Heinrich von dem Türlin
Heinrich von dem Türlin was a medieval poet known primarily for his epic poem "Diu Krone," which dates back to around 1230. This narrative focuses on the adventures of Sir Gawein and other knights from Arthurian legend, intertwining themes of heroism, virtue, and redemption. Türlin is thought to have lived in a region near modern-day Austria and likely belonged to a noble family, possibly writing under the patronage of influential dukes of the time. His education and literary style show strong influences from both German and French epic poetry, suggesting a deep engagement with the literary traditions of his era.
"Diu Krone" is notable not only for its complex structure, featuring nearly thirty thousand lines filled with numerous plots, subplots, and characters, but also for its exploration of the trials faced by King Arthur's court. The poem begins with festivities that hint at underlying corruption, ultimately highlighting Gawein's role as a savior who restores stability and honor to the court. Despite the existence of several manuscripts, the preservation of the text has posed challenges, with many being incomplete or inaccurate until they were meticulously edited in the 19th century. Today, the work remains an important piece of Arthurian literature, shedding light on medieval values and storytelling.
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Subject Terms
Heinrich von dem Türlin
Poet
- Born: fl. 13th century
Biography
Very little is known about the life of Heinrich von dem Türlin. His fame rests on one epic poem: Diu Krone (c. 1230), translated by J. Wesley Thomas as The Crown: A Tale of Sir Gawein and King Arthur’s Court. The narrative recounts adventures associated with the Arthurian knights of the Round Table.
It seems likely that Türlin lived in an area that is now Austria, near the Italian border. Some evidence based on a written record of a Heinrich von dem Turlein, dated 1229, has led to speculation that this was the same person; if that is true, he was from a noble family living in the town of Saint Veit and writing under the patronage of the duke of Sponheim. More recent research, however, indicates that Türlin was a trained church layperson and his language, at any rate, links him with the eastern Alps. He appears to have been well educated, to judge by the allusions in his writing and its parallels with major literary works, especially German and French epic poetry and legends; he built several of his tales directly out of these epics. Türlin also must have had a noble patron through whom he gained access to many manuscripts. Scholars have conjectured that this patron might have been not only Bernard, duke of Sponheim, but also Duke Friedrich II in Vienna and Count Görz and Count Palatine Otto of Andesch-Maran in Bavaria.
Some difficulty arises in ascertaining the true text of Diu Krone. There are several manuscripts, but all but one of them are incomplete, and the one that is complete is inaccurate in many ways. It was not until the mid-nineteenth century that Gottlieb Heinrich Friedrich Scholl sorted through all of these manuscripts to decide on a reasonable and credible text, and Scholl published his edited text of a Türlin work in 1852. Subsequently, Thomas studied the old manuscripts and published his English language translation in 1989.
In any event, the text of Diu Krone contains multiple stories and tales, most of them associated with exploits of Sir Gawein. Other figures associated with Arthur’s court also appear in the poem, including Ginovere, Lanzelet, and Arthur himself, but the focus is on the exploits of Sir Gawein. The poem contains scenes of combat, tests of virtue, magic potions, dragon slaying, fights with giants, and great quests, including the search for the Holy Grail. The narrative begins with indulgent festivities in King Arthur’s court and suggests a divisive corruption at work. In the course of the story, Gawein becomes a savior of the court and guarantees its stability. As a reward for his accomplishments, he defends and wins the hand of Amurfina, captures a stone that assures Arthur endless victories, and receives the gift of eternal youth from the Land of the Maidens.
The poem is long, consisting of nearly thirty thousand lines. It is also enormously complex, with multiple plots and subplots, a huge cast of characters, and excursions into wonderful and grotesque landscapes. Unlike many other treatments of the Arthurian legend, Diu Krone only concentrates on the redemption of Arthur’s court through Gawein’s efforts on behalf of his monarch and with the aid of the powerful Lady Fortune.