Disquisition on the Celebrated Poetic Book Theuerdanck

...is established for us. The last brother, however, Martin, a Senator of Nuremberg, twice led the forces of Nuremberg and their allies against the Turks Referring to the Ottoman-Habsburg wars in the 16th century, and on account of his military valor, he was created a Knight of the Golden Spur original: Eques Auratus; a title of nobility often conferred by the Emperor by Emperor Charles V in the year 1532 with a drawn sword, and was accepted as a Councilor and confidant, as the words of the Diploma An official imperial charter or decree show. He also acquired the castle and village of Henffenfeld at great expense and passed it down to his descendants. Melchior Pfintzing is also engraved in copper, dressed in ecclesiastical robes, and indeed in a smaller format, less than a palm’s length in height, using that skill which they call mezzotint original German: die schwartze Kunst, literally "the black art," a printmaking process that allows for tonal gradations / with this title added: MELCHIOR PFINTZING, Chaplain to Emperor Charles V, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Author of the Theuerdanck, 1517. Provost of St. Alban in Mainz and of St. Sebald in Nuremberg, and Dean of St. Victor. Died 1535. original German: MELCHIOR PFINTZING, KEIS: CARL v. Königs zu Hisp. Erzh. zu Oesterr. Caplan, Author des Theurdancks, A. 1517. zu Albani Meynz, v. zu S. Seba: in Nb. Probst. v. zu S. Victor Dechant. D. 1535. But this title by no means convinces us that Pfintzing actually performed sacred duties in the court of Emperor Charles V, since all documents recounting the life of Melchior are silent about such a function. It is more likely that the engraver called Melchior the "Chaplain of Charles V" because he observed that Melchior signed himself in the dedication of his work to Charles V as: Your Royal Majesty's most humble chaplain original German: Ewer Küniglichen Mayestat diemütigister Capplan; these words actually reflect a formula of ecclesiastical submission used by all clerics of that time, rather than declaring that some specific sacred office had been bestowed by the Emperor. Therefore, various authors, misled by this same dedication, have incorrectly called Pfintzing the Chaplain of Charles V.

III.

Arguments proving that this Pfintzing is the author of the book.

We are so firmly convinced by strong reasons that this most Reverend and illustrious man is the true and genuine author of the book called Theuerdanck A famous allegorical poem commissioned by Emperor Maximilian I, telling the story of his journey to marry Mary of Burgundy, that we [intend to defend] this glory of his against all his detractors and those who think otherwise...