"Courtly love" began to emerge during the 1100s starting in southern France. This was a code of behavior made popular through Romance literature, defined then as any prose written in one of the Romance languages. This term later evolved to include any tales of knights, chivalry and courtly love. Troubadours originally told these stories as they went from village to village, and later they were written down by court scribes, musicians, clerics and aristocrats. They were first used for edification of the noble classes but found popularity among the masses.
Romantic poetry and prose emphasized the ennobling power of love, the concept of "passionate," or inextinguishable love, and the elevation of the beloved woman to a superior position over her male suitor. This was a dramatic change in the cultural attitude toward noble women, though common women were still viewed mostly as property during the Middle Ages.
