The Sängerkrieg (minstrel contest), also known as the Wartburgkrieg (Wartburg contest), was a contest among minstrels ( Minnesänger ) at the Wartburg , a castle in Thuringia , Germany, in 1207.
41-601: Whether the contest was purely legend or had some basis in an actual event has been debated since the Middle Ages. Local Thuringian historians, such as Dietrich von Apolda and Johannes Rothe, in the 14th and 15th centuries respectively, suggested the poems referred to an actual historical event. In the 19th century, Johann Rinne argued that the events never occurred. The poems of the Sängerkrieg form an important collection of Middle High German literature, reflecting
82-414: A nun . These vows included celibacy , as well as complete obedience to Konrad as her confessor and spiritual director . Konrad's treatment of Elizabeth was extremely harsh, and he held her to standards of behavior which were almost impossible to meet. Among the punishments he is alleged to have ordered were physical beatings; he also ordered her to send away her three children. Her pledge to celibacy proved
123-524: A saint by the Catholic Church . She was an early member of the Third Order of St. Francis , and is today honored as its patroness . Elizabeth was the daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary and Gertrude of Merania . Her mother's sister was Hedwig of Andechs , wife of Duke Henry I of Silesia . Her ancestry included many notable figures of European royalty, going back as far as Vladimir
164-750: A Saint ), starring Sabrina Weckerlin as Elizabeth, Armin Kahn as Ludwig, and Chris Murray as Konrad, premiered in Eisenach in 2007. It was performed in Eisenach and Marburg for two years, and closed in Eisenach in July 2009. The entire Third Order of St. Francis, both the friars and sisters of the Third Order Regular and the Secular Franciscan Order , joined in this celebration through a two-year-long program of study of her life. This
205-486: A future union which would reinforce political alliances between the two families. She was raised by the Thuringian court and would have been familiar with the local language and culture. In 1221, at the age of fourteen, Elizabeth married Louis; the same year he was enthroned as landgrave , and the marriage appears to have been happy. In 1223, Franciscan friars arrived, and the teenage Elizabeth not only learned about
246-439: A hindrance to her family's political ambitions. Elizabeth was more or less held hostage at Pottenstein , the castle of her uncle, Bishop Ekbert of Bamberg, in an effort to force her to remarry. Elizabeth, however, held fast to her vow, even threatening to cut off her own nose so that no man would find her attractive enough to marry. Elizabeth's second child Sophie of Thuringia (1224–1275) married Henry II, Duke of Brabant , and
287-514: A literary flourishing at the court of Count Hermann I in the early 13th century. Wolfram von Eschenbach and Walther von der Vogelweide ) as well as (Klingsor of Hungary and Heinrich von Ofterdingen ) minstrels participated in the competition. Reinmar von Zweter , a Minnesänger, is anachronistically listed as a participant. The songs of the Wartburgkrieg have not been discovered in the original, but various versions can be found within
328-416: A prince. Heinrich von Ofterdingen was the most eloquent, but earned the envy of the other minstrels, who tricked him into earning a death sentence. Heinrich gained the protection of Countess Sophia and a one-year reprieve, during which he went to Hungary and sought the assistance of the sorcerer Klingsor. Heinrich and Klingsor returned to Thuringia to resume the contest. The Rätselspiel ("mystery game")
369-609: Is remembered in the Church of England with a Lesser Festival on 18 November and in the Episcopal Church on 19 November . After her death, Elizabeth was commonly associated with the Third Order of Saint Francis , the primarily lay branch of the Franciscan Order, which has helped propagate her cult. Whether she ever actually joined the order, only recently founded in 1221, the year when she married Louis at
410-469: Is now a Protestant church, but has spaces set aside for Catholic worship. Elizabeth's shrine became one of the main German centers of pilgrimage of the 14th century and early 15th century. During the course of the 15th century, the popularity of the cult of Saint Elizabeth slowly faded, though to some extent this was mitigated by an aristocratic devotion to St Elizabeth, since through her daughter Sophia she
451-407: Is the largest of them, making the viewer believe that he or she is actually witnessing the event. The inscription reads: “In this hall the singer’s contest was held on the 7th of July 1207, for the birthday of Saint Elizabeth .” (“ In diesem Saale wurde der Sängerstreit gehalten den 7ten Juli 1207, dem Geburtstag der Heil. Elisabeth .”) Dietrich von Apolda Dietrich of Apolda (died 1302)
SECTION 10
#1732772394191492-622: The miracle of the roses to Elizabeth's childhood in Sárospatak and has her leave Hungary at the age of five. According to a different tradition she was born in Pozsony , Hungary (present-day Bratislava , Slovakia ), where she lived in the Castle of Posonium until the age of four. Elizabeth was brought to the court of the rulers of Thuringia in central Germany, to be betrothed to Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia (also known as Ludwig IV),
533-633: The 700-year anniversary of her death, Hungary issued a set of four stamps in her honor: on 21 April 1932; on 1 August 1944 one postage stamp was issued; on 16 July 1938 Czechoslovakia issued a stamp in her honor showing the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth in Košice . She was declared the patron saint of the same city in 2019. The hymn " Wenn das Brot, das wir teilen ", written for a pilgrimage to places in Thuringia connected to her life, refers to her Miracle of
574-681: The Great of the Kievan Rus' . According to tradition, she was born in Hungary , possibly in the castle of Sárospatak , on 7 July 1207. However, a sermon printed in 1497 by the Franciscan friar Osvaldus de Lasco , a church official in Hungary, is the first source to specifically name Sárospatak as Elizabeth's birthplace, potentially building on local tradition. Osvaldus also translates
615-562: The Middle Ages), which contained an account of the Sängerkrieg . Interest in the minstrels grew in popularity, as evidenced by the publication of “ Heinrich von Ofterdingen ” by Novalis in 1802. While Novalis did not describe the Sängerkrieg itself, the event was central to E. T. A. Hoffmanns Der Kampf der Sänger (1818). An account of the contest could also be found in the Grimm Brothers ' Deutsche Sagen (1816). One of
656-660: The abbey of Reinhardsbrunn . After Louis' death, his brother, Henry Raspe , assumed the regency during the minority of Elizabeth's eldest child, Hermann (1222–1241). After bitter arguments over the disposal of her dowry—a conflict in which Konrad was appointed as the official Defender of her case by Pope Gregory IX —Elizabeth left the court at Wartburg and moved to Marburg in Hesse . Her move seems to have been partly influenced by Konrad's strict dietary commands, which could not be met at Wartburg. Following her husband's death, Elizabeth made solemn vows to Konrad similar to those of
697-526: The age of fourteen, is not proven to everyone's satisfaction. It must be kept in mind though that the Third Order was such a new development in the Franciscan movement, that no one official ritual had been established at that point. Elizabeth clearly had a ceremony of consecration in which she adopted a Franciscan religious habit in her new way of life, as noted above. Because of her support of
738-553: The blending of these stories, because he could also embody the same demonic forces which had trapped Tannhäuser under the spell of the Lady Venus. In the early 19th century, the Wartburg re-emerged as a German cultural symbol, and restoration work began in 1838. As part of this restoration, Moritz von Schwind painted frescoes in several parts of the castle between 1854 and 1856. The Minstrel Contest Fresco ( Sängerstreitfresko )
779-708: The church of the Carmelites in Brussels ; another in the magnificent chapel of La Roche-Guyon , and a considerable part in a precious shrine is in the electoral treasury of Hanover. Another part of her relics were taken to Bogotá , then the capital of the Spanish New Kingdom of Granada , by friar Luis Zapata de Cárdenas . The relics are today inside a chapel dedicated to the saint in the Primatial Cathedral of Bogotá . Elizabeth of Hungary
820-575: The contest such as the Fürstenlob and the Rätselspiel . The Fürstenlob ("princely praise") was a contest among six minstrels: Heinrich von Ofterdingen, Walther von der Vogelweide, Biterolf, Reinmar von Zweter, Wolfram von Eschenbach and Heinrich Schreiber. The six singers were placed before the Count and Countess of Thuringia, in order to determine which best understood how to sing praises of
861-596: The crowned agate chalice in which her head rested, but returned it after being imprisoned by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor . The reliquary chalice was subsequently plundered by Swedish troops during the Thirty Years' War , and is now on display at the Swedish History Museum . Her skull and some of her bones can be seen at the convent in Vienna bearing her name. A portion of her relics were kept in
SECTION 20
#1732772394191902-528: The eyes of his soul, and instead of a leper he saw the figure of Christ crucified stretched upon the bed." This story also appears in Franz Liszt 's oratorio about Elizabeth. Elizabeth died in Marburg at the age of twenty-four, on 17 November 1231. Very soon after the death of Elizabeth, miracles were reported that happened at her grave in the church of the hospital, especially those of healing. On
943-446: The friars sent to Thuringia, she was made known to the founder, St Francis of Assisi , who sent her a personal message of blessing shortly before his death in 1226. Upon her canonization, she was declared the patron saint of the Third Order of St Francis, an honor she shares with St Louis IX of France . Saint Elizabeth is often depicted holding a basket of bread, or some other sort of food or beverage, characteristic of her devotion to
984-475: The great Liederhandschriften of the late Middle Ages (the Codex Manesse , Jenaer Liederhandschrift , Kolmarer Liederhandschrift ). A collection of lyrical poems entitled " Der Sängerkrieg auf der Wartburg ", written between 1240 and 1260, was translated into modern German by Karl Simrock and published in 1858. The oldest poetic accounts, dating from the 13th century, describe specific episodes of
1025-490: The ideals of Francis of Assisi , but started to live them. Louis was not upset by his wife's charitable efforts, believing that the distribution of his wealth to the poor would bring eternal reward; he is venerated in Thuringia as a saint, though he was never canonized by the church. It was also about this time that the priest and later inquisitor Konrad von Marburg gained considerable influence over Elizabeth when he
1066-560: The most famous interpretations is Richard Wagner's Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg (1845). Wagner was the first to merge the Tannhäuser legend with the Wartburg Sängerkrieg. In Wagner's version, the Sängerkrieg is completely subordinated to the Tannhäuser story and the theme of release ( Erlösung ). The mythical sorcerer Klingsor, as an adversary of Christian conviction, is the figure which made possible
1107-575: The most tormented slaves under the sun." The year 2007 was proclaimed Elizabeth Year in Marburg. All year, events commemorating Elizabeth's life and works were held, culminating in a town-wide festival to celebrate the 800th anniversary of her birth on 7 July 2007. Pilgrims came from all over the world for the occasion, which ended with a special service in the Elisabeth Church that evening. A new musical based on Elizabeth's life, Elisabeth--die Legende einer Heiligen ( Elizabeth--Legend of
1148-614: The poor and hungry. The "miracle of the roses" has also proved a popular theme for artists. Peter Janssens composed a musical play ("Musikspiel") Elisabeth von Thüringen in 1984 on a libretto by Hermann Schulze-Berndt [ de ] . In Charlotte Brontë 's novel Villette , the Protestant narrator includes the story of Elizabeth's involvement with von Marburg as one of several Catholic stories of confessors "who had wickedly abused their office, trampling to deep degradation high-born ladies, making of countesses and princesses
1189-470: The poor in secret, she met her husband Louis on a hunting party (or in some versions Louis' brother Heinrich Raspe), to quell suspicions of the gentry that she was stealing treasure from the castle, asked her to reveal what was hidden under her cloak. In that moment, her cloak fell open and a vision of white and red roses could be seen, which proved to Louis that God's protecting hand was at work. However, this contradicts her vitae , which state that her husband
1230-560: The poor. Elizabeth's life changed irrevocably on 11 September 1227 when Louis, en route to join the Sixth Crusade , died of a fever in Otranto , Italy , just a few weeks before the birth of her daughter Gertrude. Upon hearing the news of her husband's death, the 20-year-old Elizabeth reportedly said, "He is dead. He is dead. It is to me as if the whole world died today." His remains were returned to Elizabeth in 1228 and entombed at
1271-430: The sick with the money from her dowry, where she and her companions cared for them. The popular legend of the miracle of the roses was originally attributed to Elizabeth of Portugal , is absent from Elizabeth of Thuringia's earliest hagiography and was only later attributed to the latter. It also appears in that of many other saints. The version attributing it to Elizabeth of Hungary states that, while taking bread to
Sängerkrieg - Misplaced Pages Continue
1312-504: The suggestion of Konrad, and by papal command, examinations were held of those who had been healed between August 1232 and January 1235. The results of those examinations was supplemented by a brief vita of the saint-to-be, and together with the testimony of Elizabeth's handmaidens and companions (bound in a booklet called the Libellus de dictis quatuor ancillarum s. Elizabeth confectus ), proved sufficient reason for quick canonization. She
1353-750: Was canonized by Pope Gregory IX on 24 May 1235. The papal bull declaring her a saint is on display in the Schatzkammer of the Deutschordenskirche in Vienna . Her body was laid in a magnificent golden shrine—still to be seen today—in the Elisabethkirche in Marburg. Marburg became a center of the Teutonic Order , which adopted Saint Elizabeth as its secondary patroness. The Order remained in Marburg until its official dissolution by Napoleon in 1803. The Elisabethkirche
1394-663: Was a German Dominican hagiographer , writing towards the end of the thirteenth century. He wrote a popular life of Elizabeth of Hungary , including mythical elements such as the sorcerer Klingsor. He also wrote a lengthy life of St. Dominic , supported by Munio of Zamora . This article about a German historian is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . St. Elizabeth of Hungary Elizabeth of Hungary ( German : Heilige Elisabeth von Thüringen , Hungarian : Árpád-házi Szent Erzsébet , Slovak : Svätá Alžbeta Uhorská ; 7 July 1207 – 17 November 1231), also known as Elisabeth of Thuringia ,
1435-457: Was a princess of the Kingdom of Hungary and the landgravine of Thuringia . Elizabeth was married at the age of 14, and widowed at 20. After her husband's death, she regained her dowry , using the money to build a hospital where she herself served the sick. She became a symbol of Christian charity after her death in 1231 at the age of 24 and was canonized on 25 May 1235. She is venerated as
1476-563: Was an ancestor of many leading aristocratic German families. Three hundred years after her death, one of Elizabeth's many descendants, Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse , a leader of the Protestant Reformation , raided the church in Marburg. He demanded that the Teutonic Order hand over Elizabeth's bones, in order to disperse her relics and thus put an end to the already declining pilgrimages to Marburg. Philip took away
1517-610: Was appointed as her confessor . In the spring of 1226, when floods, famine and plague wrought havoc in Thuringia, Louis, a staunch supporter of the Hohenstaufen Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor , represented Frederick II at the Imperial Diet held in Cremona . Elizabeth assumed control of affairs at home and distributed alms in all parts of their territory, even giving away state robes and ornaments to
1558-600: Was conducted throughout the Order, across the globe. There were also religious ceremonies held worldwide during that period. The yearlong observance of the centennial which began on her feast day in 2007 was closed at the General Chapter of the Order, held in Budapest in 2008. The New York region of the Order produced a movie of her life, produced by a sister of the Order, Lori Pieper. Saint Elizabeth of Hungary: On
1599-462: Was never troubled by her charity and always supported it. Another story told of Elizabeth, also found in Dietrich of Apolda's Vita , relates how she laid the leper Helias of Eisenach in the bed she shared with her husband. Her mother-in-law, who was horrified, told this immediately to Louis on his return. When Louis removed the bedclothes in great indignation, at that instant "Almighty God opened
1640-643: Was the ancestress of the Landgraves of Hesse, since in the War of the Thuringian Succession she won Hesse for her son Heinrich I , called the Child . Elizabeth's third child, Gertrude of Altenberg (1227–1297), was born several weeks after the death of her father; she became abbess of the monastery of Altenberg Abbey, Hesse near Wetzlar . Elizabeth built a hospital at Marburg for the poor and
1681-583: Was the subsequent poetic duel between Wolfram von Eschenbach and the Hungarian sorcerer Klingsor. Wolfram proved himself capable and eloquent, and when Klingsor grew weary he summoned a demon to continue the duel. When Wolfram began to sing of the Christian mysteries, the demon was unable to respond. The history of the Sängerkrieg in modern literature begins in the 18th century with Johann Jakob Bodmer 's Wiederentdeckung des Mittelalters (Rediscovery of