Contingency - it is repeatedly stated - was only "discovered" in the early modern period. Before that, all incidents, no matter how inexplicable, were interpreted as expressions of a higher, godly order. The anthology takes this postulate as an opportunity to shed light on the diversity of medieval contingency concepts in literary texts. On the basis of exemplary analyzes of legends, ancient and court novels as well as fairs, poetry and novels of the early modern period, questions are asked about genre-specific contingency concepts as well as about literary-historical shifts and reassignments.