Emperor Maximilian I, also known to many as the “last knight”, was one of the most important monarchs of Austria. He paved the way for the dynasty to become a world power. To commemorate the 500th anniversary of his death, Austrian Post issued a commemorative stamp decorated with gold embossing. The item shows a portrait of Maximilian with a lance and his coat of arms held by a crowned heraldic lion. In the background of the stamp an excerpt from “Theuerdank” can be seen.
Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg was a classically educated prince and skilled fighter. The son of Emperor Frederick III and Eleanor of Portugal, he was also a progressive monarch who recognized the challenges of his time. One of the most important aspects of his rule was to increase the emperor's own fame and his family's reputation. He was the first Habsburg to recognize the possibilities of the newly emerging printing press and participated intensively in various projects designed to keep his memory alive long after his death. On account of his love of jousting, Maximilian was dubbed ‘the last knight’. He died in 1519 in Wels.
