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''Die Rabenschlacht'' (The Battle of Ravenna) is an anonymous 13th-century
Middle High German Middle High German (MHG; german: Mittelhochdeutsch (Mhd.)) is the term for the form of German spoken in the High Middle Ages. It is conventionally dated between 1050 and 1350, developing from Old High German and into Early New High German. Hi ...
poem about the hero
Dietrich von Bern Dietrich von Bern is the name of a character in Germanic heroic legend who originated as a legendary version of the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great. The name "Dietrich", meaning "Ruler of the People", is a form of the Germanic name "Theodor ...
, the counterpart of the historical Ostrogothic king
Theodoric the Great Theodoric (or Theoderic) the Great (454 – 30 August 526), also called Theodoric the Amal ( got, , *Þiudareiks; Greek: , romanized: ; Latin: ), was king of the Ostrogoths (471–526), and ruler of the independent Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy ...
in
Germanic heroic legend Germanic heroic legend (german: germanische Heldensage) is the heroic literary tradition of the Germanic-speaking peoples, most of which originates or is set in the Migration Period (4th-6th centuries AD). Stories from this time period, to which ...
. It is part of the so-called "historical" Dietrich material and is closely related to, and always transmitted together with, a second Dietrich poem, '' Dietrichs Flucht''. At one time, both poems were thought to have the same author, possibly a certain Heinrich der Vogler, but stylistic differences have led more recent scholarship to abandon this idea. ''Die Rabenschlacht'' concerns a failed attempt by the exiled Dietrich to reclaim his kingdom in Northern Italy from his treacherous uncle Ermenrich, with the help of an army provided by Etzel, king of the
Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European tradition, they were first reported living east of the Volga River, in an area that was par ...
. In the course of this attempt, Dietrich's younger brother and Etzel's young sons by his wife Helche are killed by Dietrich's former vassal
Witege Witege, Witige or Wittich ( ang, Wudga, Widia; Gotho- lat, Vidigoia) or Vidrik "Vidga" Verlandsson ( + ''Viðga'' or ''Videke'' + ''Verlandsson'', ''Vallandsson'', or ''Villandsson'') is a character in several Germanic heroic legends, poems abou ...
outside of
Ravenna Ravenna ( , , also ; rgn, Ravèna) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire from 408 until its collapse in 476. It then served as the cap ...
. Witege then flees into the sea and is rescued by a mermaid rather than fighting against Dietrich. The poem may be a dim reflection of the death of Attila's son
Ellac Ellac (died in 454 AD) was the oldest son of Attila (434–453) and Kreka. After Attila's death in 453 AD, his Empire crumbled and its remains were ruled by his three sons, Ellac, Dengizich and Ernak. He ruled shortly, and died at the Battle of ...
at the
Battle of Nedao The Battle of Nedao was a battle fought in Pannonia in 454 between the Huns and their former Germanic vassals. Nedao is believed to be a tributary of the Sava River. Battle After the death of Attila the Hun, allied forces of the subject peoples ...
in 454, combined with Theodoric the Great's siege of Ravenna in 491–493. It would therefore be one of the oldest parts of the legends about Dietrich von Bern.


Summary

''Die Rabenschlacht'' begins a year after the end of ''Dietrichs Flucht'', with Dietrich still in exile at the court of Etzel. Dietrich is still saddened by the loss of his men in the previous poem, especially
Alphart ''Alpharts Tod'' (The Death of Alphart) is an anonymous late medieval Middle High German poem in the poetic cycle of the hero Dietrich von Bern, the counterpart of the historical Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great in Germanic heroic legend. It i ...
. Etzel announces that he will give Dietrich a new army, and there is a large feast to celebrate Dietrich's marriage to Herrad, niece of his wife Helche. Helche, however, is troubled by a dream in which a wild dragon carries away her two sons and rips them to shreds. Meanwhile, a new army is assembled at Etzelburg. Helche and Etzel's sons Orte and Scharpfe beg Helche to be allowed to join the army. Etzel and Dietrich come in upon this conversation, and Etzel categorically refuses. Dietrich, however, promises to take good care of the young princes, so that Helche agrees and Orte and Scharpfe join the army. The army arrives in Italy, where it is greeted by Dietrich's loyal vassals who have remained there after the last campaign. Dietrich learns that Ermenrich has assembled a large army at
Ravenna Ravenna ( , , also ; rgn, Ravèna) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire from 408 until its collapse in 476. It then served as the cap ...
. The army heads to Bern ( Verona), where Dietrich's young brother Diether has remained. Dietrich decides to leave Etzel's children with Diether in the care of the older warrior Elsan, and marches to Ravenna. The children, however, under the pretext of viewing the city, convince a reluctant Elsan to let them leave the city. They get lost and end up on the road to Ravenna, while Elsan looks for them in despair. Once the young warriors have spent a night outside the city, they reach the shore of the sea. In the dawn they encounter
Witege Witege, Witige or Wittich ( ang, Wudga, Widia; Gotho- lat, Vidigoia) or Vidrik "Vidga" Verlandsson ( + ''Viðga'' or ''Videke'' + ''Verlandsson'', ''Vallandsson'', or ''Villandsson'') is a character in several Germanic heroic legends, poems abou ...
. Diether tells Etzel's children that Witege is a warrior who betrayed Dietrich, and the three young warriors attack. Witege slays each of them in difficult combat; he is deeply distressed and laments Diether's death especially. Meanwhile, Dietrich fights a gruelling twelve-day battle outside Ravenna, defeating Ermenrich, who escapes. His treacherous advisor Sibeche, however, is captured by Eckehart, who ties him naked to a horse and leads him across the battlefield to avenge the death of the Harlungen at Sibeche's advice. As the dead are gathered to be buried, Elsan arrives with news that Etzel's sons are missing. The warrior Helpfrich then comes with news of their deaths. Dietrich finds their bodies on the seashore and breaks into despairing laments. He recognizes that the wounds on the young warriors bodies could only have been made by Witege's sword Mimming. Witege is then spotted; Dietrich jumps on his horse to attack, but Witege flees on his horse Schemming. Witege's uncle Rienolt, however, is also with him, and he turns to fight Dietrich and is slain. Dietrich pursues Witege to the edge of the sea and very nearly catches him, but Witege rides into the sea where he is rescued by the sea-spirit/
mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are sometimes asso ...
(MHG ''merminne'') Wâchilt who was his ancestress (identifiable more specifically as his great-grandmother in ''
Þiðreks saga ''Þiðreks saga af Bern'' ('the saga of Þiðrekr of Bern', also ''Þiðrekssaga'', ''Þiðriks saga'', ''Niflunga saga'' or ''Vilkina saga'', with Anglicisations including ''Thidreksaga'') is an Old Norse chivalric saga centering the character ...
''). She tells him that Dietrich was so hot with anger that his armor was soft, and Witige could have easily defeated him. Now, however, the armor had hardened, and thirty Witiges could not defeat Dietrich. Dietrich meanwhile mourns on the shore. He goes back to Ravenna, where Ermenrich has fortified himself, and storms the city. Ermernich escapes, however, and Dietrich orders the city burned, as the inhabitants surrender. Rüdiger rides back to Hunland to bring Etzel the news of his sons deaths; however, Orte and Scharpfe's horses arrive at Etzelburg with bloody saddles. Helche is beside herself, but Rüdiger is able to calm her. Etzel sees that his sons deaths are not Dietrich's fault, and Dietrich returns to Etzel's court and back into Etzel and Helche's good graces.


Dating, creation, and transmission

''Die Rabenschlacht'' is transmitted together with ''Dietrichs Flucht'' in four complete manuscripts and alone in one fragmentary manuscript: *Riedegger Manuscript (R), Staatsbibliothek Berlin, Ms. germ 2o 1062, on parchment from the end of the thirteenth century, from
Niederösterreich Lower Austria (german: Niederösterreich; Austro-Bavarian: ''Niedaöstareich'', ''Niedaestareich'') is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Since 1986, the capital of Lower Austria has been Sankt P� ...
. Contains various literary texts. *Windhager Manuscript (W), Österreichische Nationalbibliothek Vienna, Cod. 2779, parchment, first quarter of the fourteenth century, from Niederösterreich. Contains various literary texts and the Kaiserchronik. * (P) Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg, Cpg 314, paper, 1443/47, from Augsburg. Contains various literary texts. *
Ambraser Heldenbuch The Ambraser Heldenbuch ("The Ambras Castle Book of Heroes") is a 16th-century manuscript written in Early New High German, now held in the Austrian National Library (signature Cod. ser. nova 2663). It contains a collection of 25 Middle High Germ ...
(A), Österreichische Nationalbibliothek Vienna, Cod. Series Nova 2663, parchment, 1504/1515, from Tyrol. Various literary texts. * Universitätsbibliothek Graz, Ms. 1969 (S), parchment, mid fourteenth-century, in Austro-Bavarian dialect. Contains a fragment of Die Rabenschlacht. The origins of the earliest manuscripts as well as the dialect of the poem indicate that it was composed in Austria, sometime before 1300. Most modern scholarship holds ''Die Rabenschlacht'' to have been composed earlier than Dietrichs Flucht: Joachim Heinzle notes that ''Die Rabenschlacht'' contains allusions to
Wolfram von Eschenbach Wolfram von Eschenbach (; – ) was a German knight, poet and composer, regarded as one of the greatest epic poets of medieval German literature. As a Minnesinger, he also wrote lyric poetry. Life Little is known of Wolfram's life. There a ...
's ''Willehlam'' (c. 1220) and cannot have been composed any earlier than that. Werner Hoffmann suggests that ''Die Rabenschlacht'' may have been composed around 1270, before being reworked and placed together with ''Dietrichs Flucht'' in the 1280s. Victor Millet questions whether ''Die Rabenschlacht'' is really an earlier work than ''Dietrichs Flucht'', and Elisabeth Lienert suggests that the poems were actually composed at roughly the same time, though older versions of ''Die Rabenschlacht'' must have existed. As with almost all German
heroic epic An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. ...
, ''Die Rabenschlacht'' is anonymous. Early scholarship believed that both ''Dietrichs Fluch'' and ''Die Rabenschlacht'' had a single author, Heinrich der Vogler; however, the formal and stylistic differences between the two epics have caused this theory to be abandoned. The manuscript transmission nevertheless makes clear that ''Die Rabenschlacht'' and ''Dietrichs Flucht'' were viewed as a single work by contemporaries. Someone, perhaps Heinrich der Vogler, has also reworked both texts to an extent so that their contents do not contradict each other.


Metrical form

''Die Rabenschlacht'' consists of 1140 unique stanzas, in a form that is not found in any other poem. Like other stanzaic heroic poems, it was probably meant to be sung, but no melody survives. Heinzle analyzes the stanza as consisting of three "Langzeilen" with rhymes at the
caesura 300px, An example of a caesura in modern western music notation A caesura (, . caesuras or caesurae; Latin for "cutting"), also written cæsura and cesura, is a metrical pause or break in a verse where one phrase ends and another phrase begins. ...
s: a, , b, a, , b, c, , c. The first line consists of three metrical feet before the caesura, then three additional feet; the second of three feet before the caesura, then four additional feet; and the third of three feet before the caesura, and five or even six additional feet. Heinzle prints the following example as typical: :Welt ir in alten maeren a , , wunder hoeren sagen, b :von recken lobebaeren, a , , sô sult ir gerne dar zuo dagen. b :von grôzer herverte, c , , wie der von Bern sît sîniu lant erwerte c In some stanzas, the rhymes at the caesura in lines 1 and 2 are absent, giving a scheme: x, b, x, b, c, c. It is also possible to interpret the stanza as consisting of six shorter lines, with
rhyme scheme A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhymes at the end of each line of a poem or song. It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme; lines designated with the same letter all rhyme with each other. An example of the ABAB r ...
ABABCC. Consequently, the same stanza as above is printed in the edition by Elisabeth Lienert and Dorit Wolter as: :Welt ir in alten mæren a :wnder horen sagen b :von rekchen lobewæren, a :so sult ir gerne dar zů dagen. b :Von grozer herverte, c :wie der von Bern sit siniu lant erwerte c


Genre and themes

''Die Rabenschlacht'' has been described as "elegiac" and "sentimental," particularly in relation to '' Dietrichs Flucht''. Stylistically, the poem is notable for its hyperbole in its depictions of violence—the battle at Ravenna takes twelve days and the warriors literally wade in blood among mountains of corpses—and emotions, particularly of grief. The numbers of warriors involved are similarly exaggerated, with Ermenrich's army including 1,100,00 (''eilf hundert tūsent'') warriors or more. Neither Werner Hoffmann nor Victor Millet see the poem as particularly heroic, with Millet nevertheless noting that the poem does not criticize the use of violence. The poem makes numerous allusions to the ''Nibelungenlied'', beginning with the opening stanza, which cites the opening stanza of the C version of the ''Nibelungenlied''. Edward Haymes and Susan Samples suggest that the poem exists as a kind of prequel to the ''Nibelungenlied.'' In the course of the poem, characters from the ''Nibelungenlied'' fight on the side of Ermenrich, including
Siegfried Siegfried is a German-language male given name, composed from the Germanic elements ''sig'' "victory" and ''frithu'' "protection, peace". The German name has the Old Norse cognate ''Sigfriðr, Sigfrøðr'', which gives rise to Swedish ''Sigfrid' ...
, Gunther and Volker, as well as their enemies from the ''Nibelungenlied'', Liudegast and Liudeger. Siegfried is defeated by Dietrich and forced to plea for his life, confirming Dietrich's superiority. Michael Curschmann holds the encounters between Dietrich and Siegfried here and in the ''
Rosengarten zu Worms Dietrich and Siegfried from a 15th-century manuscript of the ''Rosengarten zu Worms'' ''Der Rosengarten zu Worms'' (the rose garden at Worms), sometimes called ''Der große Rosengarten'' (the big rose garden) to differentiate it from ''Der kleine ...
'' to have their origins in an oral tradition. However, Elisabeth Lienert sees the battles in ''Die Rabenschlacht'' as part of a literary rivalry between the two traditions, an intertextual relationship. The poem includes allusions to other thirteenth-century literary texts as well, including Wolfram von Eschenbach's ''Willehalm''. This confirms its nature as a literary text, in dialogue with other literature.


Relation to oral tradition

The general outline of the story told in ', about the death of Etzel and Herche's sons, is often considered to be one of the oldest components of the legend of Theodoric. It is first alluded to in the ''
Nibelungenklage ''Die Nibelungenklage'' or ''Die Klage'' (English: the lament; Middle High German: ''Diu Klage'') is an anonymous Middle High German heroic poem. The poem describes the laments for and burial of the dead from the ''Nibelungenlied'', as well as the ...
'', a poem likely written shortly after the ''
Nibelungenlied The ( gmh, Der Nibelunge liet or ), translated as ''The Song of the Nibelungs'', is an epic poem written around 1200 in Middle High German. Its anonymous poet was likely from the region of Passau. The is based on an oral tradition of Germanic h ...
'' (c. 1200). Older scholarship proposed a Gothic song as the earliest version. According to this theory, the song was inspired by the
Battle of Nedao The Battle of Nedao was a battle fought in Pannonia in 454 between the Huns and their former Germanic vassals. Nedao is believed to be a tributary of the Sava River. Battle After the death of Attila the Hun, allied forces of the subject peoples ...
(454), a rebellion of Germanic tribes after the death of Attila the Hun, in which Attila's favorite son and successor
Ellac Ellac (died in 454 AD) was the oldest son of Attila (434–453) and Kreka. After Attila's death in 453 AD, his Empire crumbled and its remains were ruled by his three sons, Ellac, Dengizich and Ernak. He ruled shortly, and died at the Battle of ...
died.
Theodoric the Great Theodoric (or Theoderic) the Great (454 – 30 August 526), also called Theodoric the Amal ( got, , *Þiudareiks; Greek: , romanized: ; Latin: ), was king of the Ostrogoths (471–526), and ruler of the independent Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy ...
's father Theodemar is thought to have fought on the side of the Huns in this battle, with his actions transferred to his more famous son in the oral tradition. Elisabeth Lienert suggests the poem's location at Ravenna may have been influenced by the historical Theodoric the Great besieging his enemy
Odoacer Odoacer ( ; – 15 March 493 AD), also spelled Odovacer or Odovacar, was a soldier and statesman of barbarian background, who deposed the child emperor Romulus Augustulus and became Rex/Dux (476–493). Odoacer's overthrow of Romulus Augustu ...
there from 491 to 493. Witige's character is sometimes thought to have been influenced by Witigis, a Gothic king and usurper who surrendered
Ravenna Ravenna ( , , also ; rgn, Ravèna) is the capital city of the Province of Ravenna, in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy. It was the capital city of the Western Roman Empire from 408 until its collapse in 476. It then served as the cap ...
to the
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
army. Diether is similarly thought to have a connection to the historical
Theodahad Theodahad, also known as Thiudahad ( la, Flavius Theodahatus , Theodahadus, Theodatus; 480 – December 536) was king of the Ostrogoths from 534 to 536. Early life Born at in Tauresium, Theodahad was a nephew of Theodoric the Great through ...
, whom Witigis betrayed, usurping the Ostrogothic throne. Werner Hoffmann suggests that Ermenrich's rather small role in ''Die Rabenschlacht'' is because the original tale of Witige killing Etzel's sons and Diether has been only roughly inserted into the larger framework of Dietrich's exile. Joachim Heinzle largely dismisses such attempts at deducing the roots of the poem as unfruitful. An alternative version of the events of the ''Rabenschlacht'' is found in the Old Norse '' Thidrekssaga''. There we are told that King Ermanrik was misled into attacking his nephew Didrik because of his counsellor Sifka (Sibeche in Middle High German), who was avenging Ermanrik's rape of his wife by leading him to his doom. Didrik goes into exile at Attila's court and makes an attempt to return to his kingdom with a Hunnish army, bringing along his brother Thether (Diether) and Attila's two sons Erp and Ortwin. The army fights a mighty battle against Ermanrik at Gronsport on the Mosel and defeats him. During the battle, Wiðga (Witege) kills Thether, Erp, and Ortwin; Didrik pursues Wiðga, breathing fire, until the latter disappears in the (non-existent) mouth of the Mosel into the sea. Didrik throws his spear after Wiðga, and one can still see it today. Didrik then returns to exile. Joachim Heinzle notes that it is unclear how much of the variation between the version found in ''Die Rabenschlacht'' and that found in the ''Thidrekssaga'' is the work of the latter's compiler or comes from alternative versions in oral circulation. The late medieval Heldenbuch-Prosa corroborates the ''Thidrekssaga'''s version of the story of why Sibeche betrayed Ermenrich, and it is clear that the composer of the Heldenbuch-Prosa did not have access to the ''Thidrekssaga''. This indicates that at least some of the ''Thidrekssaga'''s changes may come from oral tradition, indicating the existence of multiple versions of the story. The scholar Norbert Voorwinden has suggested that the author of ''Die Rabenschlacht'' was largely unaware of the oral tradition, creating an entirely new work on the basis of an allusion to the death of Etzel's sons in the ''Nibelungenklage''. Attempts have been made to connect the catalogues of warriors found in the work with signs of oral formulaic composition.


Explanatory notes


References

;Citations


Editions

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Bibliography

* * * * * * Excerpts.
(English)--> * * * * * * * * *


External links


Facsimiles


Ambraser Heldenbuch (A)
Vienna. (''Dietrichs Flucht'' starts at image 167)
Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg, Cpg 314 (P)Riedegger Manuscript (R)
Berlin
Windhager Manuscript (W)
Vienna. (''Dietrichs Flucht'' starts at image 237) {{DEFAULTSORT:Rabenschlacht Dietrich von Bern cycle German heroic legends Middle High German literature German literature of the Late Middle Ages