[or Arnaud]. Celebrated troubadour, born of a noble but poor family of Ribeirac in Périgord. When at the court of Richard I., an English jongleur challenged him to a trial of skill, and ten days were allotted for preparation. Arnaud, who was disinclined for the task, contrived by listening at the door of his rival to commit to memory the whole of the poem which the other had prepared and was learning to recite. When the day of trial was arrived, Arnaud requested permission to take the precedence, and gave forth the poem he had so cunningly appropriated. The jongleur was stupified with amazement, but Arnaud confessed the trick, the wager was withdrawn, and the king made rich presents to them both. Arnaud is extolled by Dante, Varchi, and Petrarch. Many of his amatory poems have been preserved, and some of them published by Raynouard. This name was likewise borne by several other troubadours.
