The Codex Manesse (also or Pariser Handschrift) is a (a German term for a

manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand or typewritten, as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. More recently, the term has ...

containing songs) which is the single most comprehensive source of

Middle High German Middle High German (MHG; or ; , shortened as ''Mhdt.'' or ''Mhd.'') is the term for the form of High German, High German language, German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High ...

Minnesang (; "love song") was a tradition of German lyric- and song-writing that flourished in the Middle High German period (12th to 14th centuries). The name derives from '' minne'', the Middle High German word for love, as that was ''Minnesangs m ...

'' poetry. It was written and

illustrated An illustration is a decoration, interpretation, or visual explanation of a text, concept, or process, designed for integration in print and digitally published media, such as posters, flyers, magazines, books, teaching materials, animations, vi ...

between when the main part was completed, and with the addenda. The codex was produced in

Zürich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...

(

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

), for the Manesse family. The manuscript is "the most beautifully illumined German manuscript in centuries"; its 137 miniatures are a series of "portraits" depicting each poet. It is currently housed in the

Heidelberg University Library The Heidelberg University Library (, International Standard Identifier for Libraries and Related Organizations, ISIL DE-16) is the central library of the Heidelberg University. Together with the 83 decentralized libraries of the faculties and ins ...

. In 2023, Codex Manesse was admitted to UNESCO's

Memory of the World UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) Programme is an international initiative to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, decay over time and climatic conditions, as well as deliberate destruction. It ca ...

The Codex Manesse is an anthology of the works of a total of about 135 minnesingers of the mid 12th to early 14th century. For each poet, a portrait is shown, followed by the text of their works. The entries are ordered approximately by the social status of the poets, starting with the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI, Kings

Conradin Conrad III (25 March 1252 – 29 October 1268), called ''the Younger'' or ''the Boy'', but usually known by the diminutive Conradin (, ), was the last direct heir of the House of Hohenstaufen. He was Duke of Swabia (1254–1268) and nominal King ...

and

Wenceslaus II Wenceslaus II Přemyslid (; ; 27 SeptemberK. Charvátová, ''Václav II. Král český a polský'', Prague 2007, p. 18. 1271 – 21 June 1305) was King of Bohemia (1278–1305), Duke of Cracow (1291–1305), and King of Poland (1296–1305 ...

, down through dukes, counts and knights, to the commoners. Most of the poems are ''

'', but there are also other genres, including fables and

Spruchdichtung Spruchdichtung or Sangspruchdichtung is the German term for a genre of Middle High German sung verse. An individual work in this genre is called a Spruch (plural ''Sprüche''), literally a "saying", and may consist of one or more strophes. While ...

(didactic poems). The oldest poets represented in the manuscript had been dead for more than a century at the time of its compilations, while others were contemporaries, the latest even late additions of poems written during the early 14th century. In the portraits, some of the nobles are shown in full armour in their heraldic colors and devices (therefore with their faces hidden), often shown as taking part in a

joust Jousting is a medieval and renaissance martial game or hastilude between two combatants either on horse or on foot. The joust became an iconic characteristic of the knight in Romantic medievalism. The term is derived from Old French , ultim ...

, or sometimes in single combat with sword and shield, and sometimes in actual battle. Some images are motivated by the biography of the person depicted, but some designs just draw their motif from the poet's name (thus, Dietmar is shown riding a mule, since his name can be interpreted as meaning ''people's horse''), while others draw on imagery from their lyrics (

Walther von der Vogelweide Walther von der Vogelweide (; ) was a Minnesänger who composed and performed love-songs and political songs ('' Sprüche'') in Middle High German. Walther has been described as the greatest German lyrical poet before Goethe; his hundred or s ...

is shown in a thoughtful pose which exactly matches the description of himself in one of his most famous songs).

List of poets

#6r:

Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI (German language, German: ''Heinrich VI.''; November 1165 – 28 September 1197), a member of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was King of Germany (King of the Romans) from 1169 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 until his death. From 1194 he was ...

(1165–1197) #7r:

(1252–1268) #8r: ' (not the name of a singer, but an epic poem, dated to the first half of the 13th century) #10r: King

Wenceslaus II of Bohemia Wenceslaus II Přemyslid (; ; 27 SeptemberK. Charvátová, ''Václav II. Král český a polský'', Prague 2007, p. 18. 1271 – 21 June 1305) was King of Bohemia (1278–1305), Duke of Cracow (1291–1305), and King of Poland (1296–130 ...

(Wenceslaus II, King of Bohemia and Poland, 1271–1305) #11v: Duke

Henryk IV Probus Henry Probus (Latin for the Righteous; or ''Prawy''; ; – 23 June 1290) was a member of the Silesian branch of the royal Polish Piast dynasty. He was Duke of Silesia at Wrocław from 1266 as well as the ruler of the Seniorate Provinc ...

of Breslau (1258–1290) #13r: Margrave Otto von Brandenburg (Otto IV, 1266–1308) #14v: Margrave Heinrich von Meißen (Henry III, 1215–1288) #17r:

Henry I, Count of Anhalt Henry I ( 1170 – 1252), a member of the House of Ascania, was Count of Anhalt from 1212 and the first ruling Anhalt prince from 1218 until his death. Life He was the oldest son of Count Bernhard of Anhalt probably by his first wife Judith ...

(–1252) #18r:

John I, Duke of Brabant John I, also called John the Victorious (1252/533 May 1294) was Duke of Brabant (1267–1294), Lothier and Limburg (1288–1294). During the 13th century, John I was venerated as a folk hero. He has been painted as the perfect model of a brave, ...

(1252/1253–1294) #20r: Count (either Rudolf II, died 1192, or his nephew Rudolf I, died 1258) #22v: Count Kraft von

Toggenburg Toggenburg is a region of Switzerland. It corresponds to the upper valley of the River Thur (Switzerland), Thur and that of the Necker (river), Necker, one of its afluents. Since 1 January 2003, Toggenburg has been a constituency (''Wahlkreis ...

(probably Kraft III of Toggenburg, died 1339) #24r: Count Konrad von Kirchberg (either Konrad II, fl. 1275–1326, or his cousin Konrad III, 1281–1315) #26r: Count (probably Friedrich II, died 1237) #27r: Count

Otto von Botenlauben Otto von Botenlauben or Botenlouben (1177, Henneberg – before 1245, near Bad Kissingen), the Count of Henneberg from 1206, was a German minnesinger, Crusader and monastic founder. Otto von Botenlauben was the fourth son of Count Poppo VI ...

(died 1244) #29r: Margrave of (either Diepold V von Vohburg, fl. 1205–1225, or his son , died 1256). #30r: Herr

Heinrich von Veldeke Heinrich von Veldeke (aka: , Dutch Hendrik van Veldeke, born before or around 1150 – died after 1184) is the first writer in the Low Countries known by name who wrote in a European language other than Latin. He was born in Veldeke, which was a ...

(died after 1184) #32v: Herr

Gottfried von Neifen Gottfried von Neifen (fl. 1234–1255) was a German ''Minnesänger'' (lyric poet). Gottfried was born to an ''Edelfrei'' family of Swabia. He was associated with the court of King Henry VII of Germany (1220–1235) and is mentioned in documents b ...

(died 1279) #42r: Count

Albrecht von Haigerloch Albrecht II (or Albert II) of Hohenberg-Rotenburg (c. 1235 – 17 April 1298) was Count of Hohenberg and Haigerloch and imperial governor of Lower Swabia. He was a member of the house of Zollern-Hohenberg, a branch of the Swabian House of Hohenzol ...

count of Hohenberg The Counts of Hohenberg (or Margraves of Hohenberg) were an ancient Swabian dynasty in the southwest of the present-day German state of Baden-Württemberg. During the 13th century, the Hohenberg dynasty was one of the most prominent lineages i ...

(died 1298) #43v: Count

Wernher von Homberg Wernher von Homberg (also ''Werner''; ''Hohenberg'', 1284 – 21 March 1320) was a knight in the service Emperor Henry VII, and later of Frederick the Fair. His Minnesang poems are recorded in the ''Codex Manesse''. Wernher's father was Ludwig of ...

(died 1320) #46v: Herr (died 1331) #48v: Brother (fl. 1309) #52r: Herr

Walther von Klingen Walther von Klingen (died 1 March 1284) was a nobleman from the Thurgau area. After the death of his three sons made it impossible for him to found a dynasty, he founded a monastery in Wehr, Baden-Württemberg, Wehr that later moved to Basel and d ...

(fl. 1240–1280s) #54r: Herr Rudolf von Rotenburg (fl. 1287) #59v: Herr Heinrich von Sax (probably Henry II, 1235–1289) #61v: Herr (fl. 1284–1305) #63r: Der von Kürenberg (12th century) #64r: Herr

Dietmar von Aist Dietmar von Aist (c. 1115 – c. 1171) was a Minnesinger from a baronial family in the Duchy of Austria, whose work is representative of the lyric poetry in the Danube region. Life One Dietmar von Aist is mentioned by name from about 1139 onward ...

(fl. 1140–1160s) #66v:

Der von Gliers Der or DER may refer to: Places * Darkənd, Azerbaijan * Dearborn (Amtrak station) (station code), in Michigan, US * Der (Sumer), an ancient city located in modern-day Iraq * d'Entrecasteaux Ridge, an oceanic ridge in the south-west Pacific Ocean ...

(perhaps Wilhelm von Gliers, fl. 1267–1317) #69r: Herr Wernher von Teufen (fl. 1220) #70v: Herr (either Henry II, fl. 1250s, or his son Henry III, died 1294) #71v: Herr

Kristan von Hamle Kristan von Hamle (or Christan von Hamle) was a Middle High German poet from Thuringia who flourished in the mid-thirteenth century.Henry Garland and Mary Garland (eds.), ''The Oxford Companion to German Literature'', 3rd ed. (Oxford University Pre ...

(probably an author of 13th-century

Thuringia Thuringia (; officially the Free State of Thuringia, ) is one of Germany, Germany's 16 States of Germany, states. With 2.1 million people, it is 12th-largest by population, and with 16,171 square kilometers, it is 11th-largest in area. Er ...

, otherwise unknown) #73r: Herr Ulrich von Gutenburg (fl. 1170s) #75v: Herr (fl. 1223–1263, a Dominican friar, prior at Eichstätt and later at Augsburg) #76v: Herr

Heinrich von Morungen Heinrich von Morungen (died 1222) was a Minnesinger, whose 35 surviving Middle High German songs are dated on both literary and biographical grounds to around the period 1190–1200. Alongside Walter von der Vogelweide and Reinmar von Hagenau, Re ...

(fl. 1210s) #82v: Der (either Walther I, fl. 1230–1240s, or one of his sons, Walther II or ) #84v: Schenk

Ulrich von Winterstetten Ulrich von Winterstetten ( 1241–1280) was a German nobleman, priest and '' Minnesänger'' (lyric poet). Life Ulrich belonged to the Tanne–Waldburg family of imperial ''ministeriales'' (unfree nobility) in the Duchy of Swabia. His father was ...

(fl. 1250–1270s) #98r: Herr Reinmar der Alte (fl. late 12th century) #110r: Herr (fl. 1220–1230s) #113v: Herr Hesso von Reinach (1234–1275/76) #115r: Der (fl. early 13th century) #116v: Herr

Friedrich von Hausen Friedrich may refer to: Names *Friedrich (given name), people with the given name ''Friedrich'' *Friedrich (surname), people with the surname ''Friedrich'' Other *Friedrich (board game), a board game about Frederick the Great and the Seven Years' ...

(died after 1188) #119v: Burgrave von Rietenburg (either Henry IV fl. 1174–1184, or Otto III, fl. 1154–1185) #120v: Herr Meinloh von Sevelingen (mid-12th century) #122r: Herr (f 1170s) #124r: Herr

) #146r: Herr (fl. 1221–1254) #149v: Herr

Wolfram von Eschenbach Wolfram von Eschenbach (; – ) was a German knight, poet and composer, regarded as one of the greatest epic poets of medieval German literature. As a Minnesinger, he also wrote lyric poetry. Life Little is known of Wolfram's life. Ther ...

(c. 1170 – c. 1220) #151r: Von Singenberg, Seneschal of

St Gallen St. Gallen is a Swiss city and the capital of the canton of St. Gallen. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration (with around 167,000 inhabitants in 2019) and rep ...

(probably , fl. 1220s) #158r: Der von Sachsendorf (unknown; possibly mentioned by Ulrich von Lichtenstein as serving

Frederick II of Austria Frederick II (; 25 April 1211 – 15 June 1246), known as Frederick the Quarrelsome (''Friedrich der Streitbare''), was Duke of Austria and Styria from 1230 until his death. He was the fifth and last Austrian duke from the House of Babenberg, sin ...

) #160v: (unknown, perhaps from

Clemency, Luxembourg Clemency (, ) is a town and a former commune in south-western Luxembourg. Since 2012, it is part of the commune of Käerjeng. It is part of the canton of Capellen, which is part of the district of Luxembourg. , the town of Clemency, which lies ...

) #162v: Herr Wilhelm von Heinzenburg (probably William III, fl. 1264–1292) #164v: Herr (fl. 1218) #166v: Herr Walther von Metze (died before 1276, otherwise unknown) #169v: Herr Rubin (unknown, mid-13th century) #178r: Herr

Bernger von Horheim Bernger von Horheim was a Rhenish Minnesänger of the late twelfth century. He wrote in the tradition of courtly love and was influenced by Friedrich von Hausen. Bernger may originate from Horrheim in Vaihingen an der Enz. Another possibili ...

(late 12th century) #179v: Der von Johansdorf (Albrecht, fl. 1172–1209) #181v: Herr Engelhardt von Adelnburg (either fl. 1200 or 1220s, perhaps father and son of the same name) #182v: Herr Bligger von Steinach (probably Bligger II, fl. late 12th to early 13th century) #183v: Herr Wachsmut von Mühlhausen (fl. 1267) #184v: Herr

Hartmann von Aue Hartmann von Aue, also known as Hartmann von Ouwe, (born ''c.'' 1160–70, died ''c.'' 1210–20) was a German knight and poet. With his works including '' Erec'', '' Iwein'', '' Gregorius'', and '' Der arme Heinrich'', he introduced the Arthu ...

() #188r: Herr

Reinmar von Brennenberg Reinmar von Brennenberg (or Reinmar der Brennenberger) was a minnesinger and ministerialis to the Bishop of Regensburg in the 13th century. Life and work The family were ministeriales in the Upper Palatinate in the service of the bishops of Rege ...

(fl. 1270s) #190v: Johann von

Ringgenberg Ringgenberg (sometimes also written as ''Ringgenberg BE'' in order to distinguish it from other "Ringgenbergs") is a village and a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. Besides t ...

(probably Johann I, 1291–1350) #192v:

Albrecht Marschall von Rapperswil Albrecht ("noble", "bright") is a given name or surname of German origin and may refer to: First name * Albrecht Agthe, (1790–1873), German music teacher * Albrecht Altdorfer, (c. 1480–1538) German Renaissance painter * Albrecht Becker, (190 ...

(fl. c. 1280) #194r: Herr Otto vom Turne (of

Lucerne Lucerne ( ) or Luzern ()Other languages: ; ; ; . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital of the canton of Lucerne and part of the Lucerne (district), di ...

, a late addition, fl. after 1300) #197v: Herr Goesli von Ehenhein (of Strasbourg; otherwise unknown) #201r: Der von Wildonie (probably Herrand II, married to a daughter of Ulrich of Lichtenstein) #202v: Von Suonegge (probably Konrad von Suonegge, fl. 1220–1230s) #204r: Von Scharpfenberg (of Ratschach, mid-13th century) #205r: Herr Konrad, der Schenk von Landeck (of

Thurgau Thurgau (; ; ; ), anglicized as Thurgovia, and formally as the Canton of Thurgau, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of five districts. Its capital is Frauenfeld. Thurgau is part of Eastern Switzerland. I ...

, 1271–1306) #213r: "Der Winsbeke" (purported author of the accompanying father-son didactic poem; it is unclear whether Winsbeke is a historical or a fictional character) #217r: "Die Winsbekin" (purported author of the accompanying mother-daughter didactic poem; it is unclear whether Winsbekin is a historical or a fictional character) #219v: "Klingsor of

Hungary Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...

" (fictional character introducing the ''

Sängerkrieg The ''Sängerkrieg'' (minstrel contest), also known as the ''Wartburgkrieg'' (Wartburg contest), was a contest among minstrels ('' Minnesänger'') at the Wartburg, a castle in Thuringia, Germany, in 1207. Whether the contest was purely legend or ...

'' poem) #226v: Kristan von Luppin of

(fl. 1290s) #228r: Herr (early 14th century) #229v: Der Düring (an unidentified

n poet, late 13th century) #231r: Winli (an unidentified Alemannic poet, ) #237r: Herr

Ulrich von Liechtenstein Ulrich von Liechtenstein (c. 1200 – 26 January 1275) was a German minnesinger, poet and knight of the Middle Ages. He wrote poetry in Middle High German and was author of noted works about how knights and nobles might lead more virtuous lives. ...

(–1275) #247v: Von Munegiur (given name Ulrich, otherwise unknown) #248v: Von Raute (given name Hartwig, fl. , otherwise unknown) #249v: Herr Konrad von Altstetten (perhaps a mayor of St Gallen, attested 1320–1327) #251r: Herr Bruno von

Hornberg Hornberg is a city in the Ortenaukreis, in western Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the Black Forest, 35 km southeast of Offenburg, and 25 km northwest of Villingen-Schwenningen. Local activities Hornberg is the ...

(probably Bruno II, fl. 1275–1310) #252r: Herr Hug von Werbenwag (fl. mid 13th century, probably died after 1292) #253v: Der Püller (Konrad "the Apulian" von Hohenburg, probably participated in a campaign of Rudolph I against

Ottokar II of Bohemia Ottokar II (; , in Městec Králové, Bohemia – 26 August 1278, in Dürnkrut, Austria, Dürnkrut, Lower Austria), the Iron and Golden King, was a member of the Přemyslid dynasty who reigned as King of Bohemia from 1253 until his death in 1278 ...

in 1278) #255r: Von Trostberg (an unidentified member of either of an Argovian or a Tyrolian family of ''

ministeriales The ''ministeriales'' (singular: ''ministerialis'') were a legally unfree but socially elite class of knights, administrators, and officials in the High Middle Ages in the Holy Roman Empire, drawn from a mix of servile origins, free commoners, and ...

'') #256v: Hartmann von Starkenberg (of Werdenberg-Sargans, either Hartmann I, fl. 1250s, or his son Hartmann II, fl. 1270s) #257v: Von Stadegge (Rudolph II, one of the leading

Styria Styria ( ; ; ; ) is an Austrian Federal states of Austria, state in the southeast of the country. With an area of approximately , Styria is Austria's second largest state, after Lower Austria. It is bordered to the south by Slovenia, and cloc ...

n minnesingers, fl. 1230–1250s) #258v: Herr Brunwart von Augheim (late 13th century) #261r: Von Stamheim (unidentified; fl. c. 1240s) #262v: Herr Goeli (of

Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in southern Germany. In earlier times it was considered to be on both sides of the Upper Rhine, but since the Napoleonic Wars, it has been considered only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Ba ...

, 13th century) #264r: Der

Tannhäuser Tannhäuser (; ), often stylized "The Tannhäuser", was a German Minnesinger and traveling poet. Historically, his biography, including the dates he lived, is obscure beyond the poetry, which suggests he lived between 1245 and 1265. His name ...

(of

Thannhausen Thannhausen () is a town in the district of Günzburg, in Bavaria, Germany. It is situated on the river Mindel, southeast of Günzburg, and west of Augsburg Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, ...

, fl. 1240–1260s; depicted as a member of the

Teutonic Order The Teutonic Order is a religious order (Catholic), Catholic religious institution founded as a military order (religious society), military society in Acre, Israel, Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. The Order of Brothers of the German House of Sa ...

) #271r: Von

Buchheim Buchheim () is a municipality in the district of Tuttlingen in Baden-Württemberg in Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the nor ...

(2nd half of 13th century) #273r: Herr Neidhart (born in

Lower Bavaria Lower Bavaria (, ; ) is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of the state. It consists of nine districts and 258 municipalities (including three cities). Geography Lower Bavaria is subdivided into two ...

) #281v:

Meister ''Meister'' () means 'master' in German (as in master craftsman, or as an honorific title such as Meister Eckhart). The word is akin to master and maestro. In sports, ''Meister'' is used for the current national, European or world champion ...

Heinrich Teschler (of

, 2nd half of 13th century, patronized by Rüdiger Manesse) #285r: Rost, Kirchherr zu

Sarnen Sarnen is a small List of towns in Switzerland, historic town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the capital of the canton of Obwalden situated on the northern shores of Lake Sarnen () in Switzerland. It has a population of just ov ...

(in

between 1313 and 1330 Presumed to have participated in the production of the codex as a scribe) #290r: Der Hardegger (probably ''Henricus de Hardegge'', of Rebstein, fl. 1230–1270s) #292v: Der Schulmeister von

Eßlingen Eßlingen is a municipality in the district of Bitburg-Prüm, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea ...

(late 13th century) #295r: Walther von

Breisach Breisach am Rhein (, ; formerly Alt-Breisach, , in contrast to " New Breisach"; Low Alemannic: ''Alt-Brisach''), commonly known as Breisach, is a town with approximately 16,500 inhabitants, situated along the Rhine in the Rhine Valley, in the di ...

(without portrait) #299r: Von Wissenlo (probably

Wiesloch Wiesloch (, locally ; South Franconian: ''Wissloch'') is a town in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated 13 kilometres south of Heidelberg. After Weinheim, Sinsheim and Leimen, it is the fourth largest town in the Rhein-Neckar-K ...

; unidentified) #300r: Von Wengen (Burchard, fl. 1230–1270s, member of a family of ministeriales of the

counts of Toggenburg The counts of Toggenburg (''Grafen von Toggenburg'') ruled the Toggenburg region of today's canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland, and adjacent areas during the 13th to 15th centuries. A baronial family of Toggenburg is mentioned in the 11th and 1 ...

) #302r: Herr Pfeffel (unidentified, mid 12th century) #303r: Der Taler (perhaps Leuthold von Tal, near

Rheineck Rheineck is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Rheintal in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. History Rheineck is first mentioned about 1163 as ''castellum Rinegge''. In 1218 it was mentioned as ''Rinegg''. An older ...

, fl. 1250) #305r: Der tugendhafte Schreiber ("The Virtuous Scribe"; unidentified, appears as a character in the ''

'') #308v: Steinmar (perhaps Berthold Steinmar von

Klingnau Klingnau is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality in the district of Zurzach (district), Zurzach in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Aargau in Switzerland. History Klingnau is first mentioned in 1239 as ''Chlingenowe''. Ulrich of K ...

, fl. 2nd half of 13th century) #311r: Herr Alram von Gresten (unidentified, perhaps of

Gresten Gresten is a municipality in the district of Scheibbs in Lower Austria, Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of A ...

in Lower Austria) #312r: Herr Reinmar der Fiedler (unidentified, fl. mid 13th century) #313r: Herr Hawart (perhaps Hawardus de Holzwane, in 1258 canon at Augsburg) #314v: Herr Günther von dem Vorste (unidentified) #316v: Herr Friedrich der Knecht (unidentified, his poems are in Austro-Bavarian dialect, first half of the 13th century; the portrait shows Friedrich as a knight abducting a damsel on horseback while fighting off pursuers) #318r: Der

Burggraf von Regensburg The Burggraf von Regensburg (died after 1185) was a Middle High German lyric poet who wrote '' Minnelieder''. In his four surviving stanzas, love is not yet courtly love. In one, strongly contrary to later courtly convention, the woman serves the m ...

(probably Heinrich III von Stevening und Rietenburg, fl. 1126–1177) #319r: Herr Niune (unidentified; probably not a poet but the owner of a songbook used as a source in this section) #320v: Herr Geltar (unidentified; the poems are dated to between 1230 and 1250, perhaps from Lower Austria) #321v: Herr Dietmar der Setzer (unidentified; the portrait shows unmounted combat with sword and

heater shield The heater shield or heater-shaped shield is a form of Middle Ages, European medieval shield, developing from the early medieval kite shield in the late 12th century in response to the declining importance of the shield in combat thanks to impr ...

) #323r: Herr Reinmar von Zweter (fl. 1230s) #339r: Der Junge Meißner (unidentified; the poems are in Central German dialect) #342r: Der Alte Meißner (without portrait) #342v: Von Obernburg (unidentified; probably mid 13th century, of Obernburg near

Celje Celje (, , ) is the List of cities and towns in Slovenia, third-largest city in Slovenia. It is a regional center of the traditional Slovenian region of Styria (Slovenia), Styria and the administrative seat of the City Municipality of Celje. Th ...

) #344v:

Bruder Wernher Bruder Wernher (fl. 13th century) was an Austrian poet who wrote Middle High German '' Sprüche'', social or political songs, as opposed to love songs. ''Bruder'' (brother) is not a name, but a description indicating that he was a lay brother, fr ...

(unidentified; mid 13th century) #349r:

Der Marner Der Marner was a 13th-century itinerant poet and singer in the Middle High German language, whose work is preserved in the Codex Manesse. He was born in Swabia and obviously enjoyed a good school education. He wrote some of his works in the servic ...

(probably ''marinaere'' "the mariner"; unidentified, but mentioned by Meister Rumslant below) #355r: Süßkind, der Jude von Trimberg (unidentified, 2nd half of the 13th century) #358r: (isolated anonymous poem) #359r: Von Buwenburg (Baumburg near

Hundersingen Hundersingen is a village within the municipality of Herbertingen and is part of the administrative district of Sigmaringen in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany.Vgl. ''Herbertingen b) Hundersingen''. In: ''Das Land Baden-Württemberg. Amtl ...

, probably Ulrich von Buwenburg, fl. 1260) #361r: Heinrich von Dettingen (well documented during 1236–1300; of a family of ministeriales of

Reichenau abbey Reichenau Abbey was a Benedictine monastery on Reichenau Island (known in Latin as Augia Dives) in southern Germany. It was founded in 724 by the itinerant Saint Pirmin, who is said to have fled Visigothic Spain ahead of the Moorish invaders, w ...

) #362r: Rudolf der Schreiber (unidentified) #364r: Meister

Gottfried von Straßburg Gottfried is a masculine German given name. It is derived from the Old High German name , recorded since the 7th century, and composed of the elements (conflated from the etyma for "God" and "good", and possibly further conflated with ) and ("pe ...

(died ) #371r: Meister

Johannes Hadlaub Johannes Hadlaub (fl. 1300, d. before 1340) was one of the Minnesingers whose works are recorded in ''Codex Manesse''. He was a citizen of Zürich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the cap ...

(of

, fl. 1300, possibly the redactor of the codex) #381r: ("Rainbow", an unidentified Alemannic poet, depicted as a smith) #383r: Meister

Konrad von Würzburg Konrad von Würzburg (c.1220-1230 – 31 August 1287) was the chief German poet of the second half of the 13th century. As his name suggests, Konrad hailed from the Franconian town of Würzburg. By the standards of medieval poets, his l ...

(died 1287) #394r: Kunz von Rosenheim (unidentified, perhaps not a poet but the owner of a songbook used as a source) #395r: Rubin von Rüdeger (unidentified) #396r: Der Kol von Nüssen (unidentified, perhaps of Neunzen near

Zwettl Zwettl (; Central Bavarian: ''Zwedl''; Czech: ''Světlá'') is a town and district capital of the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is chiefly known as the location of Zwettl Abbey, first mentioned in October 1139. History The name origina ...

; the poems date to the 1230s or 1240s) #397v: Der Dürner (unidentified, perhaps of Mengen, Swabia) #399r: Meister

Heinrich Frauenlob Heinrich Frauenlob (between 1250 and 1260 – 29 November 1318), sometimes known as Henry of Meissen (''Heinrich von Meißen''), was a Middle High German poet, a representative of both the '' Sangspruchdichtung'' and ''Minnesang'' genres. He was o ...

(Heinrich von Meißen, born c. 1250) #407r: Meister Friedrich von Sonnenburg (unidentified; poems date to the 3rd quarter of the 13th century) #410r: Meister Sigeher (fl. 1250–1260s; perhaps identical with a ''Sicherius iuculator'' active in

Metz Metz ( , , , then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle (river), Moselle and the Seille (Moselle), Seille rivers. Metz is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Moselle (department), Moselle Departments ...

, possibly a Tyrolian) #412r:

Der wilde Alexander Der wilde Alexander, also known as Meister Alexander, was a medieval Minnesänger who was active from the mid-1200s until after 1288. His works are considered to be part of the '' Sangspruchdichtung.'' Life Perhaps originally from Württemberg o ...

(an unidentified Alemannic poet of the late 13th century) #413v: Meister Rumslant (fl. late 13th century, of Northern Germany) #415v: Spervogel ("Sparrow"; recorded under this nickname are poems by two separate authors, with floruits in the mid and the late 12th century) #418r: Boppe (of

Bonndorf Bonndorf im Schwarzwald (, ) is a town in the Waldshut district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated in the southern Black Forest, 14 km southeast of Titisee-Neustadt. It comprises the villages Boll, Brunnadern, Dillendorf, Ebnet ...

, died 1320; from 1276 to 1305 serving as reeve of the count of Nellenburg) #422r: Der Litschauer (unidentified) #423v: Der Kanzler ("The Chancellor", 2nd half of the 13th century, possibly Alemannic)

Manuscript history

The compilation of the codex was patronized by the Manesse family of

, presumably by Rüdiger II Manesse (born before 1252, died after 1304). The house of Manesse declined in the late 14th century, selling their castle in 1393. The fate of the codex during the 15th century is unknown, but by the 1590s it had passed into possession of baron Johann Philipp of

Hohensax The noble family von Sax or Saxe (originally in Italian ''de Sacco'') was a medieval noble family in eastern Switzerland. They owned estates and castles on both sides of the Alps in the modern cantons of St. Gallen, Graubünden and Ticino. The ...

(two of whose forebears are portrayed in the codex, on foll. 48v and 59v). In 1604,

Melchior Goldast Melchior Goldast von Haiminsfeld (Goldastus) (6 January 1576 or 1578, Switzerland – Gießen, Germany, 1635) was a Swiss jurist and an industrious though uncritical collector of documents relating to the Holy Roman Empire, medieval history and con ...

published excerpts of its didactic texts. After 1657 it was in the French royal library, from which it passed to the

Bibliothèque Nationale A library is a collection of books, and possibly other materials and media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or digital (soft copies) materials, and may be a p ...

, where the manuscript was studied by

Jacob Grimm Jacob Ludwig Karl Grimm (4 January 1785 – 20 September 1863), also known as Ludwig Karl, was a German author, linguist, philologist, jurist, and folklorist. He formulated Grimm's law of linguistics, and was the co-author of the ''Deutsch ...

in 1815. In 1888, after long bargaining, it was sold to the

Bibliotheca Palatina The Bibliotheca Palatina (" Palatinate library") of Heidelberg was the most important library of the German Renaissance, numbering approximately 5,000 printed books and 3,524 manuscripts. The Bibliotheca was a prominent prize captured during ...

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...

, following a public subscription headed by

William I William I may refer to: Kings * William the Conqueror (–1087), also known as William I, King of England * William I of Sicily (died 1166) * William I of Scotland (died 1214), known as William the Lion * William I of the Netherlands and Luxembour ...

and

Otto von Bismarck Otto, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (; born ''Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck''; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898) was a German statesman and diplomat who oversaw the unification of Germany and served as ...

. The first critical editions of the ''Codex Manesse'' appeared in the early nineteenth century. The codex is frequently referred to by Minnesang scholars and in editions simply by the abbreviation ''C'', introduced by Karl Lachmann, who used ''A'' and ''B'' for the two main earlier Minnesang codices (the '' Kleine Heidelberger Liederhandschrift'' and the '' Weingartner Liederhandschrift'' respectively). Two leaves of a 15th-century copy of the manuscript, called the ''Troßsche Fragment'' (''Tross Fragment''), which were held in the

Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany, and a property of the German public cultural organization the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (). Founded in ...

but went missing in 1945, are now in the

Jagiellonian Library The Jagiellonian Library (, popular nickname ''Jagiellonka'') is the library of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and with almost 6.7 million volumes, one of the largest libraries in Poland, serving as a public library, university library an ...

Kraków , officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...

(Berol. mgq 1146).

Modern reception

The possibility that the compiler was the ''

Minnesinger (; "love song") was a tradition of German lyric- and song-writing that flourished in the Middle High German period (12th to 14th centuries). The name derives from '' minne'', the Middle High German word for love, as that was ''Minnesangs m ...

provided the subject of a poetic novella, ''Hadlaub'' (in the ''Züricher Novellen'', 1878), by

Gottfried Keller Gottfried Keller (19 July 1819 – 15 July 1890) was a Swiss poet and writer of German literature. Best known for his novel '' Green Henry'' (German: ''Der grüne Heinrich'') and his cycle of novellas called '' Seldwyla Folks'' (''Die Leute von Se ...

Gallery

Image:Codex Manesse 127r.jpg, Folio 127r: Works of

Image:Codex Manesse Walther von der Vogelweide.jpg, Folio 124r: Walther von der Vogelweide Image:Konradin.jpg, King Conrad the Young Image:Codex Manesse Johann von Brabant.jpg, Duke John I. of Brabant Image:Codex Manesse ausgestellt in der Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg.jpg, ''Codex Manesse'', Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg

References

Sources

* Walter Koschorreck and Wilfried Werner, editors, ''Kommentar zum Faksimile des Codex Manesse: Die grosse Heidelberger Liederhandschrift'' (Kassel: Ganymed) 1981. Commentary to the facsimile edition, with essays by Wilfried Werner, Ewald Vetter, Walter Koschorreck, Hugo Kuhn, Max Wehrli and Ewald Jammers. * ''Encyclopædia Britannica'' 1911

External links

Complete facsimile
{{Authority control 1304 books 14th-century manuscripts 14th-century poetry Poetry anthologies Middle High German literature Middle High German manuscripts Minnesang Literary illuminated manuscripts German anthologies Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor