Ulrich von Winterstetten

Albrecht Classen (University of Arizona)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.4.1: German-language Writing and Culture: Germany, 500-present.
Vol. editors: Nicole Kennedy (University of Newcastle), Gerhard P. Knapp (University of Utah), Jennifer Marston William (Purdue University), Herbert Rowland (Purdue University), Jill E. Twark (East Carolina University)

Dates

Activity c. 1241-c. 1280

Places

Born in Germany
Active in Germany

Activities

Primary

Poet

Resources

Winterstetten's Works

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In the course of the twelfth century the social structure in medieval Europe started to change, with the rise of a new class, the

ministeriales

-- court administrators and bureaucrats responsible for many different tasks, from finances to the handling of horses. They gained the status of nobles but were viewed with considerable suspicion by the members of the traditional aristocracy. Undoubtedly, however, they enjoyed a strong economic and political status and often had gained a solid education necessary for the new occupations.

Many of them quickly adapted to the common ideals of courtly culture and so also turned to the composition of love songs. One of them was the Swabian Ulrich von Winterstetten who belonged to the Tanne-Waldburg family and appeared in documents between 1241 and 1280,

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528 words

Citation: Classen, Albrecht. "Ulrich von Winterstetten". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 14 May 2025 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=15418, accessed 20 June 2025.]