Synopsis
After a general introductory formula in which the poet claims to know of King Ludwig (thereby implying the reliability of what he has to say) this king’s prehistory is briefly sketched: the loss of his father at an early age, his adoption by God for his upbringing, his enthronement by divine authority as ruler of the Franks, and the sharing of his kingdom with his brother Karlmann. l. 1–8 After these succinct eight lines the narrative action starts with God’s testing of the young ruler in sending the Northmen across the sea to attack the Franks as a punishment for their sinfulness, who are thereby prompted to mend their ways by due penance. l. 9–18The kingdom is in disarray not merely because of the Viking aggression, but more particularly because of Ludwig's absence, who is accordingly ordered by God to return and do battle. l. 19–26 Raising his war-banner Ludwig returns to the Franks, who greet him with acclamation as one for whom they have long been waiting. Ludwig holds a council of war with his battle-companions, the powerful ones in his realm, and with the promise of reward encourages them to follow him into battle. l 27–41He sets out, discovers the whereabouts of the enemy and, after a Christian battle-song, joins battle, which is described briefly, but in noticeably more stirring terms. Victory is won, not least thanks to Ludwig’s inborn bravery. l. 42-54 The poem closes with thanks to God and the saints for having granted Ludwig victory in battle, with praise of the king himself and with a prayer for God to preserve him in grace. l. 55–59/blockquote>
Genre
Although the poem is Christian in content, and the use of rhyme reflects Christian rather than pagan Germanic poetry, it is often assigned to the genre of ''Preislied'', a song in praise of a warrior, of a type which is presumed to have been common in Germanicoral tradition Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication wherein knowledge, art, ideas and cultural material is received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another. Vansina, Jan: ''Oral Tradition as History'' (1985 .... Not all scholars agree, however. Other Carolingian-era Latinencomia ''Encomium'' is a Latin word deriving from the Ancient Greek ''enkomion'' (), meaning "the praise of a person or thing." Another Latin equivalent is ''laudatio'', a speech in praise of someone or something. Originally was the song sung by the c ...are known for KingPippin of Italy Pepin or Pippin (or ''Pepin Carloman'', ''Pepinno'', April 777 – 8 July 810), born Carloman, was the son of Charlemagne and King of the Lombards (781–810) under the authority of his father. Pepin was the second son of Charlemagne by his th ...(796) and the Emperor Louis II (871), and the rhyming form may have been inspired by the same form in Otfrid of Weissenburg's ''Evangelienbuch'' (Gospel Book), finished before 871.
Language
The text is principally written in aRhine Franconian __NOTOC__ Rhenish Franconian or Rhine Franconian (german: Rheinfränkisch ) is a dialect chain of West Central German. It comprises the varieties of German spoken across the western regions of the states of Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, north ...variant ofOld High German Old High German (OHG; german: Althochdeutsch (Ahd.)) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally covering the period from around 750 to 1050. There is no standardised or supra-regional form of German at this period, and Old High ..., though with certain other, possiblyWest Frankish In medieval history, West Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the West Franks () refers to the western part of the Frankish Empire established by Charlemagne. It represents the earliest stage of the Kingdom of France, lasting from about ..., influences. The writer of the text is often assumed to have been a native Romance-speaker.Rosamond McKitterick: The Carolingians and the Written Word, Volume 10, Cambridge University Press, 1989, pp. 235.
Notes
Bibliography
* ''Althochdeutsches Lesebuch'', ed. W. Braune, K. Helm, E. A. Ebbinghaus, 17th ed., Tübingen 1994. . Includes the standard edition of the text. * Includes a translation into English
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* * * * * * * * * * * * *Wolf, Alois. "Medieval Heroic Traditions and Their Transitions from Orality to Literacy". In ''Vox Intexta: Orality and Textuality in the Middle Ages'', ed. A. N. Doane and C. B. Pasternack, 67–88.Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...:University of Wisconsin Press The University of Wisconsin Press (sometimes abbreviated as UW Press) is a non-profit university press publishing peer-reviewed books and journals. It publishes work by scholars from the global academic community; works of fiction, memoir and po ..., 1991
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* {{refend
External links
Le Rithmus teutonicus ou Ludwigslied
- facsimile and bibliography from the Bibliothèque Municipale, Valenciennes (in French)
(Bibliotheca Augustana)
(Bibliotheca Augustana)
from Wright's ''Old High German Primer'' (1888)
OHG text with modern French translation
Medieval German poems Old High German literature Military history of the Carolingian Empire