Rötteler Chronicle

Extract from the Rötteler Chronik

The Rötteler Chronik is a late medieval historical work created at Rötteln Castle , which contains historical representations between 1376 and 1432. The house chronicle was created by Margrave Rudolf III. written by Hachberg-Sausenberg and the scribes commissioned by him. The chronicle is considered to be important documentation from the margraviate of the late Middle Ages. Individual texts are based on chapters of the historiography written by Jakob Twinger von Königshofen . The Rötteler Chronik contains news on regional and national events as well as the family history of the Margraves of Sausenberg- Rötteln .

Language and design

The Rötteler Chronik is written in an Oberland Alemannic , as was customary in the 15th century for the Markgräflerland region . The style of language can generally be described as factual and clear, but still has many ancient peculiarities, technical terms and idioms that are no longer used. However, there are also issues that are particularly emphasized or glossed over.

In the first part of the chronicle, various topics sometimes alternate very quickly. From the year 1409 the work reports much more coherently over several years.

content

The chronicle contains reports on the history of the Markgräflerland and north-west Switzerland as well as connections and representations of the pan-European order. For example, the Rötteler Chronik reports on Wenzel von Luxemburg and his tyrannical deeds as well as on the Council of Constance and its participants.

The work deals particularly often with the city of Basel and its surroundings. Naturally, the chronicle is dedicated to the Röttler family history, with the exact dates of which it comes up. Accordingly, special attention is paid to the Wiesental and the dominion of the Lords of Rötteln.

In addition, the Rötteler Chronik also records weather conditions and partly contains detailed information on the winter periods and the floods in 1407/1408.

Lore

The original manuscript (Manuscript A) was still in the castle in the 15th century, but was later lost. As early as 1440, a first copy was made in Basel, on which all eight other copies are based. Manuscript A had always remained in Basel and came into the possession of Basilius Amerbach through several hands around 1580, who had it restored and reintegrated . In the 17th century it came to the Basel University Library with the Amerbach estate .

literature

• Claudius Sieber-Lehmann : Rötteler Chronik in: The German literature of the Middle Ages. Author's Lexicon, de Gruyter, 1992, Sp. 288–289.
• Rudolf III. Margrave von Rötteln and others (authors), Klaus Schubring (translator): Rötteler Chronik 1376–1432 , Waldemar Lutz Verlag, Lörrach 1995, ISBN 3-922107-35-4 .

The chronicle is printed at:

• Franz Josef Mone (editor): Sources collection of the Baden regional history , first volume, pp. 281–300, Macklot, Karlsruhe 1848 online at the Freiburg University Library
• August Christoph Bernoulli (editor): Basler Chroniken , Volume 5, Hirzel, Leipzig 1895, pp. 105–189 with corrections and additions on pp. 564–565 online in the Internet Archive

Web links

• Rötteler Chronik in the manuscript census
• Chronicle, Die Röteler (Rötteler) www.geschichtsquellen.de; accessed on February 6, 2019

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Schubring: Rötteler Chronik 1376–1432 , p. 22.
2. ↑ Schubring: Rötteler Chronik 1376–1432 , front cover text
3. ^ Repertory historical sources of the German Middle Ages: Chronik, Die Röteler (Rötteler) , accessed on September 19, 2013
4. ↑ Schubring: Rötteler Chronik 1376-1432 , pp. 13-14.
5. ↑ Schubring: Rötteler Chronik 1376–1432 , p. 15.
6. ↑ thrust ring: Rötteler History 1376-1432 , pp 7-9.
7. ↑ Klaus Schubring : Rötteler Chronik 1376-1432 , p. 24 ff.