical or political morality plays, the Mort
du duc Philippe and the Paix de Péronne, were both presented in 1468 for Charles the
Bold. The first memoralizes the death of Charles’s father, and the second celebrates the
brief truce between Charles and King Louis XI of France.
Chastellain’s many poems represent a change in form but not in substance. The
Epistre au bon duc Philippe de Bourgogne praises the duke and advises him on his
duties. Rhythmes sur le trespas du bon duc de Bourgongne laments the death of Philip the
Good, while Souhaits au duc Charles de Bourgogne looks ahead to the reign of Charles
the Bold. Le prince, reflecting the intense political conflict between Charles and Louis
XI, sparkles with the passionate anger of the author toward the French king. Chastellain
the poet was never far from Chastellain the chronicler.
Deborah H.Nelson
[See also: BURGUNDIAN CHRONICLERS; MESCHINOT, JEAN]
Chastellain, Georges. Œuvres de Georges Chastellain, ed. Joseph Kervyn de Lettenhove. 8 vols.
Brussels: Heussner, 1863–66.
——. Chronique, ed. J.C.Delclos. Geneva: Droz, 1991. [Book 4, based on London B.L. Add.
54156.]
Doutrepont, Georges. La littérature française à la cour des ducs de Bourgogne. Paris: Champion,
1909.
CHASTELLAIN, PIERRE
(fl. second half of the 15th c.). Little is known of the life of the poet Pierre Chastellain. In
the service of King René d’Anjou, he spent four years in Rome (1450–54). After his
return to France, he completed the two poems definitely attributed to him: Le temps
perdu and Le temps recouvré. These semiautobiographical works, inspired by such
writers as Vincent of Beauvais, Jean de Meun, and Michault Taillevent, reflect on the
poet’s past and offer long and sometimes cynical meditations and digressions on themes
of poverty, aging, and death.
Chastellain has occasionally but unconvincingly been identified with a certain Jehan
Vaillant, a lyric poet in the entourage of Charles d’Orléans.
Norris J.Lacy
Chastellain, Pierre. Les œuvres de Pierre Chastellain et de Vaillant, poètes du XVe siècle, ed.
Robert Deschaux. Geneva: Droz, 1982.
Champion, Pierre. Histoire poérique du XVe siècle. 2 vols. Paris: Champion, 1923, Vol. 1, pp. 339–
92.
Medieval france: an encyclopedia 400