THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA STUDIES IN GERMAN VOL. V The Concept of Nobility in German Didactic Literature of the Thirteenth Century (A ^isasxtntian SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OP THE OBAOUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES OP THE CATHOLIC UNIVEESITT OF AMERICA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREME^NTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OP PHILOSOPHY BY SISTER MARY PAUL GOETZ, O. S. B. Atchison, Kansas. %U7 C3fe5s V.5 THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, D. C. 1935 THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA STUDIES IN GERMAN VOL. V The Concept of Nobility in German Didactic Literature of the Thirteenth Century ^ ^issertattow SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ABTS AND SCIENCES OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVEBSITY OF AMERICA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY BY SISTER MARY PAUL GOETZ, O. S. B. Atchison, Kansas. THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA WASHINGTON, D. C. 1935 mims1262 U'Uo^ 3 COPYRIGHT, 1935, BY THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BY J. H. FUR8T COMPANY, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Preface v Abbreviations viii Introduction 1 CHAPTER I. A Survey of the Concept of Nobility to the Year 1200 14 The Greeks 14 The Eomans 17 The Fathers 24 Early Germanic Nobility 27 The Heliand 31 Feudalism 33 Christian Influence 34 Knighthood 35 II. The Didactic Writers and the Feudal Nobility OF THE Thirteenth Century 39 Terms for Nobility 39 Knighthood as an Institution 42 Feudal Nobility in General 45 The Clergy as Feudal Nobles 50 The Council of the Princes 51 Poor Nobles and Intruders 53 The Education of the Nobleman 54 Court Epics 59 Courtly Love 61 Tournaments and Knightly Equipment .... 66 III. The Eise of the Middle Class and Moral Nobility According to the Didactic Writers ... 73 Commercialism of the Nobles 73 Eise of the Middle Class 76 Definition of Nobility 79 iii L iv Contents CHAPTEE PAGE The Ethical Code of the Nobleman 81 a. Justice — reJit 82 b. Prudence — hescheidenheit 84 c. Fortitude — hoher muot 86 d. Temperance — maze 87 e. Liberality — milte 89 Signs of Bourgeois Spirit 94 a. Training in Social Etiquette 95 b. Economy 96 c. Labor 97 d. Wealth 98 IV. Nobility and Chkistian Ideals According to the Didactic Writees 101 The Christian Social Order 101 Social Preferences within the Church .... 106 The Christian Nobleman 108 The Nobleman as miles christianus 113 Conclusion 117 Bibliography 121 PEEFACE The thirteenth century in Germany was a period of marked economic, religious, social, and moral transitions. Naturally, the writers of the time, poets, preachers, and educators, took a definite stand regarding the new developments and their works reflect their personal reactions. The didactic writers in particular are among those who record these changes most faithfully and a study of their writings proves both interesting and valuable from a cul- tural and historical point of view. Such a study this dissertation purposes to be. The investigation will include consideration of the place the nobleman was accorded in the general scheme of existence, his education and duties, his rights and privileges. Since the cen- tury witnessed the rise of the middle class, special attention will be paid to the influence which this social movement exerted upon the life of the nobles in general and upon the concept of nobility in particular. In order to suggest the source of the ideal and the background against which it is to be projected, a survey has been made of the concept of nobility, beginning with Homeric times and noting the various influences which in the course of centuries contributed something to or changed the early Greek ideal of nobility, A lack of monographs dealing with specific periods renders impossible a more thorough treatment of the subject. The chapter represents, however, the author's own independent investigation of the sources mentioned. No other work has, as far as could be ascertained, followed the same line of research. Of the literature of the thirteenth century the didactic works alone have been examined. Epical romances and other writings not of a strictly didactical nature have not been considered. The texts selected for investigation are : the Winshecke and the Winsheckin, the Wdlsche Gast of Thomasin of Zerclaere, Freidank's Bescheiden- heit, and the Renner of Hugo of Trimberg. These works were chosen because of their highly representative character, reflecting, as they do in a very striking manner, the point of view of the period. During the past years valuable contributions have been made towards a better understanding and appreciation of the didactic vi Preface writers ; ^ but, aside from scattered references to the social, ethical, and religious aspects of nobility in studies concerning the ethical teaching of the didactic writers,^ no comprehensive investigation of this subject has been made. Friedrich Vogt, in his ReTctoratsrede, Der Bedeutungswandel des Wortes edel (Marburg, 1909), traced the historical development of the term edel, with a slight emphasis on the didactic writings, but he ignored almost entirely the social and religious side of the problem. Gustav Neckel in an excellent article, Adel und Gefolgschaft,^ investigated early Germanic nobil- ity from a philological point of view. The political and legal aspects of the problem of nobility in Germany have also been treated by prominent historians,* though no definite conclusions have been * Moriz Haupt, Albert Leitzmann, Hans-Friedrich Rosenfeld, and S. Anholt concerned themselves principally with Winsiecke and Winsbeckin; Hans Teske supplied the latest information regarding Thomasin von Zerclaere and his work, Der Wdlsche Gast. Unfortunately, Friedrich Neumann died before he was able to publish his promised " Freidankstudien " and a new " edition of Freidank's Bescheidenheit ; his two articles, however, Frei- danks Lehre von der Seele," Festschrift Max H. Jellinek (Wien und Leipzig, 1928), 86-96, and " Scholastik und mittelhochdeutsche Literatur," Neue Jahrb. 49-50 (1922), 388-404, contribute much toward a better under- standing of this writer. The most prominent scholar in the field of medieval German literature in general and the didactic writers in particu- lar is Gustav Ehrismann. Besides his history of medieval German litera- ture (the 4th volume dealing with the didactic writers has not yet appeared), and a number of learned articles, his critical edition of Hugo of Trimberg's Renner is still unsurpassed. ' Cf. L. Behrendt, The ethical teaching of Hugo of Trimberg, Diss. (Washington, 1926), ch. IV, 36-39. F. Gotting, Der Renner Hugos von Trimberg (Mtinster i. W., 1932), 104-114; H. Teske, Thomasin von Zer- claere (Heidelberg, 1933), 207 f.; J. Goldfriedrich, "Die religiosen und ethischen Grundanschauungen in Freidanks Bescheidenheit," ZfDeutschk. 13 (1899), 376-427, but especially G. Ehrismann, "Die Grundlagen des ritterlichen Tugendsystems," ZfdA. 56 (1919), 137-216. ^PBB. 41 (1916), 385-436. * The most important of them are : K. Maurer, Vber das Wesen des dltesten Adels der deutschen Stamme (Miinchen, 1846) ; P. Gierke, Rechts- geschichte der deutschen Genossenschaft, 4 vols. (Berlin, 1868-1913) ; H. Brunner, Deutsche Rechtsgeschichte, vol. I, 2nd ed. (Leipzig, 1906), vol. II, 2nd ed. by C. Fr. v. Schwerin (Leipzig, 1928) ; Philip Heck, Die Gemein- freiender KarolingischenVolksrechte (Halle, 1900); Die Standesgliederung der Sachsen im friihen Mittelalter (Tubingen, 1927) ; A. Dopsch, Wirt- schaftliche und soziale Grundlagen der europdischen Kulturentwicklung, 2nd ed. (Wien, 1924). Preface vii reached. No attempt is made in the present study to deal with the philological, legal, or political side of the problem. That task has been left to more competent scholars for final treatment, while the author has endeavored to approach the subject from the social, ethical, and religious angles. This investigation of the personal ideals of the age should be of service to anyone interested in the problems of medieval culture and thought. The difficulty of achieving a fair representation of the religious background of medieval times has often been felt by non-Catholic writers. The evidence presented here may serve to show the extent to which religious thought influenced the life of the people, particularly that of the upper classes, and how the didactic writers strove to derive from an eclectic harmony of Pagan and Christian philosophies a rule of conduct for Christian nobility which measured natural virtue by the scale of supernatural values. The writer wishes to express her gratitude first of all to Reverend Mother Lucy Dooly, O.S.B., and to her community for the oppor- tunity of continuing her studies at the Catholic University of America. She is especially indebted to Doctor Leo Behrendt, who suggested the subject of this study and whose constant encourage- ment and unstinted assistance and direction have been invaluable. Sincere thanks are due to Professor Paul G. Gleis and the Eeverend Doctor Aloysius K. Ziegler for the careful reading of the manu- script and many constructive criticisms. Grateful acknowledgment is also made of services received from the staff of the Library of Congress, from Doctor Eita Dielmann, from individual members of the writer's own community, and from fellow students at the University. ABBREVIATIONS ADB. Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie Arch. Oa. Archiv ftir Osterreichische Greschichte. CSEL. Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Latinorum. DVjschrLW. Deutsche Vierteljahrschrift fur Literaturwiasenschaft und Geistesgeschichte.