Otto von Botenlauben

Albrecht Classen (University of Arizona)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.4.1: German-language Writing and Culture: Germany, 500-present.
Vol. editors: Nicole Kennedy (University of Newcastle), Gerhard P. Knapp (University of Utah), Jennifer Marston William (Purdue University), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jill E. Twark (East Carolina University)

Dates

Born c. 1175
Died 1244
Activity c. 1200-c. 1244

Places

Born in Germany
Active in Germany

Activities

Primary

Poet

Resources

Botenlauben's Works

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The famous

Codex Manesse

(

Groβe Heidelberger Liederhandschrift

), copied down by scribes around 1310 and 1320 on behalf of the Zürich family Manesse, contains the most important corpus of Middle High German courtly love poetry from the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries. Many other manuscripts offered copies or additional works by other poets. One of the earliest entries presents the songs by Count Otto von Botenlauben (ca. 1175–1244), who appears so early (no. 14, after various kings, dukes, and margraves) in this manuscript because of his high social rank. Courtly love poetry served centrally as a literary representation of the dominant culture at that time, commonly expressing a knight’s love for a lady and describing what it would require from him to gain her favor. In…

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1025 words

Citation: Classen, Albrecht. "Otto von Botenlauben". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 07 May 2025 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=15416, accessed 09 May 2025.]