heart of her beloved knight. Konrad’s introduction to this
story recalls the work of Gottfried von Straßburg. This
reference serves to underscore Gottfried’s conspicuous
infl uence on Konrad’s style. In Der Welt Lohn (Worldly
Reward), Konrad describes Wirnt von Grafenberg’s (the
poet of the courtly verse novel Wigalois) encounter with
Frau Welt (Lady World). Although no certain source has
been identifi ed for this tale, it belongs to the contemptus
mundi (contempt of the world) tradition. After gazing
upon the infested backside of Frau Welt, Wirnt rejects
the world, takes up the cross, and achieves martyrdom
in the Holy Land. The dark comedy Heinrich von
Kempten (also called Otte mit dem Bart, Otto with the
Beard, 1261), illustrates the benefi ts of loyalty. Com-
posed for the dean of Strasbourg Cathedral, Berthold
von Tiersberg, the story plays on the traditions of the
ill-tempered Emperor Otte (probably Emperor Otto II),
Critics dispute the authorship of other Maren attributed
to Konrad (Die halbe Birne, Half of the Pear, Der Mvnch
ah Liebesbote, The Monk as Go-between, etc.).
Konrad composed three romances. Engelhard, set in
the time of Charlemagne, tells a tale of fi delity (triuwe)
in friendship. Engelhard and Dietrich resemble one
another almost exactly and develop a close friendship
at court in Denmark. Dietrich leaves the court to as-
sume his position as the duke of Brabant but returns to
Denmark to help Engelhard win the hand of Engeltrud,
the daughter of the king of Denmark. Later, Dietrich is
stricken with leprosy. Reminiscent of Hartmann von
Aue’s tale, Der Arme Heinrich, the poem culminates
after Dietrich reveals that the blood of Engelhard’s
children is the only remedy for his illness. In Partono-
pier und Meliur (1277), Konrad draws on the extremely
popular French romance Partonopeus de Blois (1200).
While out hunting, Partonopier chances on a boat that
takes him to the invisible island castle of the heiress of
the Byzantine imperial throne, an enchantress named
Meliur. At the castle, invisible hands tend to the youth.
Partonopier lies with the invisible Meliur each night.
Meliur plans to marry him when he comes of age under
the condition that he does not look upon her before the
appointed time. After a year has passed, Partonopier,
plagued by doubts, chances to look upon Meliur and
she rejects him. A year later, the pair is reconciled.
Partonopier wins Meliur’s hand through knightly prow-
ess and becomes the Byzantine emperor. The romance
comprises a mix of several different traditions, includ-
ing: fairy tales, antique epics, matèrie de Bretange
(tales of Bretange), and the chansons de geste (songs
of heroic deeds). Similar motifs appear in Die Königen
von Brennenden See (The Queen of the Burning Lake,
1220–1240), Egenolf von Staufenberg’s courtly tale,
Ritter Peter (1310), and in Thüring von Ringoltingen’s
verse tale Melusine (1456).
Konrad’s last and greatest endeavor, Trojanerkrieg
(The Trojan War, 1281) surpasses, with its 40,424 vers-
es, Herbert von Fritzlar’s Middle High German rendition
of the fall of Troy, Liet von Troye (1190–1217) in both
length and quality. Benoît de Sainte-Maure’s Estoire de
Troie is the main source for both German works. Kon-
rad’s narrative includes the birth of Paris and Achilles,
relates the tale of Jason and Medea, the kidnapping of
Helen and the preparation for war. Konrad’s tale breaks
off in the middle of the siege of Troy. The poem, con-
cluded by a lesser, anonymous poet, was well received.
The exact nature of the relationship of Konrad’s Tro-
janerkrieg to the Göttweiger Trojanerkrieg (1270–1300)
has not yet been determined. However, at the very least,
Konrad’s Schwannritter seems to have infl uenced the
anonymous poet of Götttweiger Trojanerkrieg, errone-
ously attributed to Wolfram von Eschenbach. Konrad
died in Basle either on August 31 or between October
8–22, 1287. He and his wife, Bertcha, had two daughters
Gerina and Agnese. He was buried in Basle. Konrad
von Würzburg was highly esteemed by contemporaries
and successors. He is depicted dictating his work in the
Codex Manesse. Hugo von Timberg praises Konrad in
Der Renner (II. 1202–1220), and Frauenlob (Heinrich
von Meißen) mourns him with the lament that art itself
had died with the passing of Konrad: ach kunst ist tôt!
(313, 15–21).
See also Frauenlob; Gottfried von Straßburg;
Hartmann von AueFurther Reading
Brandt, Rüdiger. Konrad von Würzburg. Darmstadt: Wissen-
schaftliche Buchgesellschaft, 1989.
Kokott, Hartmut. Konrad von Würzburg: Ein Autor zwischen
Auftrag und Autonomie. Stuttgart: Hirzel, 1989.
Konrad von Würzburg. Der Trojanische Krieg, ed. Adelbert von
Keller. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 1965.
——. Die goldene Schmiede, ed. Edward Schröder. Göttingen:
Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1969.
——. Die Legenden: Silvester, Alexius, Pantaleon, ed. Paul Ge-
reke. Halle: Niemeyer, 1925–1927.
——. Engelhard, ed. Paul Gereke. Tübingen: Niemeyer,
1982.
——. Kleinere Dichtungen, ed. Edward Schröder. 3 vols. Berlin:
Weidmann, 1959–1963 [Der Welt Lohn, Das Herzmaere,
Heinrich von Kempten, Der Schwanritter. Das Turnier von
Nantes, Die Klage der Kunst, songs].
——. Partonopier und Meliur, eds. Karl Bartsch and Franz
Pfeiffer. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1871; rpt. 1970.
——. Trojanerkrieg: Staatsbibliothek Preussischer Kulturbe-
sitz, Ms. germ. fol. 1. Munich: Lengenfelder, 1989 [color
microfi che].
Musica practica. Minnesänger und Meistersinger Lieder um
Konrad von Würzburg. Freiburg: Christophorus, 1988 [audio
recording].
Stephen M. CareyKONRAD VON WÜRZBURG