author
active 1234-1255 von Neifen Gottfried
A medieval German lyric poet from Swabia, he is remembered as one of the notable Minnesingers of the 13th century. His surviving songs are known for their polished style, musicality, and courtly themes of love.
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Die Lieder Gottfrieds von Neifen
by active 1234-1255 von Neifen Gottfried
About the author
Active in the mid-13th century, Gottfried von Neifen was a German Minnesinger from a noble family in Swabia. He is mentioned in surviving documents between 1234 and 1255, which is why those years are usually given for his floruit rather than exact birth and death dates.
He was associated with the court of King Henry VII of Germany, a setting that fits the refined courtly character of his poetry. His work belongs to the Minnesang tradition, the medieval German lyric art of love songs, and he is often noted for the elegance and technical finish of his verse.
Gottfried is also remembered through the Codex Manesse, the great medieval song manuscript that preserves both his poems and a famous painted image of him. Even with only limited biographical details surviving, his songs secured him a lasting place in the history of German medieval literature.