Tournaments in the age of Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian were not the serious affairs of the Middle Ages, nor did they reflect actual methods of warfare, which relied on heavy cannons and mercenaries. Instead, they provided amusing entertainment for the aristocracy. This complex design, containing numerous combatants jousting with lances, was based on events that took place in the Wittenberg marketplace. Given Cranach's position as painter to the Saxon court, his workshop would probably have been responsible for the various painted decorations associated with such tournaments.