Diebold Schilling the Elder

[1] In 1468, Schilling took part in the Waldshut War, and in 1476 he fought at the battles of Grandson and Morat during the Burgundian Wars, which likely prompted him to write his chronicles.

[1] In Bern, he served as secretary to the treasurer in 1476 and court clerk from 1481 to 1485.

Three works by Schilling have survived: the Grosse Burgunderchronik (Great Burgundian Chronicle) or Zürcher Schilling, the three-volume Amtliche Chronik (Official Chronicle) or Berner Schilling, and his last work, the Spiezer Chronik or Spiezer Schilling, commissioned by former schultheiss of Bern Rudolf von Erlach.

[1] His first work, which deals with the Waldshut War, and his Kleine Burgunderchronik have not survived in their original text.

[1] His chronicles, richly illustrated, were to represent the past exactly but with a strong moral connotation.

Portrait of Diebold Schilling at his studio, from the original manuscript of his Spiezer Chronik