ove-songs of the Minnesingers, as already intimated, were less
fiery than those of the Troubadours. While the Provencal minstrel
allowed his homage to his chosen lady to proceed to extreme lengths, his
German brother paid a less excessive but far purer tribute to the object
of his affections. Very often, too, the German poets rose to a still
higher level, and sang praises of the ideal qualities of womanhood in
general. Thus the singers of Germany caused far less domestic discord
than those of France.

That there was still some unlicensed gallantry, however, can be seen
from the type of music known as "Wacht-Lieder," or watch-songs. In these
the amorous knight is represented as pleading with the watchman of the
castle for admission to his lady-love. Sometimes the song took the form
of a warning from the watchman, telling that daylight was near and the
knight must depart.

Besides giving the world a host of shorter songs, the period of the
Minnesingers brought forth some really great poets who were successful
in the larger forms. The author, or authors, of the famous
"Nibelungenlied" are unknown; but the work remains to us as the greatest
epic of Germany. Foremost in point of fame stands Wolfram von
Eschenbach, author of the familiar "Parzifal." In depicting his
characters, he strikes a note of idealistic beauty. Another great poet
was Gottfried of Strasburg, almost as famous as Wolfram, and in some
respects his opposite. His characters are endowed with life and vigour,
and eager to seize the pleasures of earth while they last. His best work
was "Tristan and Isolde."

The legend of Tannhaeuser, which has crystallized and been handed down to
us in story, has an undoubted basis of fact. The existence of the cave
of Venus, in the Thuringian hill of Hoerselburg, may be taken as not
proven; but there certainly was a tournament of song at the castle of
the Wartburg, and many famous knights probably took part in it. Whether
Tannhaeuser himself was real is an open question; but there can be no
doubt about Walther von der Vogelweide, who was one of Germany's
greatest masters in the shorter forms.

Examples of still another style in the work of the Minnesingers are
almost surely a direct imitation of the work of the Trouveres of
Northern France. These examples consist of more or less lengthy fables,
or sometimes tales with a pleasing moral attached. Many stories of Roman
history are found among these, and many of the proverbs w