Weisskunig

Maximilian I, and his father Frederick III, were part of what was to become a long line of Holy Roman Emperors from the House of Habsburg.

During his reign Maximilian commissioned a number of humanist scholars and artists to assist him in completing a series of projects, in different art forms, intended to glorify for posterity his life and deeds and those of his Habsburg ancestors.

[3][4] He referred to these projects as Gedechtnus ("memorial"),[4][5] and included a series of stylised autobiographical works, of which Der Weisskunig was one, the others being the poems Freydal and Theuerdank.

Apparently Maximilian also planned to produce a Volksbuch suitable for a larger, less elite audience, but was unable to carry out that project.

The author opines that a successful ruler relies on five bases of ruling: understanding of God, of the influence of planets, reason, gentleness and restraint in using violence.

[11] This requirement is not only concerned with the type of knowledge needed for the immediate tasks of a monarch, but also liberal arts, minting of coins, foreign languages and manual labour skills.

For example, it is subtly hinted that the King of Flint (Charles the Bold, who was Maximilain's idol in real life[16]) was the aggressor and Frederick was forced to act.