1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Minnesingers |←Minneapolis||1911
Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 18 |See also Minnesang on
Wikipedia, and our 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica disclaimer.|
MINNESINGERS (Ger. Minnesänger from Minne, love), the name given
to the German lyric poets of the 12th and 13th centuries. The
term Minnesang, strictly applicable to the poems expressing the
homage (Minnedienst) rendered by the knight to his mistress, is
applied to the whole body of lyric poetry of the period, whether
dealing with love, religion or politics. The idea of amour
courtois, with its excessive worship of woman, its minute
etiquette and its artificial sentiment, was introduced into
German poetry from Provençal literature; but the German
Minnesang was no slavish imitation of the poetry of the
troubadours. Its tone was, on the whole, far healthier and more
sincere, reflecting the difference between the simple conditions
of German life and the older and corrupt civilization of
Provence. The minnesinger usually belonged to th