The study analyzes strategies serving the constitution of meaning in »Reinfried and Apollonius«, proceeding from there to propose a new definition of what it is that significantly distinguishes romances on courtly love (Minne) and adventure from other verse romances. As specific expressions of aristocratic identity and existence, courtly love and knightly adventure are dovetailed with the topic of bridal wooing to reflect the paradigmatic status of the theme of power legitimization and the visibly exemplary nature of rulers and their life-styles against the background of the history of Christian redemption. As »Apollonius« was designed as a riposte to »Reinfried«, the two romances are clearly seen to stand in a discourse relationship to each other.