The Influence of Le chevalier délibéré on Late Medieval Dutch Literature

Abstract

Le chevalier délibéré by Olivier de la Marche is now largely forgotten. Immediately after its publication in 1483, however, it enjoyed great success. The text was disseminated throughout Europe and was held in particularly high esteem in the French-speaking parts of the Netherlands. Such was its popularity in this region that it came to have a profound effect on Dutch literature. The text was translated twice into Dutch, by Pieter Willemsz in 1492, as Vanden ridder welghemoet, and by Jan Pertcheval a year later as Den camp vander doot. Two very early editions of the original French text were also published in the Netherlands. Moreover, wood cuts from the book were used in other volumes, and the first Spanish translations of Le chevalier délibéré were printed in Antwerp. Several Dutch authors were also directly inspired by this French poem, using it as the basis of their own work. Jan van den Dale and Jan Baptist Houwaert are particularly indebted to de la Marche. These writers were in turn highly successful, even if they have now lapsed into obscurity: Jan van den Dale was held in especially high regard, as his Wre vander doot was reprinted at least five times.¹