The Codex Manesse (also Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift or Pariser Handschrift) is a '' Liederhandschrift'' (manuscript containing songs), the single most comprehensive source of

Middle High German Middle High German (MHG; german: Mittelhochdeutsch (Mhd.)) is the term for the form of German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High German and into Early New High German. High ...

Minnesang (; "love song") was a tradition of lyric- and song-writing in Germany and Austria that flourished in the Middle High German period. This period of medieval German literature began in the 12th century and continued into the 14th. People who w ...

'' poetry, written and illustrated between c. 1304 when the main part was completed, and c. 1340 with the addenda. The codex was produced in

Zürich , neighboring_municipalities = Adliswil, Dübendorf, Fällanden, Kilchberg, Maur, Oberengstringen, Opfikon, Regensdorf, Rümlang, Schlieren, Stallikon, Uitikon, Urdorf, Wallisellen, Zollikon , twintowns = Kunming, San Francisco Zürich () i ...

, for the

Manesse family The ruins of the castle Manegg are situated on the eastern slopes of the Albis range in the canton of Zürich, near Leimbach. History The castle had been constructed by 1303 as Zürich was a part of the Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Em ...

. The manuscript is "the most beautifully illumined German manuscript in centuries"; its 137 miniatures are a series of "portraits" depicting each poet.

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 (german: link=no, Konradin, it, Corradino), was the last direct heir of the House of Hohenstaufen. He was Duk ...

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

'', but there are also other genres, including fables and 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 martial game or hastilude between two horse riders wielding lances with blunted tips, often as part of a tournament. The primary aim was to replicate a clash of heavy cavalry, with each participant trying to strike the opponent ...

, 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 (c. 1170c. 1230) 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 hundr ...

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: ''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 also King ...

(1165–1197) #7r: King Conrad the Young (1252–1268) #8r: "King Tyro of Scotland and Fridebrant his son" (not the name of a singer, but the title of an epic poem, dated to the first half of the 13th century) #10r: King Wenceslaus of Bohemia (Wenceslaus II, king of Bohemia and Poland, 1271–1305) #11v:

Herzog ''Herzog'' (female ''Herzogin'') is a German hereditary title held by one who rules a territorial duchy, exercises feudal authority over an estate called a duchy, or possesses a right by law or tradition to be referred to by the ducal title. ...

Heinrich von Breslau (Henry IV, 1258–1290) #13r:

Margrave Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the E ...

Otto von Brandenburg (Otto IV, 1266–1308) #14v: Margrave Heinrich von Meißen (Henry III, 1215–1288) #17r: the Duke of Anhalt (Henry I, c. 1170–1252) #18r: John, Duke of Brabant (John I, 1252/1253–1294) #20r:

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New Yor ...

Rudolf von Neuenburg (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 and that of its main tributary, the Necker. Since 1 January 2003, Toggenburg has been a constituency (''Wahlkreis'') of the canton of St. Gallen ( ...

(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 Friedrich von Leiningen (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 von Hohenburg (either Diepold V. von Vohburg, fl. 1205–1225, or his son Bertold IV, 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 (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 Hohenzo ...

(Albrecht II of Hohenberg, died 1298) #43v: Count Wernher von Homberg (died 1320) #46v: Herr Jakob von Warte (died 1331) #48v: Brother Eberhard von Sax (fl. 1309) #52r: Herr Walther von Klingen (fl. 1240–1280s) #54r: Herr Rudolf von

Rotenburg Rotenburg may refer to: * Rotenburg (district), Lower Saxony, Germany * Rotenburg an der Wümme, capital of the district * Rotenburg an der Fulda, near Kassel in Hesse *Rothenburg ob der Tauber Rothenburg ob der Tauber () is a town in the distric ...

(fl. 1287) #59v: Herr Heinrich von Sax (probably Henry II, 1235–1289) #61v: Herr Heinrich von Frauenberg (fl. 1284–1305) #63r:

Der von Kürenberg Der von Kürenberg or Der Kürenberger (fl. mid-12th century) was a Middle High German poet and one of the earliest Minnesänger. Fifteen strophes of his songs are preserved in the Codex Manesse and the Budapest Fragment. Life Since his given name ...

(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 onwa ...

(fl. 1140–1160s) #66v: Der von Gliers (perhaps Wilhelm von Gliers, fl. 1267–1317) #69r: Herr Wernher von Teufen (fl. 1220) #70v: Herr Heinrich von Stretlingen (either Henry II, fl. 1250s, or his son Henry III, died 1294) #71v: Herr Kristan von Hamle (probably an author of 13th-century

Thuringia Thuringia (; german: Thüringen ), officially the Free State of Thuringia ( ), is a state of central Germany, covering , the sixth smallest of the sixteen German states. It has a population of about 2.1 million. Erfurt is the capital and lar ...

, otherwise unknown) #73r: Herr

Ulrich von Gutenburg Ulrich von Gutenburg (or Gutenberg; fl. late 12th century) was an Alsatian nobleman and Middle High German poet. He can be traced at the court of Emperors Frederick Barbarossa and Henry VI between 1172 and about 1200. The main influence on his p ...

(fl. 1170s) #75v: Herr Heinrich von der Mure (fl. 1223–1263, a Dominican friar, prior at Eichstätt and later at Augsburg) #76v: Herr Heinrich von Morungen (fl. 1210s) #82v: Der

Schenk Schenk is a Jewish (Ashkenazic) and German occupational surname derived from ''schenken'' (to pour out or serve) referring to the medieval profession of cup-bearer or wine server (later also to tavern keeper). At one time, only Jews were allowed t ...

von Limpurg (either Walther I, fl. 1230–1240s, or one of his sons, Walther II or Konrad I) #84v: Schenk Ulrich von Winterstetten (fl. 1250–1270s) #98r: Herr Reinmar der Alte (fl. late 12th century) #110r: Herr Burkart von Hohenfels (fl. 1220–1230s) #113v: Herr Hesso von Reinach (1234–1275/76) #115r:

Burgrave Burgrave, also rendered as burggrave (from german: Burggraf, la, burgravius, burggravius, burcgravius, burgicomes, also praefectus), was since the medieval period in Europe (mainly Germany) the official title for the ruler of a castle, especia ...

von

Lienz Lienz (; Southern Bavarian: ''Lianz'') is a medieval town in the Austrian state of Tyrol. It is the administrative centre of the Lienz district, which covers all of East Tyrol. The municipality also includes the cadastral subdivision of ''Patr ...

(fl. early 13th century) #116v: Herr

Friedrich von Hausen Friedrich von Hausen (Middle High German: Friderich von Hûsen) was a medieval German poet, one of the earliest of the Minnesingers; born sometime between 1150–60; d. 6 May 1190. Life His name is mentioned frequently in legal documents, for the ...

(died after 1188) #119v: Burgrave von Rietenburg (either Henry IV. fl 1174–1184, or Otto III, fl. 1154–1185) #120v: Herr

Meinloh von Sevelingen Meinloh von Sevelingen was a 12th-century Minnesänger from Swabia and one of the earliest poets in the tradition. Life There is no documentary record of Meinloh's life. Sevelingen is modern , now a part of the city of Ulm. Around 1240 a "Meinlo ...

(mid-12th century) #122r: Herr Heinrich von Rugge (f. 1170s) #124r: Herr

(c. 1170 – c. 1230) #146r: Herr Hiltbold von

Schwangau Schwangau is a municipality in the district of Ostallgäu in Bavaria, Germany. The village lies 4 km from the larger town of Füssen and just 1.5 km from Hohenschwangau, a collection of tourist-oriented facilities adjacent to the major ...

(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. There ...

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

St. Gallen , neighboring_municipalities = Eggersriet, Gaiserwald, Gossau, Herisau (AR), Mörschwil, Speicher (AR), Stein (AR), Teufen (AR), Untereggen, Wittenbach , twintowns = Liberec (Czech Republic) , website ...

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

Frederick II of Austria Frederick II (german: Friedrich 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 Ho ...

) #160v: Wachsmut von Künzingen (unknown, perhaps from

Clemency, Luxembourg Clemency ( lb, Kënzeg, german: Küntzig) 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 t ...

) #162v: Herr Wilhelm von Heinzenburg (near

Bad Kreuznach Bad Kreuznach () is a town in the Bad Kreuznach district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a spa town, most well known for its medieval bridge dating from around 1300, the Alte Nahebrücke, which is one of the few remaining bridges in the ...

; probably William III fl. 1264–1292) #164v: Herr Leuthold von

Seven 7 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 7 or seven may also refer to: * AD 7, the seventh year of the AD era * 7 BC, the seventh year before the AD era * The month of July Music Artists * Seven (Swiss singer) (born 1978), a Swiss recording artist ...

(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 possibility ...

(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 Arthur ...

(c. 1160 – c. 1210) #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 ...

(probably Johann I, 1291–1350) #192v: Albrecht Marschall von Rapperswil (fl. c. 1280) #194r: Herr Otto vom Turne (of

Lucerne Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label= Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the German-speaking portion of the country. Lucerne is the capital o ...

, 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 (; french: Thurgovie; it, Turgovia), anglicized as Thurgovia, more formally the Canton of Thurgau, is one of the 26 cantons forming the Swiss Confederation. It is composed of five districts and its capital is Frauenfeld. Thurgau is pa ...

, 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 ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croa ...

" (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 h ...

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

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

n poet, late 13th century) #231r: Winli (an unidentified Alemannic poet, c. 1300) #237r: Herr Ulrich von Liechtenstein (c. 1200–1275) #247v: Von Munegiur (given name Ulrich, otherwise unknown) #248v: Von Raute (given name Hartwig, fl. c. 1200, otherwise unknown) #249v: Herr

Konrad von Altstetten Konrad von Altstetten ( 1320–1327) was a German petty nobleman and Middle High German lyric poet in the '' Minnesang'' (courtly love) tradition. He belonged to a family of vassals of the Abbey of Saint Gall, based in Altstätten. His poetry, ...

(perhaps a mayor of St. Gallen, attested 1320–1327) #251r: Herr Bruno von

Hornberg Hornberg is a town 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. Sons and daughters of the town * ( ...

(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 ( cs, Přemysl Otakar II.; , in Městec Králové, Bohemia – 26 August 1278, in 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 d ...

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 class of people raised up from serfdom and placed in positions of power and responsibility in the High Middle Ages in the Holy Roman Empire. The word and its German translations, ''Minist ...

'') #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 (german: Steiermark ; Serbo-Croatian and sl, ; hu, Stájerország) is a state (''Bundesland'') in the southeast of Austria. With an area of , Styria is the second largest state of Austria, after Lower Austria. Styria is bordered to ...

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

Herr Goeli Herr Goeli (or Göli) was a Middle High German minnesinger. Four of his poems survive. They are found under his name only in the Codex Manesse. In three other manuscripts—the Weingarten Manuscript and the Berlin and Frankfurt Neidhart manusc ...

(of

Baden Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine. History The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden ...

, 13th century) #264r: Der

Tannhäuser Tannhäuser (; gmh, Tanhûser), 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 ...

(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 (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_Germa ...

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

Teutonic Order The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians on ...

) #271r: Von Buchheim (2nd half of 13th century) #273r: Herr Neidhart (born c. 1200 in

Lower Bavaria Lower Bavaria (german: Niederbayern, Bavarian: ''Niedabayern'') is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany, located in the east of the state. Geography Lower Bavaria is subdivided into two regions () – Landshut and Donau-W ...

) #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 (e. ...

Heinrich Teschler (of

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

Sarnen Sarnen is a small historic town, a municipality, and the capital of the canton of Obwalden situated on the northern shores of Lake Sarnen (german: Sarnersee) in Switzerland. It has a population of just over 10,000 and is surrounded by countryside ...

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

Breisach Breisach (formerly Altbreisach; Low Alemannic: ''Alt-Brisach'') is a town with approximately 16,500 inhabitants, situated along the Rhine in the Rhine Valley, in the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about halfway b ...

(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 ...

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

counts of Toggenburg Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

) #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 municipality in the district of Zurzach in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. History Klingnau is first mentioned in 1239 as ''Chlingenowe''. Ulrich of Klingen acquired land from the monastery of St. Blaise in 1239 to found th ...

, 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, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a fe ...

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 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 improvements in ...

) #323r: Herr

Reinmar von Zweter Reinmar von Zweter (also spelled Reymar von Zwetel, Reymar von Zweten, Römer von Zwickau, Ehrenbote, born around 1200 in Zeutern, today known as Ubstadt-Weiher, Germany; died after 1248) was a Middle High German poet of Spruchdichtung. The icon ...

(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 ) , pushpin_map = Slovenia , pushpin_label_position = left , pushpin_map_caption = Location of the city of Celje in Slovenia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Cou ...

) #344v: Bruder Wernher (unidentified; mid 13th century) #349r: Der Marner (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, 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). It was founded in 724 by the itinerant Saint Pirmin, who is said to have fled Spain ahead of the Moorish invaders, with patronage that included Char ...

) #362r: Rudolf der Schreiber (unidentified) #364r: Meister Gottfried von Straßburg (died c. 1210) #371r: Meister Johannes Hadlaub (of

, fl. 1300, possibly the redactor of the codex) #381r: Regenbogen ("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 with most epic poets of the age, little is known of his life, and his origin is disputed. There have been German sc ...

(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 __NOTOC__ 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 ...

; 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 ( , , lat, Divodurum Mediomatricorum, then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Metz is the prefecture of the Moselle department and the seat of the parliament of the Grand Est ...

, possibly a Tyrolian) #412r:

Der wilde Alexander 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 ...

(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 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, Gündelwangen, H ...

, died 1320; from 1276–1305 serving as reeve of the count of

Nellenburg Stockach is a town in the district of Konstanz, in southern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Location It is situated in the Hegau region, about 5 km northwest of Lake Constance, 13 km north of Radolfzell and 25 km northwest of Konstan ...

) #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

, 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 (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 medieval history and constitution of Germa ...

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 materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...

, where the manuscript was studied by Jacob Grimm 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 the ...

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...

, following a public subscription headed by

William I William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 108 ...

and

Otto von Bismarck Otto, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (, ; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898), born Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck, was a conservative German statesman and diplomat. From his origins in the upper class of ...

. 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 The Weingarten Manuscript (German ''Weingartner Liederhandschrift'') is a 14th-century illuminated manuscript containing a collection of Minnesang lyrics. It is currently in the Württembergische Landesbibliothek, Stuttgart, with the shelf-mark H ...

'' respectively). Two leaves of a 15th-century copy of the manuscript, called the ''Troßsche Fragment'' (''Tross Fragment''), were held in the

Berlin State Library The Berlin State Library (german: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin; officially abbreviated as ''SBB'', colloquially ''Stabi'') is a universal library in Berlin, Germany and a property of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation. It is one of the la ...

, but went missing in 1945.''Des Minnesangs Frühling'', ed. H. Moser and H. Tervooren, Stuttgart 1977, Vol II, pp. 47f.

Modern reception

The possibility that the compiler was the ''

Minnesinger (; "love song") was a tradition of lyric- and song-writing in Germany and Austria that flourished in the Middle High German period. This period of medieval German literature began in the 12th century and continued into the 14th. People who w ...

'' Johannes Hadlaub 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 ''The People from Seldwyla'' (''Die Leu ...

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