Larry Silver. Marketing Maximilian: the Visual Ideology of a Holy Roman Emperor. Princeton University Press, 2008. xii + 303 pp. $49.95, cloth, ISBN 978-0-691-13019-4.

Reviewed by Joachim Whaley

Published on H-German (March, 2009)

Commissioned by Susan R. Boettcher

The arts of symbolic communication and of pire to a former glory by reviving claims to Italy the iconography of power have been key areas of and to reinvigorating royal power in . On research in medieval and early modern studies the other hand his reign marked signifcant new for many years now. Some of the most exciting departures. His acquisition of Burgundy by mar‐ work has challenged the previously assumed riage created the potential for western Erblande boundary between the medieval and early mod‐ to match the Austrian territories in the East, and ern eras. Continuities now seem more striking thus for a potentially more efective position in than discontinuities. The "modernity" of the early the empire than his father, Frederick II, or indeed modern period is questioned by the discovery of any other predecessor since the Hohenstaufen. He the "modernity" of the medieval. Above all, our faced the dual challenge of French antagonism in understanding of the sheer range and complexity the West and, above all, Ottoman expansionism in of symbolic forms of communication and of the the East, which threatened not only the Habs‐ images deployed in them has increased immea‐ burgs but the empire as well. These challenges surably. Larry Silver's study of the "visual ideolo‐ shaped the development of the empire for the gy" of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I next two centuries, not least because they (1459-1519) makes a fascinating contribution to prompted reform proposals during Maximilian's the subject that contains a mass of valuable mate‐ reign whose negotiation represented the frst in a rial and raises important questions. series of constitutional settlements that culminat‐ ed in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. Maximilian has often seemed to stand uneasily on the cusp between the medieval and early modern Silver's book focuses on another aspect of Maxim‐ worlds. He stylized himself as the last knight and ilian's modernity as the "frst ruler to exploit the seemed to aspire to restore the Holy Roman Em‐ propaganda power of printed images and text" H-Net Reviews

(p. ix). He was a ruler who exploited all the media Triumphal Procession (1507-18) and Arch of Hon‐ available in the early sixteenth century in order or (1519). As important as any of these projects, to promote what Max Weber termed the "rou‐ and in many senses a summation of them, was the tinization of charisma." By comparison with the project for Maximilian's own tomb . Begun in extraordinary range of activities documented by 1508, it fnally came to fruition with its installa‐ Silver, and the persistence and intensity with tion in the Hofkirche in Innsbruck in 1561-83. As‐ which they were pursued, even Louis XIV appears sociated with this plan were the public facades, a rather relaxed amateur. the Goldenes Dachl (Golden Roof) and the Wap‐ penturm (Armorial Tower), also at Innsbruck. The immediate stimulus for Maximilian's "cam‐ paign of self-aggrandizement through public rela‐ Some of Silver's most fascinating material relates tion"' (p. ix) was the series of conficts in which he to the way in which these projects were executed. became embroiled from the late 1490s. In 1499 his The literary projects were by and large dictated forces were defeated at Dorneck during the Swiss by Maximilian himself to a secretary, notably war of independence. During the following Marx Treitzsaurwein von Ehrentreitz, and were decade his attempts to secure his position were then improved by other writers. The artistic met by opposition from France. Following his projects were given to teams of humanist writers coronation as emperor-elect at Trent in 1508, his and artists, such as Konrad Peutinger and Hans attempt to proceed to Rome for the traditional for‐ Burgkmaier at or Willibald Pirkheimer mal papal coronation was blocked by Venice. and Albrecht Dürer at Nuremberg, or to Joseph Maximilian was obliged to make do with the title Grünpeck and Albrecht Altdorfer at Regensburg. of "Elected Roman Emperor," the title adopted by The Innsbruck projects were entrusted to Jörg all his successors until 1806, except for Charles V, Kölderer, who in turn subcontracted work to a who was crowned by the pope at Bologna in 1530. large number of artists and craftsmen. Maximil‐ ian was at all times the promoter, coordinator, Maximilian's need to assert himself combined and prime mover, an artistic impresario and en‐ with a genuine literary talent. As early as 1492 he trepreneur with seemingly limitless energy and began a Latin autobiography at the suggestion of enthusiasm and an unfailing eye for detail. All of Heinrich Bebel. In 1499 he decided to dictate the the work Maximilian inspired or set in motion events of his reign to a secretary after the manner was collaborative and executed by often substan‐ of Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic Wars, frst tial production teams. Silver's book gives a fasci‐ published in 1469 in Rome and in 1473 in Esslin‐ nating insight into the world of the artist-crafts‐ gen. This project failed to come to fruition but it man and relationships between literary and artis‐ seems to have inspired the major German literary tic production in the humanist era. His analysis enterprises associated with Maximilian: his semi- also defnes the core literary-artistic landscape of autobiographical verse romances, the Teurdank the empire around 1500: from to Alsace, of 1505-08, the Weisskunig of 1505, and the Frey‐ with key centers in the imperial cities of Upper dal or book of tournaments that he worked on Germany. from 1512 to 156. In addition, he conceived and actively promoted the production of a series of Equally important is the analysis of the themes other works: a history of the reign of his father that run through the productions of what Silver and himself (1515-16), a catalogue of Habsburg calls Maximilian's "artworlds" (p. 26). The emper‐ saints (1516-18), a prayer book dedicated for use or drew on tradition in order to legitimate his po‐ by the Order of St George (1513), the illustrated sition and to provide the starting point for his

2 H-Net Reviews own innovations. Whether he was commissioning selfsh interests at the expense of the German na‐ writers to collect and anthologize old literary tion; his obsession with promoting his dynasty texts or artists to restore old fresco paintings and prevented him from playing a larger leadership to copy old motifs, Maximilian's obsession with role in Germany, and probably, so Ullmann im‐ tradition and with the past was overwhelming. plied, impeded the unifcation of Germany. On the Everything was grist for the mill of his imperial other hand Silver cites the more positive view publicity. that emerges from Hermann Wiesfecker's monu‐ mental fve-volume biography of 1971-86: Maxim‐ Silver defnes fve broad themes. First, much at‐ ilian was a talented and successful ruler, notable tention was devoted to establishing Maximilian's not only for his Realpolitik but also for his cultur‐ genealogy in order to underline his pre-eminent al activities generally and for his literary and qualifcations for his elective imperial title. Sec‐ artistic patronage in particular. ondly, while Maximilian insisted that the empire had been lawfully conferred on Charlemagne by Silver states that he sides with Wiesfecker rather means of the translatio imperii, he lost no oppor‐ than Ullmann. In fact, he manages to combine tunity to deploy the Roman imperial heritage of both views in a rather questionable way. It is be‐ his title to bolster his pre-eminent position above yond doubt that Maximilian's legacy to the Habs‐ all other European rulers. Thirdly, he constantly burg dynasty was considerable. Maximilian's emphasized the imperial role as defender of the grandsons Charles V and Ferdinand I both built faith. This motif was most evident in his plans for upon and further elaborated the myths and im‐ a crusade to defend both his territories and Chris‐ ages that he had done so much to establish. That tendom as a whole against the Ottoman threat. legacy was still a potent force in the eighteenth More generally, his personal piety and concern century, when Charles VI drew on it once again for Christendom were such that he even toyed for his own symbolic program of imperial resur‐ with the idea of putting himself forward for elec‐ gence. A systematic study of the transmission of tion as pope. Fourth, military prowess and suc‐ Maximilianic iconography would no doubt reveal cessful command in the feld of battle were pre‐ many further ramifcations in virtually every gen‐ sented as qualifcations for leadership generally. eration, into the nineteenth century. Finally, Maximilian was repeatedly presented as a leading participant in jousting tournaments, On the other hand, Silver's tendency to confate hunts, and all kinds of ceremonials, from the ritu‐ the with the Habsburg em‐ als of diplomacy to the extensive round of court pire (pp. xiii, 236) distorts the picture for the early festivities. modern period. His focus on the Habsburg narra‐ tive implies a parallel narrative of the Holy Ro‐ Silver is not centrally concerned with the debate man Empire as a failed nation state. Concurring over Maximilian's performance as an agent of po‐ with Wiesfecker, Silver suggests that Maximilian litical history. However, his work has implications might have succeeded in constructing a German for that, as well. Imperial propaganda was de‐ nation state if only the princes had not been so signed to bolster Maximilian's position. How efec‐ implacably opposed. Indeed, Silver agues that tive was it? Silver himself positions his work be‐ rulers such as the Elector of Saxony or the Duke of tween two opposing evaluations of Maximilian's Bavaria adopted some of Maximilian's "imperial historical role. On the one hand he cites the criti‐ forms and trappings in rival cultural forms, used cal view of Heinrich Ullmann's two-volume biog‐ to promote political resistance" (p. 216). This raphy of 1884-91: Maximilian pursued his own claim underestimates the signifcance of the con‐

3 H-Net Reviews stitutional settlement that emerged during Maxi‐ milian's reign which, subsequently adjusted, clari‐ fed, and confrmed at various points, formed the basis for the German polity for nearly three cen‐ turies. This was a polity in which, despite the reli‐ gious divide, the patriotic motifs developed dur‐ ing Maximilian's reign, both by Maximilian him‐ self and by the humanist writers who responded to him, formed the core of a national political cul‐ ture. There was no fundamental incompatibility between dynasticism and participation in the em‐ pire, either for the Habsburgs or for the Saxons or others.

Refections on the broader history of the Holy Ro‐ man Empire admittedly play only a peripheral role in Silver's work. His forte is the analysis of Maximilian's "artworlds," the themes of imperial propaganda, and the teams of writers and artists who participated in their production. This is a for‐ midable achievement in its own right. Silver's book will be essential reading for anyone interest‐ ed in the political culture of late medieval and early modern Europe.

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Citation: Joachim Whaley. Review of Silver, Larry. Marketing Maximilian: the Visual Ideology of a Holy Roman Emperor. H-German, H-Net Reviews. March, 2009.

URL: https://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=23757

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