The aim of this presentation is to analyze the portrayal of the institution of kingship in the much-discussed Old Assyrian Sargon Legend (Kt j/k 97), first published by Cahit Günbattı in 1997. Drawing on the works of literary theorists such as Gérard Genette or Paul Simpson, I intend to show how a discourse on kingship is produced through its transtextual relationship with Sargonic and Ur III literature. If Kt j/k 97 has often been identified as a parody of royal inscriptions (the main target of ridicule being other textual objects), I will argue here that its parodic tone could also be read as a satirical commentary on early 2nd millennium BCE Upper Mesopotamian and Anatolian societies (the target in this case being extratextual). Since both the author and the conditions of production of the text elude us, the question of the intentionality behind the Old Assyrian Sargon Legend and its interpretation by potential readers inevitably arises: if there is indeed a satirical outlook in the text, what exactly is being mocked and criticized? Is there a main, continuous target of criticism in the text or is it, in an almost improvised fashion, composed of several mostly unrelated railleries? In this presentation, after synthesizing previous analyses of Kt j/k 97, I will examine how the character of Sargon of Akkad is mobilized in the text in two different and conflicting ways: as a vehicle for mocking others or as a target of mockery in its own right. On the one hand, one could interpret his larger-than-life portrayal and superhuman feats as a humorous exaggeration designed to further debase non-Assyrians (and their rulers) and diminish their masculinity by comparing them to an unattainable standard. It could also be read as a more veiled criticism of Assyrian rulers, and especially of Sargon of Aššur (c. 1917-1878 BCE) whose reign as a city-state ruler coincides with most Old Assyrian texts and can only pale in comparison to the legendary status of his namesake. On the other hand, one could also argue that such an over-the-top description is used to lampoon Sargon of Akkad himself and his remembrance in Old Assyrian times. Perhaps, one could even go as far as to suggest that the character is used to ridicule the very institution of kingship. Each of these possibilities will be examined and discussed in order to see what can be learned about the perception and representation of kingship in this text.