GÜNTHER (Ligurinus) of PAIRIS. - Cistercian monk, poet, and historian, born toward the end of the 12th century, died in the Alsatian monastery of his Order at Pairis ca. 1220. His refined classical learning earned him the appointment as tutor to Prince Conrad, the fourth son of Emperor Frederick I.
Between 1180 and 1186 he composed the poem *Solimanus*, which celebrates the First Crusade and the liberation of Jerusalem (or Solimana, as he names it in the poem), dedicating it to his princely pupil (cf. *Ligurinus*, X, V. 649) and drawing upon the *Historia Hierosolimitana* of Robert of Reims as his source. Between 1186 and 1187 he composed a second poem of 6,526 verses, the *Ligurinus*, which recounts the struggles of Frederick I in Italy, using the work of Otto of Freising and Rahewin (*Gesta Federici*) and dedicating it to the emperor. The title *Ligurinus* derives from the name *Ligures*, which the author uses to denote the Lombards, against whom Frederick waged war. Having become a monk at Pairis ca. 1200, he composed from the reports provided by Abbot Martin, who had taken part in the events, the *Historia captae a Latimis anno 1204 Constantino poleos*. He also wrote a treatise: *De oratione, ieiunio et eleemosyna*.