Der Ritterspiegel

Johannes Rothe's Ritterspiegel [Mirror of Chivalry] with its 4108 verses is the most comprehensive medieval knightly primer in German. In all probability it was written for young nobles in the context of Rothe's work as school head in Eisenach from 1414. Apart from its significance for the history of literature as a didactic poem, the work provides a rich source of information on the cultural and legal history of chivalry. The Thuringian text has been newly edited and translated; the commentary resolves linguistic issues and historical references and elucidates the source materials for the work.