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von der Vogelweide, Walther
(Author)
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Little is known of the life of Walther von der Vogelweide beyond what we can surmise from his poetry. He was born in Austria and spent much of his life wandering as a minstrel among various medieval courts. In 1220 he was granted a fief by the Emperor Friedrich II. Weary of courtly life, Walther resolved to join Friedrich II's crusade of 1227--28, and, since there are no further documents of his life, scholars usually presume that he died on the crusade. His love poems are unusual for their range, both in form and emotion. His political and philosophical lyrics even further surpass the poetic conventions of his day.
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