1365 Konstanz
1437 Konstanz

Ulrich von Richental was born in Constance in 1364. It is contested whether or not he is of noble birth, but he is documented as the city chronicler in the second half of the 14th century. According to his own statements, he undertook several journeys, including to Bohemia. His knowledge of Latin enabled him to follow the events of the Council of Constance and compose the known chronicle. He helped with several of the council's chancellory affairs. For example, he placed his own property at the disposal of King Sigismund and his entourage and quartered a bishop of the Archdiocese of Gnesen. Richental produced a vivid, descriptive, and credible depiction of all public events and assemblies involving secular and ecclesiastical ceremonies based on the many insights into the background workings of the city from his standpoint as a largely uninvolved eyewitness. The inference that Richental himself had access to the city agencies through an official city position or at least maintained good contact with these agencies is established on the wealth of details contained in the chronicle as regards the names of participants, official writings, statistics on delinquency, number of foodstuff deliveries, etc. He probably had a position in the city's chancellory and treasury at this time. Ulrich von Richental died in 1437 in his hometown of Constance.

Richenthal