, ed. Mechthild Albert and Ulrike Becker. Studien zu Macht und Herrschaft, 8. Göttingen: V&R unipress/Bonn University Press, 2020, 271 pp., 6 b/w ill.

As we have realized already for quite some time, the medieval ruler was often the object of harsh criticism, and the role of the king was not at all uncontested during the Middle Ages. Even though the mythical figure of King Arthur seems to be exempt from any particular criticism, most chronicle and romance author voiced rather critical opinions regarding their respective rulers. Thus, there is a good number of surprisingly weak and incompetent kings in a variety of literary genres (cf. Albrecht Classen, “The Cry-Baby Kings in Courtly Romances: What is Wrong with Medieval Kingship?,”