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Knight of the week
Sir John of Felsenbau:
Another message from his dream brought a renewed expression of coldness. She felt kindly to him, but she never would grant favor to anyone. But another song and messenger secure at last the promise of an interview. She says she will see him if he will come the next Sunday morning before breakfast, dressed in poor clothes, and in company with a squad of lepers who have a camp near her castle. On Saturday lie rode thirty-six miles, lost two horses by the forced journey, very likely over rough country, and was wearied by the exertion of so hard an effort. But he succeeded, and as soon as they reach the neighborhood of the castle, he and his two companions put on poor clothes—the shabbiest they could procure,—and with leper cups and long knives for their safety among such outcasts of society, they go to the spot where thirty lepers are huddled together.
Toward evening he secured another interview with the maid, and received directions for the night. He and his companion hid in the ditch before the castle, skulking from the observation of the patrol, until well after dark; then when the signal light appeared at a certain window he went beneath it, and found a rope made of clothes hanging down. In this he fastened himself, and hands above began to raise him, but when he was half way up they could raise him no farther, and he was let down to the ground. This happened three times, but finally was lifted into the window by the waiting ladies above, and then Ulrich himself arrived there.
He was ushered into the presence of the woman whom he had so long served without even a glimpse. Ulrich began to tell the story of his heart, and entreats her to respond to his devotion. She assured him that she had no thought of ever loving him; she had consented to this interview only to assure him of her kindly feeling, and satisfy him from her own lips that he must cherish no romantic hope.
Now or never, he sends her word of his determination, and then rushes in and tells her that if she will not say she loves him, he will kill himself then and there. The lady sees that such a suicide would be compromising, and tries to persuade him that perhaps she may some time. Ah, no such coyness; she must confess her love to-night.
Finally, as a last resource, she thinks of employing the usual right of a courted woman—putting her lover to a test of his devotion. He has already given her so many that a trifling, a merely formal one will serve now. Let him just get into the clothes-rope again and be lowered part way down, and pulled back; then she will say she loves him. A glimmer of suspicion flits over his mind, but she gives him her hand as a pledge, and he gets into the rope. Now he is hanging outside the window, still holding the dear hand, and such sweet things as she whispers, as she leans out—no knight was ever so dear to her; now comes his contentment, all his troubles are past now! She even coddles his chin with her disengaged hand, and bids him kiss her. Kiss her! In his joy he lets go the hand he was holding, to throw both arms about her neck, when suddenly he is dropped to the ground so swiftly '' that he ran great peril of his life."
The lady, as the squire alleged, had excused herself by saying that the sudden entrance of an unfaithful maid had compelled her to so cruel a proceeding, and that she had pledged herself soon to admit him to her favor. Meanwhile, Ulrich was to return to his castle and wife; which the rueful knight did.
In another freak of coquetry sent him word that he must join the next Crusade in her service. Ulrich was delighted to be able to do something for his mistress's glory, and sent her a glowing poem descriptive of her unparalleled kindness and his unparalleled bliss and glory in that his noble lady had permitted him to go and fight for God and the cross in her service. For this poem and a new song she returned him her kindest thanks, and bid him prepare himself for the Holy Land, but not to leave till he had been called by her to another meeting.
There she relieved him from the Crusade, and bade him stay with her. In the full enjoyment of her love Ulrich passed two years (1228-1229) of roaming, singing, and tourneying — two very happy years. About the end of that time, however, his lady, the countess, played him a trick of so outrageous a nature that Ulrich dares not tell what it was. Finally he conceived himself treated shamefully (we are not told what the discourtesy was which he could not idealize), and he made a final break with his old worship. (1231: Lady Beatrix dies.)
(To be continued)
Sir John of Felsenbau:
Artusfahrt
When Ulrich recovered from the defeat with his first Lady love, he embarked on a second quest together with 6 companions in 1240, this time for a new lady’s favor.
If we look at Ulrich's relationship to the first and second lady, we can notice a large discrepancy. The first lady was married and acted hostile towards Ulrich. Also, the fact that she was of higher social, spoke against that love. It comes to the turn. A "crime" that explains Ulrich unspecified, is the trigger for his service Ulrich of the first lady announces over. He sings two songs and five Scheltlieder action and looking for a new lady that will bring him joy again. The second service runs much quieter, because he no longer needs to fight for the favor of the lady. Communication in the second part of the novel, where Ulrich desires other lady is completely different. There are no more mutilations, perhaps just because the second lady returns his affection. The courtly love does not fail and so does not fail to communicate.
Unfortunately, the beginning of his artusfahrt is missing. Regrettably, the first two pages of the beginning have been lost to time.
The tournament circuit went through Carinthia. Dressed as King Arthur, he journeyed through the land and promised admission to his “Round Table” to any knight who would break three lances with him.
He probably began from Liechtenstein Castle, since the other two hadn’t been built yet.. His journal begins with him already at a tournament. The first mentioned in his Journal is Eppenstein, however Klangenfurt probably was his first stop. At this location we only know that he jousted with Konrad von Stretwich (His joust was good. He stabbed me in the helmet's chin that it sounded loud. The lances broke. Then there came forth against me Conrad of Saurau with a beautifully colored lance he went in haste to approach me. His lance missing me, but I stabbed him with my iron through the shield that the lance broke. Then we rode to Eppenstein. There he jousted with Leutfried von Eppenstein, who broke 3 lances on me and whom I named Calogrenant also called Colgrevance – a name of a knight of King Arthurs Round Table )
Joyfully we left and rode to Krabat (Kraubath). Two tents were pitched and four cottages on flowery meadow. There we spent the night. In the morning, there was a Knight, with spears up who all wanted to joust. I had broken 7 lances and 13 were broken on me.
Singing and glad we moved to Bruck. (Bruck an der Mur). I rode with some good knight, who spent the night in Bruck with me. Herr Herrman of Krotendorf and Herr Dietmar came forth against me from the wall. The two broke 4 lances, but I broke 5. There were 8 more against me. Yet I left without companions, because no one had won the right to participate in the Round Table, as no one had three lances broken on me.
From there I rode to Kapfenberg, where Herr Henry of Spiegelberg was waiting with erected lances. We rode to the joust, so that the lances broke on the helmets. Quickly gave us one other lances. At the third time I met his helmet, but he was missing. I took the fourth lance. The next time we were missing both times.
I rode next to (Krüge)Lach (Krieglach).
I rode next to Hohenwang (Hohenwang Castle). There we met Erchenger von Landesere. Six lances were broken without me missing a single time.
I rode next to Semmering where I fought many good knights, then to Gloggnitz, where we stayed the night. The next morning came Sir Segramors (the true name Herrenalber of Arnstein). We braced ourselves and went to the field. We broke 6 lances, so he had the right to belong won the Round Table. Then came Mr. Heinrich von Buseck. He broke 3 lances and was named Sir Lancelot.
Then we moved to New churches (Neunkirchen bei Lambach), where many knights expected me to joust with them. This lasted until the evening. Only when the night came on, we cleared the field.
The next day I rode, accompanied by Herr Nicholas of mountain life, which I had called Sir Tristram to Schwarzau am Steinfeld. And there came a messenger burst against us with a welcome of the Duke of Austria. He said to tell you that he likes to break three lances with you, for it is his desire to be included in the Round Table.
So happy we moved to Neustadt (Weiner Neustadt). Once again a multitude of knights came to meet us which greeted us warmly. Henry Habbesbach came with forty or more knights. Then, two knights, gentlemen Wernhart and Heinrich Pruzel came. With them twenty or more knights had come. Then we met Heinrich of Liechtenstein, a brave sword with eleven knights. Then rode the Meissau of twenty-four knights to meet us. No sooner had we welcomed, as was already another band einhergetrabt. One was Herr Tröstelin, the other of Hutensdorf Ulrich, Herr. Ebran the third, the fourth of the Schwarzensee. Courteously greeted Ulrich of Saxony village, the bull of Lachsendorf, Prunrich of Toblich, Weikhardt of Spitz, Ekkehardt Posch, Schenk Dietrich of Dobrach, Friedrich von Witeginsdorf, Mr. Leupold and Siegfried of Mödling, Druslieb and Leupold of Haimburg, Zlawat of Falkenstein, the Pfaff of Freistadt, the. von Spaun, Sigfrit Rebestock, Dietmar of Schoenkirchen, Leutold von Tobel, Potschmann of Potscha. These knights were from the household of the Duke of Austria. Herr Otto Haslau rode up and behind him came Herr Rapot of Falkenberg. Then came Herr Kol Frohnhofen with twenty-six knights, then Herr Kadolt with nineteen knights.
Next we went to Katzelsdorf. Eight tents and four cottages me there were pitched to which we rode. All around were probably two hundred lances, every, collided with a pennant in my colors in the ground. In this ring was allowed no one, except where the gates were displayed. No one was allowed in the ring was not ready to joust. No sooner were the ready - there already Meissau of Otto came up with maybe thirty spears and some brave knight.
Afterward came eighteen knights in the ring. Finally the day came to an end. It went through five days from morning to night. On the evening of the fifth day, a messenger rode up to me and said: King! My Lord, the Duke Frederick, you can tell that he wants to break three lances with you and wants to fight here under the banner of Pruzel. This conversation took place in the morning. Then we rode to church. After the Mass, but we went to a beautiful garden and shared the tournament there. I myself had come with nine, but to my followers had increased to three - Kadolt came to my way. Behind us came from the Habbesbach, Herr Heinrich of Liechtenstein, Otto Haslau.
The journey ended with a tournament at KROMAN. Unfortunately, the final joust was delayed and then banned altogether by Duke Frederick of Austria. His reasoning, political events meant a need for cautious sobriety rather than celebratory sport. Thus ended the tournament! In the morning I rode to Vienna. Frederick was obliged to march against a more earnest and more dangerous enemy. He fell in battle near the Leitta, fighting against the fierce Hungarians.
(To be continued)
Sir John of Felsenbau:
From 1241-1245, Ulrich is the Lord High Stewart in Styria.
The Battle of the Leitha
After all these came a day that I will always hate, because I grieve today. Because it was the summer of the year 1246, to the Duke Frederick was killed miserably. He was my Mr. Right and I will be right service man. I can not complain about it enough. Because he honored the brave and good, shared his possessions with them, was a true prince and lord.
Woe is me, that I must now tell how he met his death! It happened on the day of St. Vitus. The prince lay with his beautiful army, his country the defensive against the King of Hungary. On St. Vitus day the king went with bright bunch against us closer to the Leitha. Since the Duke ordered his forces. I told you like the fight, as flock was against how you came across the Leitha, and how that was.
The Russians (Ruthenians) started the fight… he overlooked the fact that the Russians approached, so that they overran him from behind. At the same moment also already bounced along the rows so that no one knew that the leader of one part lay on the ground. Yes, there was just the battle, so that the Duke was killed. Over him, it went back and forth - but the victory finally remained the Liechtenstein family.
Sir Ulrich escaped the dangers of the battlefield, only to fall a victim to the treachery of false friends. Two knights attacked him in his castle of Frauenburg, and took him prisoner. His attendants were driven out of the castle, his wife and children were obliged to flee from it. Only one son remained in captivity with him. For fifteen months he was kept chained in his own home, often threatened with death, and, on one occasion, brought to the window with a rope around his neck and shown to his wife and a few retainers, who had gathered about her, with the assurance that the first attempt at rescue would be the signal of his immediate execution. At last, however, by the intervention of Count Meinhard von Giirz, he was released. Neither captivity nor the loss of his estate—for he had to pay heavily for his ransom.
When Philip of Sponheim, the Archbishop-Elect of Salzburg, was deposed by Pope Alexander IV for refusing to take holy orders, Philip raised an army to defend his title. In 1250, Ulrich agreed to fight for Philip's cause in return for Philip's arranging a beneficial marriage of Ulrich's son, Ulrich II, to Kunigunde of Goldegg and Philip added a dowry of 400 Salzburg pounds to the agreement. In return Ulrich I agreed to provide Philip with 100 fighting men for his cause.[4]
In 1251, Ottokar acquired Austria through his marriage with the 30 years older Marketa, of the Babenberg family. This event led to a quarrel of many years with the King of Hungary Béla IV, who was also interested in the Babenberg heritage and mainly in Styria.
In August 1252 Philip's forces decisively defeated his enemies at the Battle of Sachsenburg on the Drava, and Ulrich was one of seven who mediated the ensuing peace. The treaty of Ofen (1254) gave Styria to Bela and Austria to Ottokar.
1255 sees the completion of his work titled „Frauendienst.” Ulrich wrote in 1257 his second work, the "women's book" (Frauenbuch). This work is a mixture of Action time and instruction.
In 1258, the Styrians again rebelled, and in eleven days drove every Hungarian out of the country.
Bohemian-Hungarian. War of 1260–70.However in 1260 the conflict rekindled. Both Bohemia’s King Ottokar II and Hungary’s King Bela IV sought control of Austria and Styria. (In this war the castle Murau was destroyed, but was later rebuilt by Ulrich’s son, Otto)
Troubles in Salzburg, stemming from a conflict between Bohemia and Hungary, inspired a rising among Steiermark's (Styria’s) nobles. Later the nobility of Styria rebelled, asking Ottokar to become their lord. From 1267-1272 Ulrich appointed Styria’s Marshal by Duke Frederick II of Austria.
About 1269 Ulrich as the leader of an unruly faction there, was arrested on a charge of treason, though released after six months' imprisonment.
From 1272-1278 Ulrich was appointed Supreme Provincial Judge and Governor (Regent)of Styria.
Ulrich died at the age of 78. Ulrich von Liechtenstein was buried in Seckau.1278.
(Next time I shall continue on another topic)
Sir John of Felsenbau:
I thought I'd take a break from the serious, since I found this story online. Considering I also call myself the purple knight, I thought the story interesting.
“Ye Legend of the Purple Knight”
“Ridiculous!” roared King Arthur, slamming his beer mug on the Round Table. “Purple, you say?”
“All purple, my liege,” said Sir Launcelot, nervously wiping the foam from his face, “head to toes. Completely.”
“I say! Most irregular. Well, what does he want?”
“He wants audience with you, my liege. It seems he’s done ole Cholmondesley in.”
“Cholmondesley?”
“With an axe, your grace. A purple axe. He says he’ll do the same to us all if we don’t send a challenger to fight him in fair battle.” “Well?”
“Well, he— he’s— twenty feet tall.”
“Twenty! Oh, I say! Ghastly business! Who’ve we got crazy enough to fight him? How about you, Launcelot?”
“Oh, no, my liege. Cut my finger last night peeling potatoes. The pain is beastly.”
“Rotten luck, old chap. Well,” he addressed the knights of the round table, “there’s a big purple idiot outside who’s looking for a fight. Who’s game?”
Then up spake Sir Bushwack, a sturdy youth with a broad beam and a low center of gravity: “Where is the bloke? I’m not afraid, even if he is twenty feet tall!” Sir Bushwack had been drinking.
Then spake King Arthur to Sir Launcelot, telling him to bid the knight enter. And Launcelot did this, and the horns sounded, and in staggered a tremendous giant, perhaps four feet in height, dragging behind him a ten-foot purple axe. He had a vast quantity of purple hair which fell down over his eyes, and was clad in purple armor, and his feet in purple shoes. He led a noble steed, also purple, which resembled a cross between a Shetland pony and an armadillo.
King Arthur whispered to Launcelot, “I thought you said he was twenty feet tall.” “That’s what he told me, your majesty.”
“That’s what he what? Why you ...”
The rest of King Arthur’s tirade was drowned out by the purple giant, who was bellowing in a mighty voice:
“Okay, I can beat any man in the house! I ain’t scared of nobody ‘cause you’re all ... “ he hiccoughed “ ... chicken to fight me! Come on, who’s first?”
Up spake Sir Bushwack, shouting, “I challenge thee, Sir Knight!” The purple knight laughed. “Look what’sh challenging me! You slob, I can,—hic—can lick you with, — hic— one hand tied behind my back! Come ahead!” Then did the purple knight pick up the purple axe and begin to whirl it about his head, faster and faster. Sir Bushwack waddled up dubiously with sword in hand, feebly attempted to parry, then quickly retreated. The purple knight stood and laughed.
“Chicken, all of you! Scared to fight me! Har! Har!”
Suddenly, the horns sounded and into the hall rushed a very brave and manly knight, Sir Stupid.
“I say!” he shouted to all and sundry, “Old Fotheringay’s run amok! He and his horse fell into that newly-pressed grape juice up at the distillery, and ...”.
Then he caught sight of the purple knight and stopped short. King Arthur started to laugh hysterically, spilling beer hither and yon.
“I say, old Fotheringay’s gone and fallen into the wine vat! Old Fotheringayl Haw, Haw, Haw! Old Fotheringay’s got high on grape juice! Haw! In the still of the knight!”
The purple knight stood digesting this in silence. Then slowly he began to chuckle and whirl that axe.
“Oh, oh,” Sir Stupid whispered to Arthur, “here he goes!” With a savage yell, the purple knight charged the Round Table, swinging his axe. In an instant, the hall became the scene of a free-for-all. The purple knight was in the thick of the whole mess, smashing furniture, beer kegs, and anything else that happened to be in his way. The hall resounded with the clanging of swords, the splintering of wood, and the demonaical chuckling of the purple knight. In the midst of the noise and confusion, Sir Stupid buttonholed Bushwack.
“Noble knight,” he said, “art thou truly dedicated to thy leige?”
“Yes.”
“And wouldst thou suffer discomfort to rid thy liege of this menace?”
“Surely,” Sir Bushwack said absently, as he ducked a flying beer mug.
“That’s all I wanted to know! Fotheringay! You feeble-minded halfwit cretin! Over here!”
Infuriated, the purple knight whirled toward Sir Stupid and raised his axe. Sir Stupid lifted the protesting Bushwack and hurled him bodily at Fotheringay. There was a loud, splintering smash as the purple knight went down, and then all was silent, except for the gurgling of beer from a shattered keg. Sir Stupid stood over the horizontal Fotheringay.
“Now, thou proud knight,” roared Sir Stupid triumphantly, “now what hast thou to say?”
Slowly, the purple knight looked up and sneered. “CHICKEN,” he said.
(Next time back to more serious topics)[By the way, I haven't taken a picture yet, but I have a completely purple outfit, even my underwear! more than in the above story.]
Lord Dane:
I see a knightly version of Grimace coming. Or perhaps Barney with a sword.
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