Pseudo-ancestors in the Genealogical Projects of the Emperor Maximilian I
1969; Iter Press; Volume: 13; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.33137/rr.v13i1.12917
ISSN2293-7374
Autores Tópico(s)European history and politics
ResumoJVlaximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 to his death in 15 IP- was he "the last knight" ("der letzte Ritter") or was he the first Renaissance politician north of the Alps?This question has repeatedly intrigued his- torians.*The motivations for many of the emperor's most ambitious projects continue to be the subject of vigorous debate.The woodcut equestrian portrait of "Kaiser Max" by Hans Burgkmair ^evokes both the medieval chivalric code Maximilian so much admired, and the grandio- se monuments of such Italian condotierri as Colleoni and Gattamelata.M aximilian's other artistic commissions and own creative efforts tend to alternate between these poles.His masked autobiography, Teuerdank, for example, revives medieval romances and germanic sagas.But his commission of a series of woodcuts for a "triumphal arch" and "trium- phal procession" follows his Italian Renaissance counterparts in reviving Roman antiquity.His mammoth project of bronze statues, busts, and statuettes of ancestors for his own tomb has no medieval counterpart.It can best be compared with the original plans for the tomb of Pope Julius II, Maximihan's arch-rival, with which it was probably intended to vie."* Maximilian has often been accused of lacking the force of character to carry out his thousands of ambitious schemes, which ranged from writing autobiographical novels many times the length of Teuerdank to recovering Constantinople from the Turks and getting himself elected Pope.^But even though his proposed projects far outnumber and out weigh his successes, the plans he did carry out included many majoi artistic, political, diplomatic, and mihtary victories.These successe include the acquisition for the House of Habsburg of Spain, Burgundy and Hungary through clever marriages of himself, his children, and his grandchildren; the establishment of the Vienna Boys' Choir; and military successes in Burgundy and Northern Italy.The power of his persona charm to influence those around him was augmented by his insight int *This study, in slightly different form, was presented as a paper at the Central Renaissance Con
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