Kaiserchronik

The Kaiser Chronicle is one to mid-12th century caused, first large-scale, written in German rhyming chronicle. It represents the most comprehensive and delivered the most densely work of the early Middle High German literature, the story of Caesar to the Roman-German King Conrad III. told. "Kaiser Chronicle " is not the original title, the author called the work originally Cronica ( gehaizzen is iz Cronica, v. 17). Today's title comes from the German studies Bernhard Joseph Docen ( 1782-1828 ).

Genesis

Probably between 1140-1150 by one or more working at a Regensburg court clergy wrote rhyming chronicle told in rhyming verse episodic 17283 of 36 Roman and 19 German emperors. Thus, a world chronicle of the founding of Rome (focus Caesar ) will be completed by the preparation of the Second Crusade 1147.

It is likely ( in part due to differences in the narrative technique ) that several authors have contributed to the chronicle. The priest Conrad, author of the well resulting in Regensburg " Chanson de Roland " is no longer considered as the author of Imperial History since 1924 (see Carl Wesle ).

A customer is ( an epilogue missing) due to the abrupt end of the Kaiserchronik difficult to determine. As is probably true a drafting at a Regensburg duke or bishop.

Content

The Kaiser Chronicle is the first major large-scale German -language historical source. In the representation of the Roman Empire, the focus is often on the legends of the saints associated with them. Above all, the Roman Emperor offer the author an opportunity novella -like individual episodes ( eg Faustinian and New Year's Eve, each about 2800 verses; Crescentia, 1500 verses ) switch, which largely become independent. The chronicle Impetus tries to do justice to the author by seemingly precise information about the reign of the individual ruler, actually it changes the order of the Emperor serious.

Conception

An important concern of Kaiserchronik is the extension of the Roman Empire in the reign of the German emperors in the Middle Ages according to the widely used four- empire - teaching. The intention of telling instructive way, far outweighs the concern to report a historically accurate report. The presentation does not have to correspond primarily of historical truth, but rather the gotes minne ( = " God's plan ", v. 34 ). The resolution passed in the prologue intent to tell by guoten unt ubelen rulers is largely pursued consistently and has Fürstenspiegel character. After Friedrich Ohly the individual episodes are intended not only of entertainment but have primarily a religious and ethical and exemplary significance. The author wishes to thereby distinguish his work from the peeping of a purely secular poetry.

Swell

A uniform source of Kaiserchronik there is not. The author has used a variety of sources, processed independently, treated partially self-willed and free.

• Legend literature and saints
• Tell traditions
• Chronicle Frutolfs by Michel Berg and Ekkehard of Aura and Kaiser and Pope catalogs

For individual stories:

• Ovid's fasting
• Pseudo- Clementine Recognitions
• Annolied ( with distinctive changes )
• Cassiodorus ' Historia tripartita "

Tradition

The Kaiser Chronicle survives in three different editors and, with its approximately 40 lore supports the widest handed and so successful in common language of the 12th century ( Kartschoke ) represents the Kaiserchronik is among other things also part of the Vorauer handwriting, a medieval manuscript collection, which until is now preserved in the Augustinian Canons Vorau in Styria.

Aftereffect

The Kaiser Chronicle has been shown to the " Song of Roland ", the " Trier Year's Eve ", and probably also on Wolfram's " Willehalm ," Otte " Eraclius " Frauenlobstraße and Henry the Teichner. It also provides an important source for later historical works such as the " Saxon Chronicle " and the resulting more than 150 years after " World Chronicle " of Jans Enikel and Henry of Munich and Jacob Twingers of Königshofen dar.