Ulrich von Liechtenstein and chivalry - Codex Manesse

 Salvete Omnes,

on the Valentine's Day perhaps it could be good and proper to see some chivalry, medieval romance &courtly love and who could be better that the XIII century German knight and poet Ulrich von Liechtenstein. Sir Ullrich, scion of the ministrialis * class family and himself a minnesinger or troubadour, authored the famous collection of poems titled Frauendienst ( Service of Ladies), which was translated into English by J.W. Thomas in 1969. You can borrow the 2004 edition from Archive Library. There are articles on sir Ulrich and his poetry on Academia.

there is humor in Ulrich's poetry - eg  the lady trick a suitor by suspending him in the air

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and my most favorite plate of the Codex Manesse - our Piast prince Henryk Probus, where his horse's caparison bear letters that make a word - AMOR  which mean Love. 

ps * ministrialis class in Polish medieval society was represented by the włodyka   class (scartabellat). Below the wlodyka class there were the panosza (panozi or domicelli). They were absorbed into the naoblity (szlachta) or pushed into the peasantry etc during the closing up of the noble class in the XV century. 

Valete

Horsemen from Li Chongrun or Prince Yide of Tang tomb c. 706AD

 Salvete Omnes,

our prayers are with the people of Western North Carolina, victims and survivors of the September 2024 Hurricane Helene. 

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a peacock  feather crested lamellar helmet

it has been a while we visited the imperial Tang China and their horses -

within the famous Tang Qainling Mausoleum   there was a tomb of one unlucky Tang prince Li Chongrun, named posthumously Prince Yide of Tang. 

In his tomb they found   figurines of an imperial cataphract or heavy rider on some finely caparisoned horse with their heads protected with gilded  chamfrons. They were perhaps from the guard cavalry unit.  No bows, but perhaps they had lances.

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Valete

Simone Martini et tents etc

Salvete Omnes,
I would like to bring your attention to several works of the XIV century Sienese painter Simone Martini , disciple of the famous Giotto. In his brushwork we see medeival Italian horses, horse tack and event tents used by the medieval armies.

 
 first, the fresco of Guidoriccio da Fogliano, the Sienese condotiero (mercenary) commander, at the siege of Montemassi at the Palacio Publico in Sienna.
He is riding a tall grey dextrarius that is shod and  caparisoned.

We do not see much of the condottiere's armor but for his neck, arms and legs that are protected by the mail, and the legs are reinforced by some early plate armor. Riding in the military fashion, double reins in left hand, he holds the botton, the symbol of his authority as the commander (and conqueror of Montermassi).


 very interesting portrayal of the pavilon tents of the nobility and commanding officers and also tents for the troops (included grass or perhaps straw covered tents) and it is my guess that the green structures are stables for their horses.

Another work, a panel painting, that is interesting is the  Blessed Agostino Novello Altarpiece
 where in this tempera panel we see a fallen horse

 and the details of the saddle (painted leather skirts) and stirrup  with the stirrup leathers.
 

 

Valete