Royal Propaganda in the Renaissance

Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I mounted a public relations campaign aimed at the nobles and officials within his empire. He branded himself the "Wise Knight," a hero for his own times sprung from a heroic invented ancestry that included Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, and even Hercules. The truth was impressive enought: Maximilian spoke seven languages, had a strong military record, and pursued diverse interests, from veterinary surgery to archaeology.

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