War and Peace in the Middle Ages

The University Libraries Special Collections hosts The Early Book Lectures Series VII, an annual exploration by UA scholars of medieval texts held by the UA Libraries. This final lecture will be given by Professor Albrecht Classen, Department of German Studies. Classen examines Wolfram von Eschenbach's Willehalm, a German narrative poem about two mighty battles which describe both the beauty and horror that occur when noble knights and Saracens clash in mortal combat. The poem explores the relationship between the two faiths and the role of love within the context of war. The scene of the fighting, Alischanz, is the site of a Roman cemetery in the south of France.