Adam de la Halle was a French-born trouvère, poet and musician of the 13th century. Adam’s literary and musical works include chansons and jeux-partis (poetic debates) in the style of the trouvères; polyphonic rondel and motets in the style of early liturgical polyphony; and a musical play, Jeu de Robin et Marion (c1282/3), which is considered the earliest surviving secular French play with music. He was a member of the Confrérie des jongleurs et bourgeois d’Arras. Adam studied grammar, theology, and music at the Cistercian abbey of Vaucelles, near Cambrai. For a short time he was destined for the church but renounced this intention, and married a certain Marie, who figures in many of his songs, rondeaux, motets and jeux-partis. Afterwards he joined the household of Robert II, Count of Artois; and then was attached to Charles of Anjou, brother of Louis IX, whose fortunes he followed in Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Italy.

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