Manesse; 1315

Anonymous, «Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift», University Library of Heidelberg, call number Codex Palatinus Germanicus 848, 852 pages, numbered from folio 1 to folio 426 v and r each side, parchment, 35.5 x 25 centimeters, manuscript in Middle High German, circa 1300-1340.

Von Wengen, folio 300r

Contents

The «Codex Manesse», also known as the «Great Heidelberg Book of Songs», Codex Palatinus Germanicus 848, is the most comprehensive collection of ballads and epigrammatic poetry in Middle High German. The manuscript contains almost 6000 verses from 140 poets, making it a key source for medieval German lyrics. The manuscript is written in gothic letters by several hands and is famous for its glorious colorful full-page miniatures, each dedicated to one of the 137 poets. The miniatures illustrate the poets in idealized, courtly scenes and are considered a significant document of Gothic illumination from the Upper Rhine region. It is not an armorial, but some of the illustrations feature coats of arms, including helmets with their crests.

The Manesse family

This codex was completed around the year 1304, although some parts may have been added later, up until the mid-14^th century. Therefore, an approximate date of 1315 is often used as a general reference for the codex in its most complete state. The author of the codex is not known in the modern sense of the word. However, its compilation and sponsorship are attributed to the Manesse family, a patrician family from Zurich, particularly Rudolf II Manesse and his son Rudolf III Manesse, who likely commissioned and financed the creation of the codex.

Ownership history

The early history of the manuscript is not well-documented, by the end of the 16^th century, it was in the possession of the Swiss Calvinist Johann Philipp von Hohensax. In 1607, the codex was claimed by the Prince Elector Frederick IV and brought to Heidelberg. During the Thirty Years' War, the manuscript was taken into exile to avoid capture. After the death of Frederick V in 1632, the manuscript was auctioned and eventually found its way to the Royal Library in Paris, where it remained for 230 years. In 1888, the manuscript was returned to Germany after a complex exchange deal orchestrated by bookseller Karl Ignaz Trübner. It is now preserved in the University Library of Heidelberg.

Condition and preservation

The turbulent history of the «Codex Manesse» has left its mark, with many miniatures showing damage from color abrasions and ink corrosion. Due to its fragile condition, the original codex is kept in an air-conditioned safe and is rarely exhibited. Facsimile editions have been produced over the years, including a full-facsimile published by Insel Verlag in 1925-1927.

Exhibitions and legacy

The «Codex Manesse» has been the subject of numerous exhibitions, including a comprehensive display in 1988 and another during the 625^th anniversary of the University of Heidelberg in 2010-2011. It remains one of the most precious treasures of the University Library of Heidelberg and a cornerstone in the study of medieval German literature and art.

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Bibliographical reference of century XIV.

Classification: Manuscript, German language and In color.

The author is anonymous.

External resources:

• University Library of Heidelberg.
• Digital version to navigate.

Internal resources: Manesse1315.pdf Armorial in PDF format.

Azure, a chevron engrailed Or between three lozenges Argent, each charged with a fleur de lis Gules; a bordure compony of eight sections, four Vert each charged with a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable, and four Argent each charged with a bull's head caboshed Sable.

Coat of arms designed by me, in flat tinctures, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a texturized finishing.

This is the coat of arms of Jose Manuel Gutierrez Benitez designed by him and me and emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Azure, Or, Argent, Gules, Vert, Sable, One, Three, Four, Eight, Chevron, Engrailed, Lozenge, Fleur de lis, Bordure, Compony, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Bull, Head and Caboshed.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Plain tincture and Semi-circular.

Classification: Personal, Created, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Gutiérrez Benítez, Jose Manuel.

Azure, a chevron engrailed Or between three lozenges Argent, each charged with a fleur de lis Gules; a bordure compony of eight sections, four Vert each charged with a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable, and four Argent each charged with a bull's head caboshed Sable.

Escudo de azur, un cabrio angrelado de oro acompañado de tres losanges de plata, cada uno cargado de una flor de lis de gules; una bordura componada de ocho compones, cuatro de sinople, cargados cada uno de un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable, y cuatro de plata, cargados cada uno de un rencuentro de toro de sable.

Coat of arms designed by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a rough finishing.

This is the coat of arms of Jose Manuel Gutierrez Benitez designed by him and me and emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Azure, Or, Argent, Gules, Vert, Sable, One, Three, Four, Eight, Chevron, Engrailed, Lozenge, Fleur de lis, Bordure, Compony, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Bull, Head and Caboshed.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Rough.

Classification: Personal, Created, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Gutiérrez Benítez, Jose Manuel.

This is the coat of arms of Jose Manuel Gutierrez Benitez designed by him and me and emblazoned by me, with the blazon written in English and Spanish in a structured way to observe the parallelism between both forms.

Azure, a chevron engrailed Or between three lozenges Argent, each charged with a fleur de lis Gules; a bordure compony of eight sections, four Vert each charged with a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable, and four Argent each charged with a bull's head caboshed Sable.

Escudo de azur, un cabrio angrelado de oro acompañado de tres losanges de plata, cada uno cargado de una flor de lis de gules; una bordura componada de ocho compones, cuatro de sinople, cargados cada uno de un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable, y cuatro de plata, cargados cada uno de un rencuentro de toro de sable.

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Blazon keywords: Azure, Or, Argent, Gules, Vert, Sable, One, Three, Four, Eight, Chevron, Engrailed, Lozenge, Fleur de lis, Bordure, Compony, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Bull, Head and Caboshed.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Watercolor.

Classification: Personal, Created, Structured and parallel blazons, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Gutiérrez Benítez, Jose Manuel.

Azure, a chevron engrailed Or between three lozenges Argent, each charged with a fleur de lis Gules; a bordure compony of eight sections, four Vert each charged with a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable, and four Argent each charged with a bull's head caboshed Sable. Motto: «Honor et Veritas Semper Prorsus» Sable, with initial letters Gules, over a scroll Argent.

Escudo de azur, un cabrio angrelado de oro acompañado de tres losanges de plata, cada uno cargado de una flor de lis de gules; una bordura componada de ocho compones, cuatro de sinople, cargados cada uno de un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable, y cuatro de plata, cargados cada uno de un rencuentro de toro de sable. Lema: «Honor et Veritas Semper Prorsus» de sable, con letras iniciales de gules, sobre una filacteria de plata.

Coat of arms devised by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular outer contour and with a watercolor finish.

Design rationale

In Spanish heraldry, the use of bordures is often a matter of personal preference, in this case, the tinctures and charges on this bordure compony are a proud emblem of the bearer's origins from Utrera, Seville, the white represents the local architecture, the green symbolizes the olive groves, and the bull's head denotes Utrera as the cradle of the brave bull, a reference, along with the castle, to the arms of his town. The Latin motto tells us, «Honor and Truth Always at the Forefront».

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Blazon keywords: Azure, Or, Argent, Gules, Vert, Sable, One, Three, Four, Eight, Chevron, Engrailed, Lozenge, Fleur de lis, Bordure, Compony, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Bull, Head, Caboshed and Motto.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Watercolor.

Classification: Personal, Created, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Gutiérrez Benítez, Jose Manuel.

Azure, a chevron engrailed Or between three lozenges Argent, each charged with a fleur de lis Gules; a bordure compony of eight sections, four Vert each charged with a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable, and four Argent each charged with a bull's head caboshed Sable. Crest: Upon a helm lined Gules, with a wreath Or and Azure, five ostrich feathers, alternating three Azure and two Or. Mantling: Azure doubled Or.

Coat of arms devised by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with a semi-circular outer contour and with a watercolor finishing.

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Blazon keywords: Azure, Or, Argent, Gules, Vert, Sable, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Eight, Chevron, Engrailed, Lozenge, Fleur de lis, Bordure, Compony, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Bull, Head, Caboshed, Crest and mantling, Crest, Upon (wreath), Helm, Lined, Wreath, Ostrich feathers, Alternately and Mantling.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Watercolor.

Classification: Personal, Created, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Gutiérrez Benítez, Jose Manuel.

Azure, a chevron engrailed Or between three lozenges Argent, each charged with a fleur de lis Gules; a bordure compony of eight sections, four Vert each charged with a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable, and four Argent each charged with a bull's head caboshed Sable. Crest: Upon a helm lined Gules, with a wreath Or and Azure, five ostrich feathers, alternating three Azure and two Or. Mantling: Azure doubled Or. Motto: «Honor et Veritas Semper Prorsus» Sable, with initial letters Gules, over a scroll Argent.

Arms devised by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a watercolor finish.

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Blazon keywords: Azure, Or, Argent, Gules, Vert, Sable, One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Eight, Chevron, Engrailed, Lozenge, Fleur de lis, Bordure, Compony, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Bull, Head, Caboshed, Crest and mantling, Crest, Upon (wreath), Helm, Lined, Wreath, Ostrich feathers, Alternately, Mantling and Motto.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Watercolor.

Classification: Personal, Created, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Gutiérrez Benítez, Jose Manuel.

Sigue por: Grünenberg, K.; 1480.