The author was apparently an educated man, displaying some knowledge of theology and law, and belonged to the diocese of Toulouse (since he calls bishop Folquet de Marselha "our bishop"). Michel Zink suggests that he was with Raymond VII of Toulouse in Rome and Provence during the years 1215 and 1216. The poet mentions the death of Guy of Montfort, which actually took place in 1228; it is questionable whether the whole of part 2 was written after that date, or whether the reference to Guy's death was a later insertion.