Critic of Courtliness in Konrad von Würzburg's Heinrich von Kempten

Abstract

Heinrich von Kempten, the short narrative in rhyming couplets by Konrad von Würzburg, tells the story of the conflict and reconciliation between the title protagonist and Emperor Otto. Violence and the ways of expressing it play a central role in this text, as has been noted by previous scholars. However, the representation and function of violence in this work has not yet been properly understood. I will argue that this narrative poem should be read against the background of anti-courtly literature, which criticizes manners and praises heroic actions. This offers new insights into the narrative, the relationship to its source (Godfrey von Viterbo's Pantheon) and the possible interest behind Konrad's patron, Berthold of Tiersberg. From this perspective, Heinrich von Kempten develops an ambiguous representation of court, which highlights its negative features, referring to a long-standing tradition of critique of courtliness without explicitly condemning all courtly behavior as such.