Introduction Chapter One: The Medieval King, Monarchy, the Court, and Philosophical-Political Reflections. Unexpected Perspectives Toward a Critical Discourse: Political Reflections Chapter Two: Waltharius : An Honest Warrior Fights Against an Evil King: Early Medieval Criticism of a Ruler Chapter Three: The Neglectful, Ineffectual, Pathetic, and Useless King: Heinrich der Glîchez're's Reinhart Fuchs and the Criticism of a Ruler. The Story of a Complete Failure Chapter Four: Herzog Ernst and the Cruel Emperor: Criticism of an Unhinged Ruler Chapter Five: Disappointment about the Fictional King: Criticism of the Royal Ruler in Marie de France's Lais Chapter Six: A Tyrant King in the Viking World: Egil's Saga and Other Epic Poems Chapter Seven: The Idealized King Proves to be a Miserable Creature: Political Criticism in the Old French Huon de Bordeaux Chapter Eight: The Public Discussion of the King in Boccaccio's Decameron Sacrosanct or Vile? The Banalization of Kingship in the Late Middle Ages Chapter Nine: A Weak Husband, an Evil King, and a Miserable Character: The Downfall of Charlemagne in Late Medieval Prose Novels by Countess Elisabeth of Nassau-Saarbrücken and Others. Königin Sibille and the Anonymous Malagis With an Interlude Focused on the Nibelungenlied Epilogue Bibliography About the Author.