Ruodlieb

Ruodlieb is the title of a fragmentary Latin poem of medieval origin, generally considered the first chivalrous romance written in German-speaking lands. Likely composed in Bavaria between 1030 and 1067, the poem survives in a single manuscript discovered in the library of Tegernsee Abbey.

The poem tells the story of Ruodlieb, a young knight who is exiled from his homeland after being betrayed by his relatives. He travels to the court of a king, where he gains favor and serves loyally. He receives wise advice from the king regarding life, governance, and ethical conduct. Eventually, Ruodlieb decides to return home and reclaim his inheritance. The fragments end before the completion of his journey.

While incomplete, Ruodlieb provides valuable insight into the social and political landscape of its time, offering depictions of knightly virtues, courtly life, and moral philosophy. Its narrative anticipates later developments in Arthurian romance and chivalric literature. The poem’s meter is Leonine hexameter, characterized by internal rhyme. The identity of the author remains unknown, though scholarship suggests a cleric or someone closely affiliated with a monastic environment.