The Legend of the Pagan Royal Couple is the final part of a long epic text entitled Der Saelden Hort (11,304 ll.) (‘The Treasury of Salvation’; ‘Schatz des Heils’ (Janota)). The text is written in a (West-)Alemannic dialect, probably in Basle towards the end of the thirteenth century. The text has come down in two manuscripts. Ms. k in the Codex St. Georgen, germ. 66, in the Badische Landesbibliothek at Karlsruhe, contains a fragment of the text of only 2,943 lines. There is also an older, complete manuscript from the end of the fourteenth century, in the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek at Vienna (Cod. 2841, ms. w). Both manuscripts go back to the same source, but both texts are corrupt. In addition, five fragments of a parchment manuscript from the early fourteenth century (Cod. N I 2, 94) have been handed down, now in the Basle University Library. The part printed here is taken from the first and, so far, only critical edition, Heinrich Adrian's 1927 dissertation, which is mainly based on the Vienna manuscript.

Der Saelden Hort consists of two parts: the first, which deals with the lives of Jesus and John the Baptist, is followed by a second with Mary Magdalene at its centre. Both parts are preceded by a prologue. Mary Magdalene must have been the author's central character, her fortunes occupying nearly half the work. Apart from the Mother of Christ, in the Middle Ages no saint receives as much attention in text and image as Mary Magdalene. Two theme complexes develop around her person, both in the theological discussion during the Middle Ages and in the later scholarly reception: first the integration of three biblical female characters, Mary of Magdala, Mary of Bethany and the sinful woman in Luke 7. Next, attention is focused on her life after Christ's ascension. There it concerns Mary's journey to and preaching in the Provence, notably in the surroundings of Marseilles, where the conversion of a royal couple is presented. The latter subject is central to the passage chosen here from Der Saelden Hort.