Ansbach in the context of "Middle Franconia"

Hans Krell (c. 1490 – 1565 or 1586), also Krehl ou Kreil, was a German painter of the Renaissance, mainly known as a portrait painter. He is thought to have been born in Crailsheim or Ansbach, and died in Leipzig.

Hans Krell started his career as court painter of George the Pious, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach in Ansbach. He then entered into the service of King Louis II of Hungary in Prague and Buda, where he was employed as court portraitist in the years 1522–1526. He is later recorded in Leipzig (from 1531) and in Freiberg in Saxony (since 1534). Krell was known as the Fürstenmaler (Painter of Princes) in service of the German Princes – Albrecht of Brandenburg-Ansbach, Duke in Prussia, Hedwig Jagiellon, Electress of Brandenburg and the Elector Augustus of Saxony. His paintings of Saxon princes in the ceremonial hall and the council chamber of the Old Town Hall in Leipzig were continually being completed.

George Frederick of Brandenburg-Ansbach (German: Georg Friedrich der Ältere; 5 April 1539 in Ansbach – 25 April 1603) was Margrave of Ansbach and Bayreuth, as well as Regent of Prussia. He was the son of George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach and a member of the House of Hohenzollern. He married firstly, in 1559, Elisabeth of Brandenburg-Küstrin (29 August 1540 – 8 March 1578). He married secondly, in 1579, Sophie of Brunswick-Lüneburg (30 October 1563 – 1639), daughter of William of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Dorothea of Denmark.

George Frederick reigned in his native Ansbach, Franconia and Jägerndorf, Upper Silesia since 1556 and, after the death of his cousin Albert Alcibiades in 1557, also in Kulmbach. He took over the administration of the Duchy of Prussia in 1577, when the then-reigning Duke Albert Frederick became ill.

Crailsheim (German pronunciation: [ˈkʁaɪlsˌhaɪm] ) is a town in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. Incorporated in 1338, it lies 32 kilometres (20 miles) east of Schwäbisch Hall and 40 km (25 mi) southwest of Ansbach in the Schwäbisch Hall district. The city's main attractions include two Evangelical churches, a Catholic church, and the 67 metre tower of its town hall.

The Franconian Rezat (German: Fränkische Rezat, pronounced [ˈfʁɛŋkɪʃə ˈʁɛtsat]) is a 77-kilometre-long (48 mi) river in southern Germany. It is the western, left source river of the Rednitz. It rises in the Franconian Heights near Oberdachstetten. It flows generally east through the towns Lehrberg, Ansbach, Windsbach and Spalt. Together with the Swabian Rezat (Schwäbische Rezat), it forms the Rednitz in Georgensgmünd.

Simon Marius (Latinized form of Simon Mayr; 10 January 1573 – 5 January 1625) was a German astronomer. He was born in Gunzenhausen, near Nuremberg, but spent most of his life in the city of Ansbach. He is best known for being among the first observers of the four largest moons of Jupiter, and his publication of his discovery led to charges of plagiarism.

The Principality or Margraviate of (Brandenburg) Ansbach (German: Fürstentum Ansbach or Markgrafschaft Brandenburg-Ansbach) was a free imperial principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Franconian city of Ansbach. The ruling Hohenzollern princes of the land were known as margraves, as their ancestors were margraves (so the principality was a margraviate but not a march).

Albert Frederick (German: Albrecht Friedrich; Polish: Albrecht Fryderyk; 7 May 1553 – 27 August 1618) was the Duke of Prussia, from 1568 until his death. He was a son of Albert of Prussia and Anna Marie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was the second and last Prussian duke of the Ansbach branch of the Hohenzollern family.