Originating from the Limbourg area, today in eastern Belgium, Heinrich von Veldeke became the “father” of Middle High German literature when he
translated the famous French Roman d’Eneas. His
romance Eneit basically introduced secular literature informed by classical antiquity to his German
audiences. He completed about three-fourths of
his work (10,934 verses) by 1174, and presented
the poem during wedding celebrations at the court
of Cleve (in northwestern Germany). After he had
lent the manuscript to Countess Margarete of
Cleve, Count Heinrich, the brother of the
Thuringian landgrave Ludwig III, stole it and took
it with him. Only in 1183 did Heinrich von Veldeke
regain the manuscript from Hermann, count of
the Palatinate Saxony and successor of Ludwig III,
and complete his work upon Hermann’s and his
brother Friedrich’s invitation. Whereas in Virgil’s
classical version the narrative became the basis for
a national-Roman epic, both the French author
and Heinrich transformed it into an early courtly
romance. The ancient source emphasized the historical, military, and religious aspects, making Aeneas into the true founder of the Roman Empire.
By contrast the medieval text versions focus more
on the erotic elements without excluding the important battle scenes that eventually lead to Eneas’s
victory and allow him to marry Lavinia, the urmother of the Roman Empire. Heinrich carefully
elaborates the monologues and dialogues, providing us with important insight into his protagonists’
fears, aspirations, and motifs. The author also
spends much time describing details of their clothing, weapons, fortifications, and other typical aspects of courtly culture. Heinrich’s Eneas has been
preserved in seven complete manuscripts and in
five fragments.
During his early life Heinrich also composed 37
COURTLY LOVE poems, one of which criticizes the
TRISTAN motif (song no. 4), stating that he, the
poet, would be in no need of the love potion as he
fell in love with his lady all by himself and yet
would experience even more intense love than
Tristan. For Heinrich courtly love represents the
highest ethical ideal and provides people with pure
and high spirits (no. 12). Moreover, around 1165,
he also composed a hagiographical text, Servatius
(Life of the saint Servatius). Heinrich was highly
praised by many Middle High German poets who
admired him as the master of courtly love.
Bibliography
Des Minnesangs Frühling. Edited by Hugo Moser and
Helmut Tervooren. 38th ed. Stuttgart: Hirzel, 1988.
Heinrich von Veldeke. Eneit. Translated by J. W.
Thomas. Garland Library of Medieval Literature,
Series B, no. 38. New York: Garland, 1985.
Cormier, Raymond. “Classical Continuity and Transposition in Two Twelfth-Century Adaptations of
the Aeneid,” Symposium 47, no. 4 (1994): 261–274.
Sayce, Olive. The Medieval German Lyric 1150–1300:
The Development of Its Themes and Forms in Their
European Context. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1982.
Albrecht Classen