The greatest of Middle High German epic poets. There is little information about the life of Gottfried von Strassburg. He was not of noble origin but a freeman, had a good education, moved in higher society, was well versed in literature, German and French, theology. As author of the Middle High German Tristan, he ranks as one of the great medieval German poets and is noted for his fluency and psychological depth.
Career
Of his life and position we have no certain information. It would seem, however, that he filled an important municipal office in his native town of Strasburg.It's known from his writings that he was a man of high culture, but it is almost certain that he was not a priest. Of this his occasional sneers at the clergy are perhaps a better proof than the dubious morality of much of his work.