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Reinmar

Reinmar von Hagenau, commonly known as Reinmar der Alte, was a German Minnesänger active in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He is regarded as one of the earliest and most influential figures in the medieval tradition of Minnesang, the lyric poetry of courtly love. Although details of his life are uncertain, he is traditionally associated with Hagenau in the Alsace region, and he is often cited as a pioneering voice in early German lyric poetry.

A number of Reinmar’s songs survive in medieval manuscript collections, most notably the Codex Manesse (Great

Reinmar’s influence on the German lyric tradition is widely acknowledged. He is seen as a key forerunner

Heidelberg
Book
of
Songs)
and
other
songbooks
from
the
period.
His
poems
typically
explore
themes
of
love,
chivalry,
rank,
and
social
conduct,
employing
refined
diction
and
formal
features
characteristic
of
the
Minnesang
of
his
era.
His
work
is
recognized
for
its
technical
precision
and
for
helping
to
shape
the
stylistic
development
of
subsequent
Minnesänger.
to
later
masters
such
as
Walther
von
der
Vogelweide,
contributing
to
the
evolution
of
love
lyric
and
courtly
discourse
in
the
13th
century.
Scholarly
opinions
continue
to
discuss
dating,
provenance,
and
the
exact
nature
of
his
influence,
but
his
reputation
as
an
important
early
Minnesänger
remains
secure.