The Nibelungenlied and the Germanic Epic Tradition (c. 1200–1600)

1. Heroic legend reshaped for courtly audiences

   Jan 1, 1200Labels: Anonymous Poet, Danube Court, Nibelungenlied

   • Britannica
   • Britannica

2. Earliest surviving manuscript tradition begins

   Jan 1, 1220Labels: Manuscript Tradition, Nibelungenlied

   • World Epics
   • Britannica

3. Three principal manuscripts A, B, and C

   Jan 1, 1250Labels: Manuscript A, Manuscript B, Manuscript C

   • Britannica
   • World Epics

4. Nibelungenklage circulates alongside the epic

   Jan 1, 1250Labels: Nibelungenklage, Nibelungenlied

   • Nibelungenklage
   • Britannica

5. Rosengarten zu Worms blends heroic traditions

   Jan 1, 1250Labels: Rosengarten zu, Dietrich von

   • Rosengarten
   • Nibelungenlied

6. Epic’s popularity documented by broad manuscript survival

   Jan 1, 1300Labels: Manuscript Corpus, Nibelungenlied

   • Nibelungenlied
   • Britannica

7. First printed Heldenbuch starts heroic epic print era

   Jan 1, 1479Labels: Heldenbuch 1479, Early Printing

   • Heldenbuch
   • Christie s

8. Ambraser Heldenbuch preserves heroic epics in manuscript

   Jan 1, 1516Labels: Ambraser Heldenbuch, Maximilian I

   • Ambraser Heldenbuch
   • Ambraser DE

9. Hürnen Seyfrid enters early print culture

   Jan 1, 1530Labels: H rnen, Early Print

   • H rnen Seyfrid
   • Heldenbuch

10. Printed Heldenbücher keep heroic cycles available

    Jan 1, 1590Labels: Printed Heldenb, Book Market

    • Heldenbuch
    • Heldenbuch print

11. Manuscript C rediscovered at Hohenems Palace

    Jun 29, 1755Labels: Manuscript C, Hohenems Palace

    • Hands C DE
    • Nibelungenlied

12. Bodmer publishes early excerpts and reworkings

    Jan 1, 1757Labels: Johann Jakob, Nibelungenlied

    • Hands C DE
    • Nibelungenlied

13. Other key manuscripts are found in the 1700s

    Sep 9, 1779Labels: Manuscript B, Manuscript A

    • Hands C DE
    • Handschrift A DE

14. Myller issues a first complete printed edition

    Jan 1, 1782Labels: Christoph Myller, Printed Edition

    • Hands C DE
    • Nibelungenlied