Herzog Ernst
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Herzog Ernst is a German epic from the early high Middle Ages (c. 1180), first written down by an anonymous author from the Rhein region.
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[edit] Story
The main theme of the story is an argument between a Bavarian duke (Herzog Ernst) and his stepfather Kaiser Otto I. The story is split into 2 parts; the first part dealing with the story of how Ernst became a Herzog and then, through the malicious work of the Kaiser's uncle, Pfalzgraf Heinrich, is outlawed. The second half of the poem is about Herzog Ernst's travels through the orient in search of the Holy Grave. He encounters many wonderful things, for example creatures with human bodies but bird's heads. Eventually he decides to return home and through a trick wins the Kaisers forgiveness.
[edit] Historical Context
The epic blends together two historical events: 1) An argument between Herzog Liudolf and his father Otto I in 953-954. 2) The rebellion of Herzog Ernst II from Swabia (born 1007) against his stepfather King Konrad II in 1026-1027
This story was very popular in the middle ages in Germany, as is shown by the number of manuscripts that exist and also that they were distributed to many places. It was popular due to its fantastical descriptions of the orient and far away lands (a popular topic due to the second crusade) and also its introduction of chivalrous expectations (how a knight should act).
Herzog Ernst is usually grouped under the heading 'Spielmannsdichtung' or 'Spielmannsepos'. This is a term used to describe a handful of other manuscripts of the time, due to the assumption that they were written and told by Spielmänner (like an English jester). However nowadays this term is much disputed as these works are considered too complex to have been written by Spielmänner, generally thought to have been uneducated.
[edit] Other works
The following were also produced around this period:
- König Rother (c 1160)
- Rolandslied (c 1135)
- Alexanderlied (c 1130)
- Reindhardt Fuchs (c 1170)
[edit] External link
- Die Schwarze Netz [1] (in German)
