The Cambridge Companion to Medieval Romance

“… the most influential and enduring secular literary genre of the European Middle Ages” (I omit the editor’s unnecessary academically over‐cautious “arguably”). Enduring indeed, for its descendants are as popular today in their different ways as was the whole literary genre from the twelfth century to the close of the Middle Ages, and beyond. With the leading cultural position of the French‐speaking courts, it was the French tradition that originated the romance (and gave it its name). So it is natural that this French tradition is given due emphasis in this critical survey; but the romance gained variety and strength...