Freidank

Freidank (also: Vrîdanc, Vrîgedanc, † probably Kaisheim 1233 ) was an errant cleric without Harriers ( vagabond ), who probably came from Swabia and Alsace. It should be born at the end of the 12th century. 1228 to 1229 he took part in the crusade of Frederick II may. As death year is assumed, according to the annals Kaisheimer 1233. Hartmann Schedel saw in 1465 in Treviso by his own account a tomb with grave writing a Freydanck.

Life

Reconstructing the Life of Freidank based on hypotheses; secured is only that the author of modesty Freidank himself called. After the literary quotations and within the rich manuscript tradition, he is likely to be born at the end of the 12th century in the southern German Alemannic - speaking world. The apparent from the text high level of education, suggesting that Freidank was trained in writing and language clerics. Whether he was beyond without solid priesthood and had to earn extra income by seal on his travels, is completely open. Such images have to be treated because of it contains romantic elements with caution.

Participation in the Fifth Crusade under Frederick II seems - without that there really evidence here - probably. In this context include the so-called Acre sayings that represent one of the few contiguous sections of modesty. Freidank could therefore have traveled as a pilgrim along with the Crusader army Acre, Jaffa and Jerusalem. Frederick joined on his crusade with al - Kamil on February 18, 1229 the Treaty of Jaffa before he entered Jerusalem, where he crowned himself king of Jerusalem on 18 March 1229. His attitude to the Crusades is distant. From contemporaries, he is mentioned several times, including twice with Rudolf von Ems (eg, Alexander, ed Jung, V. 3235 ). In the annals Kaisheimer is the year 1233 the death of a " Fridancus magister " mentioned in the Cistercian monastery, which is identical under certain circumstances with the poet.

Work

From him the work is handed modesty, which was 1215-1230. It is a collection of rhyming aphorisms that with the norms of his time in 53 thematic sections and in about 4700 verses - especially the courtly life - a critical view. The work is knowledge of the Bible, but also the patristic and early scholasticism advance. A political or social anchoring the seal has not yet succeeded, as reference to patrons or the usual in the song saying gasket Please lack of material support. Nevertheless, it remained very popular until the 16th century. It is recorded in numerous manuscripts and also in Latin translation ( Fridangi Discretio ); next full manuscripts are often found citations of individual sayings. In the late reception especially the revision by Sebastian Brant is to say from 1508: Freidanck: from the right path of life, VND all Tugendten, ämptern vn [ d] optional attribute, as they like to meet man, gantz diligently VND kurtz in rhyme written; Even with beautiful VND art rich characters, VBER all chapters ... like never außgangen formerly in print. ( [Frankfurt am Main]: Feyrabend VND guardian, 1567).

Critical editions

• Vridankes modesty, ed. by Wilhelm Grimm. Dieterich'sche bookstore, Göttingen 1834, 2nd edition ibid. 1860 ( digitized in the Google Book Search ) (Grimm assumed Freidank is identical with Walther von der Vogelweide )
• Fridankes modesty, ed. Heinrich Ernst Bezzenberger. Publishing house of the orphanage, Hall 1872 ( digitized ).
• Freidank. With critical and exegetical notes, ed. by Franz Sandvoss. Publisher of Brothers Borntraeger, Berlin 1877.