E.H. Gombrich 'A Little History of the World' 26. A New Age concluded

Summary

In the 26th chapter, we learn about Maximilian, the last knight, and a member of the Habsburg family, who ruled around 1500. Despite their growing power, the German nobles and princes often opposed him. As traditional chivalry faded, Maximilian relied on mercenaries for military service, incurring heavy debts to fund them. His interest in the arts, particularly Albrecht Dürer's works, reflects the dawn of a new era, transitioning from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

Takeaways

• 🏰 The Swiss defeated Charles the Bold, marking a significant event in the history of the German emperors.
• 👑 Maximilian, known as the 'Last Knight', was a member of the Habsburg family, which had been growing in might and wealth since King Rudolf.
• 🌍 The Habsburgs' influence had spread beyond Austria, and they had been dominating the German Emperor's seat since 1438.
• 🛡️ German nobles and princes often caused trouble for the emperor, including Maximilian, who faced challenges in commanding their military support.
• 💣 The advent of gunpowder and the changing nature of warfare led to the rise of mercenaries, who fought for pay rather than feudal obligations.
• 💰 Maximilian had to rely on loans from rich merchants due to the high costs of employing mercenaries, which in turn influenced his relationship with the towns.
• 🏰 The knights felt increasingly sidelined as the traditional chivalric values became outdated in the face of new military practices.
• 🎨 Maximilian was a patron of the arts, showing a keen interest in the works of Albrecht Durer, a German painter who was influenced by Italian art.
• 🖼️ Durer's portrait paintings provide a visual record of what Maximilian and his contemporaries looked like, offering a glimpse into the past.
• 🌅 The script suggests that the period following the Middle Ages, marked by the rise of new art and humanism, can be seen as a 'bright new dawn', symbolizing a new era of cultural and intellectual awakening.

Q & A

Who is referred to as the 'last knight' in the script?

Maximilian is referred to as the 'last knight' in the script.

What significant event is mentioned in the script that involved the Swiss and Charles the Bold?

The Swiss defeated Charles the Bold, which is a significant event mentioned in the script.

To which family did Maximilian belong?

Maximilian belonged to the Habsburg family.

How did the power of the Habsburg family grow since the time of King Rudolf?

The power of the Habsburg family grew steadily since the time of King Rudolf, spreading beyond Austria and influencing the election of German Emperors.

What was the issue with the German noblemen and princes during Maximilian's reign?

The German noblemen and princes exercised almost unlimited power over their fiefdom and were increasingly reluctant to accompany their Emperor into battle when commanded.

Why did Maximilian use paid soldiers instead of his vassals when fighting the French King?

Maximilian used paid soldiers, known as mercenaries, because the traditional methods of granting land and peasants in return for military service had become outdated, similar to chivalry.

What was the financial consequence for Maximilian due to hiring mercenaries?

Hiring mercenaries cost Maximilian a great deal of money that he didn't have, forcing him to borrow from rich merchants in the towns.

How did the relationship between Maximilian and the towns develop due to his financial situation?

Maximilian had to keep on good terms with the towns to borrow money, which upset the Knights who felt increasingly unwanted and unneeded.

What was Maximilian's personal interest that set him apart from the traditional knights?

Maximilian was interested in the new art and was particularly taken with the great German painter Albrecht Durer, showing a mixture of old and new interests.

How did Albrecht Durer contribute to the art of the time?

Albrecht Durer learned a lot from the Italians but taught himself even more to create paintings and engravings, contributing significantly to the new German art.

What does the script suggest about the time period following the Middle Ages?

The script suggests that the time period following the Middle Ages, which began in Florence, should be seen as a bright new dawn, marking the beginning of a new age.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 Maximilian I: The Last Knight

This paragraph discusses Maximilian I, the last knight and a member of the Habsburg family, who ruled around 1500. Despite the family's growing power and influence since King Rudolf in 1438, Maximilian faced significant challenges from the German nobility and princes. The paragraph highlights the shift from feudal obligations to paid mercenaries, which led to financial difficulties for Maximilian as he had to borrow from wealthy merchants. It also touches on the tension between the emerging power of towns and the diminishing role of knights. Maximilian is portrayed as a romantic figure, more interested in chivalry, tournaments, and poetry than in the harsh realities of his time. The paragraph concludes with a reference to Albrecht Durer, a German painter who captured Maximilian's likeness and symbolized the dawn of a new age in art, marking the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance.

Keywords

💡Swiss

The Swiss refers to the people or things associated with Switzerland. In the context of the video, the Swiss are highlighted for their victory over Charles the Bold, which is a significant historical event that shaped the narrative of power and conflict in the region during the late 15th century.

💡Charles the Bold

Charles the Bold was the Duke of Burgundy and a significant figure in European history. His defeat by the Swiss is mentioned in the script as a pivotal moment, illustrating the changing dynamics of power and the rise of Swiss independence.

💡Maximilian

Maximilian, referred to as 'the last knight' in the script, was a member of the Habsburg family and the German Emperor around 1500. His reign is characterized by the challenges he faced from the German nobility and his innovative approach to warfare, which is central to understanding the transition from medieval to early modern European history.

💡Habsburg family

The Habsburg family was a prominent royal house in European history, known for their significant influence and power. The script mentions their rise since King Rudolf and how they became a dominant force in the Holy Roman Empire, with all subsequent German Emperors being from this family.

💡German Emperor

The German Emperor was the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, a historical empire that covered much of Central Europe. The script discusses how the title was often held by members of the Habsburg family, indicating their political dominance.

💡Fiefdom

A fiefdom refers to a territory governed by a feudal lord. In the video, it is mentioned that the German nobles and princes had almost unlimited power over their fiefdoms, which contributed to the challenges faced by Maximilian in consolidating his rule.

💡Mercenaries

Mercenaries are soldiers who fight for pay rather than for a country or a cause. The script describes how Maximilian used mercenaries instead of his vassals, reflecting a shift in military strategy and the economic challenges it posed for rulers of the time.

💡Albrecht Durer

Albrecht Durer was a prominent German painter and printmaker of the Northern Renaissance. His mention in the script highlights the cultural and artistic developments of the period, as well as Maximilian's patronage of the arts, which is a significant aspect of the 'new age' that the script refers to.

💡Renaissance

The Renaissance was a period of cultural, artistic, intellectual, and economic revival that began in Italy and spread throughout Europe. The script uses the term to describe the 'bright new dawn' that followed the 'starry night' of the Middle Ages, indicating a time of significant progress and change.

💡Middle Ages

The Middle Ages, also known as the medieval period, spans from the 5th to the late 15th century and is characterized by feudalism and chivalry. The script contrasts this period with the Renaissance, suggesting a transition from a 'starry night' to a 'bright new dawn' of enlightenment and progress.

💡Chivalry

Chivalry refers to the medieval knightly class and their code of conduct. The script mentions that chivalry had become outdated, indicating a shift in societal values and the changing nature of warfare and nobility during the transition to the early modern period.

Highlights

The Swiss defeated Charles the Bold, marking a significant event in Swiss history.

Maximilian, a member of the Habsburg family, is known as the last knight due to his adherence to chivalric traditions.

The Habsburg family's influence had grown since King Rudolf, with their power spreading beyond Austria.

German noblemen and princes often gave the Emperor trouble, reflecting the complex political landscape of the time.

Maximilian faced challenges from his vassals, who were reluctant to provide military support without financial incentives.

The advent of gunpowder and the decline of chivalry led to the use of paid mercenaries instead of feudal levies.

Mercenaries were known for their rough and rapacious behavior, prioritizing plunder over loyalty.

Maximilian's reliance on mercenaries was costly, leading to financial strain and debts to rich merchants.

The need to maintain good relations with towns for financial support was a new challenge for Maximilian.

The decline of the Knights' importance and the rise of the merchant class changed the social order.

Maximilian was a patron of the arts, showing a keen interest in the works of Albrecht Dürer.

Albrecht Dürer's art, influenced by Italian techniques, is a testament to the cultural exchange of the time.

Dürer's portraits of Maximilian provide a visual record of the last knight, offering a glimpse into his appearance.

The transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance is symbolized by the shift from a 'starry night' to a 'bright new dawn'.

The end of the 26th chapter invites readers to explore related playlists for further historical context.

Transcripts

quickly finishing the 26th chapter of a

little history of the world

we just heard how the Swiss defeated

Charles the bold and we continue this is

why the German emperor who was ruling

around 1500 is known as the last night

his name was Maximilian and he was a

member of the Habsburg family whose

might and wealth had grown steadily

since the time of King Rudolf since 1438

their power had spread beyond their own

country of Austria and such was their

influence that all the German Emperor's

who had been elected since then had been

Hapsburgs nevertheless the German

nobleman in Princes gave most of them a

good deal of trouble and Maximilian the

last night was no exception they

exercised almost unlimited power over

their fiefdom zand had become

increasingly reluctant to accompany

their Emperor into battle when he

commanded them to do so with the arrival

of money and cities in gunpowder the

granting of land with bonded peasants in

return from military service had become

as outdated as chivalry which is why

when Maximilian went to fight the French

King for his Italian possessions he took

paid soldiers instead of his vassals

soldiers like these were called

mercenaries they were rough rapacious

brutes who strutted about in outlandish

costumes and thought little and thought

of little but plunder and since they

fought for money rather than for their

country they went to the person who paid

the most

this cost them for a great deal of money

that he didn't have so he was forced to

borrow from rich merchants in the towns

and this in its turn meant that he had

kept on good terms with the towns which

upset the Knights who felt increasingly

unwanted and unneeded such problems gave

Maximilian a headache like the Knights

of old he would far rather have ridden

in tournaments and composed fine verses

about his adventures to present his

beloved he was a strange mixture of the

old nanoo for he was very taken with a

new art and was always talking about the

great German painter Albrecht Durer who

had learned a lot from the Italians but

had taught himself even more to make

paintings and engravings in his honor

through the one

wonderful portraits throat portrait

paintings by the first of the new German

artists we can actually see what the

last night looked like these works

together with the paintings and

buildings of the great Italian artists

are in fact the heralds who cried

attention please a new age has begun and

if we called the Middle Ages a starry

night we should look upon this new

wide-awake time which began in Florence

as a bright new dawn and that's the end

of the 26th chapter remember you can now

watch these videos in a playlist with

the name a little history of the world I

encourage you to do that there's also a

playlist for the dark is rising and the

once and future king are sorry the sword

in the stone as well as parts of all the

quest of the Grail Knight more playlists

will be coming soon