Dr. Ludwig | Min herze vnde min lip die willent scheiden [Medieval German song][+English translation] @dr.ludwig | Uploaded August 2024 | Updated October 2024, 4 days ago.
I probably don't have to tell you what the crusades were: when people think of the Middle Ages, they often have the crusades popping into their head in some form.
The crusades were a phenomenon spanning centuries and gathering significant social, political, and financial support, although they weren't unanimously popular even in Western Europe.
Like any great phenomenon, the crusades were a topic in art. Songs were written for and about crusades and crusaders, with different styles and intentions behind them.
There is a common subgenre in German medieval poetry called "Kreuzlied" (cross song): it deals with the crusades, but usually combines it with the typical love topic present in most so-called Minnesang songs. In the midst of everything, there is usually a conflict between what the lyrical I perceives as two duties: serving his woman and serving his wordly masters in the Holy Land.
This song is perhaps the most famous example of this genre, and it was written by a real crusader who ended up seen as the defining artist for crusades for centuries to come: Friedrich von Hausen was born around 1150, and he died while pursuing enemies during the 3rd crusade in what is now Turkey in 1190. Basically all of his songs (that have survived to this day) revolve around crusades. He was a respected and popular companion and servant of Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa. He was one of the first German poets to reciprocate French (Provencal, to be more precise) models and slightly adapt them. As such, he and a few other great artists (Heinrich von Veldeke and Der von Kürenberg) stand at the beginning of a Golden Age.

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●▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬♬❈ LYRICS ❈♬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬●
Mîn herze unde mîn lîp diu wellent scheiden·
Diu mit ein ander wâren nû manige zît·
Der lîp wil gerne vehten an die heiden·
Iedoch dem herzen ein wîp sô nâhen lît·
Vor al der werlt daz müet mich iemer sît·
Daz si ein ander niht volgent beide·
Mir habent diu ougen vil getân ze leide·
Got eine müeze scheiden noch den strît·

Sît ich dich herze niht wol mac erwenden·
Dune wellest mich vil trûreclîchen lân·
Sô bite ich got daz er dich geruoche senden·
An eine stat dâ man dich wol welle enpfân·
Ôwê wie sol ez armen dir ergân·
Wie getorstest eine an solhe nôt ernenden·
Wer sol dir dîne sorge helfen wenden·
Mit triuwen als ich hân getân·

Ich wânde ledic sîn von solher swære·
Dô ich daz kriuze in gotes êre nan·
Ez wær ouch reht daz ez alsô wære·
Wan daz mîn stætekeit mir sîn verban·
Ich solte sîn ze rehte ein lebendic man·
Ob ez den tumben willen sîn verbære·
Nû sihe ich wol daz im ist gar unmære·
Wie ez mir süle an dem ende ergân·