He had a traumatized childhood
One of the interesting facts about Maximilian I is that he had a traumatized childhood. Maximilian I saw the fierce rivalries that occasionally resulted in armed confrontation within the dynasty. His uncle Albrecht VI's siege of the Vienna Hofburg in 1462, along with his aristocratic allies and irate people, was one early and likely traumatizing event during his boyhood. Three-year-old Maximilian was stranded inside the palace with his parents as it was being heavily cannonaded. The residents of the palace started to hunger, and little Maximilian, who had already been debilitated by an unknown sickness, became seriously ill. The character contrasts between his parents, whose traits were completely at odds with one another, caused Maximilian additional suffering.
His mother Eleonora was a vivacious woman who occasionally showed her outright hate of her phlegmatic husband, while his father, Emperor Frederick III, was a harsh and secretive man with profoundly pragmatic beliefs. His parents held opposing views regarding politics and upbringing. While Eleonora spoiled her son and created the groundwork for his distinct sense of monarchical duty and love of the outward display that signified his position and standing, his father wanted him to acquire a practical education and to be hardened toward bodily suffering. Maximilian was torn like a child between his parents. A lower jaw deformity that resulted in an incredibly pronounced lower lip also caused Maximilian to have a speech impairment as a toddler.
