Friedrich Heinrich Karl Baron de la Motte Fouqué (1777 - 1843) was one of the first German poets of the Romantic era. His works repeatedly reflect a nostalgic enthusiasm for ancient Nordic and medieval themes. His knightly novels made Fouqué well-known throughout Germany and led him to become the most celebrated poet of his time for many years. In the Prussian royal court, a veritable cult surrounding the poet emerged, to the extent that people addressed each other by names from "The Magic Ring." In Fouqué's grand medieval novel "The Magic Ring," which is structured in three volumes, everything that characterizes today's popular fantasy genre is already present: the design of a counter-world beyond banal reality, featuring pagan myths, chivalrous masculinity, and magical femininity. Fouqué's influence in this area cannot be overstated.