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illustration developed around the chivalric way
of life. The most notable case is perhaps that of
Ulrich von Liechtenstein (1200-1278), a knight
from Styria (today in Austria), who was known
not only for his military exploits but also for
his role as a Minnesänger, or troubadour. He was
knighted in 1223 by Leopold VI, the Duke of Aus-
tria, one of the most prominent politicians and
patrons of his time. Leopold promoted chivalric
pursuits at his court and soon chose Ulrich from
among the Styrian nobility. Ulrich was granted
the important positions of seneschal and mar-
shal, but it was for his writing that he has been
remembered.
Two of Ulrich’s works survive. In the Frauen-
buch, or Book of Ladies, he laments that courting
ladies, which he considers a cornerstone of chiv-
alry, is in decline. The other, the Frauendienst, or
Service of Ladies, is a poetry collection (appar-
ently autobiographical) in which Ulrich reflects
on conventions of courtly love and chivalric pur-
suits. He frames these reflections through two
adventures in honor of his lady. In the first, the
knight travels disguised as the goddess Venus
and competes in jousts and tournaments from
Venice to Vienna. During his journey, he faces
and defeats several hundred knights. In the sec-
ond adventure, this time disguised as King Ar-
thur, he sets out with the intention of testing
himself against every knight who crosses his
path, to bring honor to his lady.
A miniature of Ulrich von Liechtenstein is
among 137 such illustrations included in the Co-
dex Manesse. The codex brings together ballads
and poems in High Middle German by some
140 Minnesänger and was compiled in the early
1300s. Ulrich appears in the image wearing a suit
of chain mail and galloping on a large horse. In his
right hand he holds a blunted jousting lance, and
in his left, a shield. The poems and illustrations
in the Codex Manesse offer some of the best
surviving sources for understanding chivalric
life at the time.
The knight Ulrich von
Liechtenstein was known
not only for his military
exploits but also for his role
as a troubadour.