How did troubadour poetry influence early Catalan literature?

Early Catalan literature is deeply rooted in the Occitan language and the poetic traditions of the troubadours, who dominated the courts of southern France, northern Spain, and northern Italy between the 11th and 13th centuries.1

The influence of this tradition was foundational in several ways:

• Early Practitioners: Initial Catalan poets, such as Guillem de Bergadà, Hug de Mataplana, and Guillem de Cervera, were considered genuine Provençal poets who actively cultivated these established forms.21
• Institutional Preservation: In 1393, King John I of Aragon established a poetic academy in Barcelona. This institution organized jocs florals ("floral games"), which were poetry competitions designed specifically to preserve the language and style of troubadour poetry.1
• Literary Evolution: While Catalan poets eventually turned toward northern French narratives and later Italian models, the early groundwork laid by the troubadour tradition provided the essential structure and impetus for the "great period" of Catalan poetry in the 15th century.21