Georg Rudolf Weckherlin

Georg Rodolf Weckherlin (born 15 Septemberjul / September 25 1584greg in Stuttgart, .. .. † 13 Februarjul / February 23 1653greg in London ) was a German courtly poet of the late Renaissance.

Life

Weckherlin studied law in Tübingen from 1599 to 1604 and undertook educational tours through Germany, France and England. 1606 he joined the Württemberg government service. From 1607 he was with several interruptions until 1617 in England, where he became engaged to Elizabeth Raworth and probably wrote his first verses. Since 1616 he was secretary and poet laureate of Duke Johann Friedrich of Württemberg.

In 1620 he again went to England, where he was from 1626 private secretary to the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Conway. Under Oliver Cromwell, he retired from in 1649 from the civil service and eventually he helped his successor John Milton during a transitional period during incorporation.

Weckherlin died 1653 highly regarded in London. His grandson was Sir William Trumbull, a childhood friend of Alexander Pope.

Work

Weckherlin main achievement was the introduction of artful Odenformen modeled after the French poet Pierre de Ronsard, Joachim du Bellay and Clément Marot in the German literature. He also wrote courtly seals, company songs, eclogues and sonnets.

• Oden VND Gesäng. 2 vols Rösslin, Stuttgart 1618-19 ( digitized and full text in German Text Archive Vol 1, digitized and full text in German Text Archive Vol 2)
• Gaistliche and secular poems. Jansson, Amsterdam 1641 ( digitized and full text in German Text Archive )

An edition of his complete poems by Hermann Fischer in three volumes published between 1893 and 1907.