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Letter #988

Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to [Ioannes DANTISCUS?]
Vienna, 1533-08-07


Manuscript sources:
1excerpt in Latin, 16th-century, AAWO, AB, D. 67, f. 214r
2register in Polish, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8247 (TK 9), f. 336

Prints:
1AT 15 No. 389, p. 534 (in extenso; Polish register)
2CEID 2/1 No. 27, p. 140-142 (in extenso; English register)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

AAWO, AB, D. 67, f. 214r

Ab hinc autem non habeo aliud Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationi describendum, nisi quod oratores Ferdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria, from 1526 King of Bohemia and Hungary, Croatia and Slavonia as Ferdinand I, 1531-1558 King of the Romans, 1558-1564 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile, a younger brother of Charles V of Habsburgserenissimi regisFerdinand I of Habsburg (*1503 – †1564), from 1521 Archduke of Austria, from 1526 King of Bohemia and Hungary, Croatia and Slavonia as Ferdinand I, 1531-1558 King of the Romans, 1558-1564 Holy Roman Emperor; son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile, a younger brother of Charles V of Habsburg mei scripserunt se absolutos et tertia praeteriti mensis soluturos a Constantinople (Istanbul, Constantinopolis), city and capital of the Ottoman Empire, today in western TurkeyConstantinopoliConstantinople (Istanbul, Constantinopolis), city and capital of the Ottoman Empire, today in western Turkey[1], allaturos pacem regi acceptam[2]. Adversarii autem nostri sunt in magna exultatione, nescio, si spem vultu simulent[3]. Quod equidem quidam ex eorum gestibus videntur augurari.

Ex Naples (Napoli, Neapolis), city in Italy, on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, capital of the region of CampaniaNeapoliNaples (Napoli, Neapolis), city in Italy, on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, capital of the region of Campania allatae sunt litterae, quibus significatur dominum Andrea Doria (Andrea Auria, Andrea D' Oria) (*1466 – †1560), Italian condottiere and a famous seaman in the service of Genoa; 1512-1522 commander of the Genoan fleet, in 1522 he entered the service of Francis I of Valois, King of France, as a captain-general at sea; in 1526 (after the Battle of Pavia) he became commander of the League of Cognac's fleet; from 1528 imperial Chief Admiral on the Mediterranean, from 1531 Duke of Melfi, and from 1555 Censor of Genoa (actually a Genoan administrator) (JURIEN de la GRAVIÈRE, p. 203-205; CURREY, p. 87-98)Andream DoriaAndrea Doria (Andrea Auria, Andrea D' Oria) (*1466 – †1560), Italian condottiere and a famous seaman in the service of Genoa; 1512-1522 commander of the Genoan fleet, in 1522 he entered the service of Francis I of Valois, King of France, as a captain-general at sea; in 1526 (after the Battle of Pavia) he became commander of the League of Cognac's fleet; from 1528 imperial Chief Admiral on the Mediterranean, from 1531 Duke of Melfi, and from 1555 Censor of Genoa (actually a Genoan administrator) (JURIEN de la GRAVIÈRE, p. 203-205; CURREY, p. 87-98) classe imperiali Christiana instructa expertissimo milite Hispano ab inde solvisse et Corona (Corone, Koróni), town in Greece, on the Messenian GulfCoronamCorona (Corone, Koróni), town in Greece, on the Messenian Gulf[4] versus properare. Illic enim videbimus, quidnam sperandum sit, aut uni aut alteri.

Ex Rome (Roma), city in central Italy, on the Tiber river, seat of the Holy SeeRomaRome (Roma), city in central Italy, on the Tiber river, seat of the Holy See habemus Clement VII (Giulio de' Medici) (*1478 – †1534), 1523-1534 Popesummum pontificemClement VII (Giulio de' Medici) (*1478 – †1534), 1523-1534 Pope sententiam protulisse erga Henry VIII Tudor (*1491 – †1547), 1509-1547 King of England; son of Henry VII Tudor and Elizabeth of Yorkregem AngliaeHenry VIII Tudor (*1491 – †1547), 1509-1547 King of England; son of Henry VII Tudor and Elizabeth of York, ita ut illi sit iniunctum Catherine of Aragon (*1485 – †1536), Queen consort of England (1509-1533), Princess of Wales (as wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales, 1501-1502); the first wife of Henry VIII, King of Englandlegitimam suam coniugemCatherine of Aragon (*1485 – †1536), Queen consort of England (1509-1533), Princess of Wales (as wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales, 1501-1502); the first wife of Henry VIII, King of England acceptare, Anne Boleyn (*1507 – †1536), Queen of England (1533-1536) as a second wife of Henry VIII Tudor; in 1536 charged with treason and beheadedconcubinamAnne Boleyn (*1507 – †1536), Queen of England (1533-1536) as a second wife of Henry VIII Tudor; in 1536 charged with treason and beheaded vero amovere[5].

Circa Güns (Köszeg, Guncium), town and fortress in northwestern Hungary on the border with AustriaGuntiumGüns (Köszeg, Guncium), town and fortress in northwestern Hungary on the border with Austria oppidum, quod Suleiman the Magnificent (*1494 – †1566), 1520-1566 Sultan of the Ottoman EmpireTurcusSuleiman the Magnificent (*1494 – †1566), 1520-1566 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire tot milibus tanto tempore obsedit et tentavit[6], omnia sata sunt deperdita at in toto spatio, ubi tantus numerus gentium obsidentium continebatur, creverunt optima frumenta, ac si studio seminata fuissent, inde se inhabitantes nutriunt. His Vestram Reverendissimam Dominationem peroptime valere cupio, cui me quoque commendo.

Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationis deditissimus Sigmund von Herberstein (*1486 – †1566), diplomat in the service of Emperor Maximilian I, Charles V, and Roman King Ferdinand I, writer and historian. In 1517 sent to Poland to conduct the marriage between King Sigismund I Jagiellon and Duchess Bona Sforza d'Aragona, and to Moscow to arrange a truce between the Grand Duchy of Muscovy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; 1515 member of the Council of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1515-1553 carried out many diplomatic missions (in 1517 and 1526 he was twice an imperial envoy at the Muscovy court)Sigismundus ab Höberstein(!)Sigmund von Herberstein (*1486 – †1566), diplomat in the service of Emperor Maximilian I, Charles V, and Roman King Ferdinand I, writer and historian. In 1517 sent to Poland to conduct the marriage between King Sigismund I Jagiellon and Duchess Bona Sforza d'Aragona, and to Moscow to arrange a truce between the Grand Duchy of Muscovy and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania; 1515 member of the Council of the Holy Roman Empire, in 1515-1553 carried out many diplomatic missions (in 1517 and 1526 he was twice an imperial envoy at the Muscovy court) liber

[1] Cf. cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1532-08-22, CIDTC IDL 819IDL 819cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1532-08-22, CIDTC IDL 819, footnote 22.

[2] In January 1533 Ferdinand I’s envoy, Hieronymus of Zadar, concluded a preliminary peace agreement with Turkey. Cornelis De Schepper then conducted proper peace negotiations with Ibrahim Pasha and Lodovico Gritti in Constantinople, starting May 20. These lasted until June 23, when the final terms of the peace were announced. The Habsburgs’ envoys returned to Vienna on September 20 (see cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 15, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1957 AT 15cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 15, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1957 , No. 405, p. 555, No. 485-486, p. 678-682, No. 535, p. 743; cf. Andrzej Dziubiński, Stosunki dyplomatyczne polsko-tureckie w latach 1500-1572 w kontekście międzynarodowym, Wrocław, Fundacja na rzecz Nauki Polskiej, 2005 DZIUBIŃSKIcf. Andrzej Dziubiński, Stosunki dyplomatyczne polsko-tureckie w latach 1500-1572 w kontekście międzynarodowym, Wrocław, Fundacja na rzecz Nauki Polskiej, 2005 , p. 100-101; cf. Władysław Pociecha, Królowa Bona (1494-1557). Czasy i ludzie Odrodzenia, vol. 4, Poznań, PWN, 1958 POCIECHA 4cf. Władysław Pociecha, Królowa Bona (1494-1557). Czasy i ludzie Odrodzenia, vol. 4, Poznań, PWN, 1958 , 166-9).

[3] This is most likely mainly a reference to the alliance of Protestants, who in 1530 were supposedly to enter into an agreement with Poland and even (with the help of the landgrave of Hesse) with Turkey against the Habsburgs. The formation of the Schmalkaldic League of the Reich’s Protestant dukes in February 1531, and the alliance in Saalfeld in October of the same year (which Catholic Bavaria joined as well), was an expression of opposition to the coronation of Ferdinand I as the king of the Romans, and thus consolidation of the Habsburgs’ power, and a manifestation of supra-denominational unity in the face of the threat to the rights of the Reich’s duchies. In consultation with the Reich dukes, in 1532 Hieronim Łaski presented Francis I with a plan to provoke a civil war in Germany, which the king of France was inclined to support. Francis I was also involved in the matter of taking the Duchy of Württemberg from the Habsburgs and restoring it to the exiled Duke Ulrich (see cf. Władysław Pociecha, Królowa Bona (1494-1557). Czasy i ludzie Odrodzenia, vol. 4, Poznań, PWN, 1958 POCIECHA 4cf. Władysław Pociecha, Królowa Bona (1494-1557). Czasy i ludzie Odrodzenia, vol. 4, Poznań, PWN, 1958 , p. 111, 115-116, 142-145, 153, cf. cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1532-08-22, CIDTC IDL 819IDL 819cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1532-08-22, CIDTC IDL 819, footnote 19).

[4] Corona was taken by Andrea Doria on September 19, 1532 but from mid-May 1533 blocked by the Turks both from the land and the sea. Doria did ultimately relieve Koróni (August 6-8, 1533), and later took Euboea as well (see cf. Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall, Vom Regierungsantritte Suleiman des Ersten bis zum Tode Selim's II. 1520-1574, vol. III, Pest, 1828, series: Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches, grossentheils aus bisher unbenützten Handschriften und Archiven Hammer-Purgstall IIIcf. Joseph von Hammer-Purgstall, Vom Regierungsantritte Suleiman des Ersten bis zum Tode Selim's II. 1520-1574, vol. III, Pest, 1828, series: Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches, grossentheils aus bisher unbenützten Handschriften und Archiven , p. 163-164; cf. Jean Pierre Edmond Jurien de la Gravière, Doria et Barberousse, Paris, 1886 Gravièrecf. Jean Pierre Edmond Jurien de la Gravière, Doria et Barberousse, Paris, 1886 , p. 206-213; cf. Die Korrespondenz Ferdinands I, vol. 4: Familienkorrespondenz 1533 und 1534, ed. by Christopher F. Laferl, Christina Lutter, Wien-Köln-Weimar, 2000 KF 4cf. Die Korrespondenz Ferdinands I, vol. 4: Familienkorrespondenz 1533 und 1534, ed. by Christopher F. Laferl, Christina Lutter, Wien-Köln-Weimar, 2000 , p. 29; cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 15, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1957 AT 15cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 15, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1957 , No. 16, p. 28, No. 405, p. 555, No. 444, p. 608, No. 485, p. 680-681; No. 486, p. 682; cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 35. Res Polonicae ex Archivo Regiomontano, V pars (AD. 1531-1537), vol. 35, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1975 EFE 35cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 35. Res Polonicae ex Archivo Regiomontano, V pars (AD. 1531-1537), vol. 35, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1975 , No. 357, Annexum, p. 76; cf. cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1532-08-22, CIDTC IDL 819IDL 819cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1532-08-22, CIDTC IDL 819, footnote 21).

[5] When Anne Boleyn turned out to be pregnant in early 1533 (she gave birth to a daughter in September – the future queen Elizabeth I), Henry VIII made a final break from his lawful wife Catherine of Aragon and on January 25, 1533 secretly married his concubine, announcing this fact at Easter (April 13), when the royal clergy prayed for Anne as the queen. On March 23, Pope Clement VII at a secret consistory proclaimed the validity of Henry VIII’s marriage with Catherine, who was to be treated as his lawful wife (a separate bull on the matter was issued in August). On May 23, Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer announced the annulment of Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon, and on June 1 crowned Anne Boleyn at Westminster Abbey. On July 17, 1533 pope Clement VII issued a judgment deeming the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn null and void, and threatened to excommunicate the king of England unless he returned to his lawful wife (see cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 15, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1957 AT 15cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 15, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1957 , No. 291, p. 402, No. 368, p. 504, No. 405, p. 555; cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 16/1, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1960 AT 16/1cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 16/1, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1960 , No. 270, p. 503-504, przyp. 10; cf. Die Korrespondenz Ferdinands I, vol. 4: Familienkorrespondenz 1533 und 1534, ed. by Christopher F. Laferl, Christina Lutter, Wien-Köln-Weimar, 2000 KF 4cf. Die Korrespondenz Ferdinands I, vol. 4: Familienkorrespondenz 1533 und 1534, ed. by Christopher F. Laferl, Christina Lutter, Wien-Köln-Weimar, 2000 , No. 712, p. 110-112, No. 739, p. 168-170; cf. Georg W. Bernard, The King's Reformation. Henry VIII and the Remarking of the English Church, New Haven and London, 2005 Bernardcf. Georg W. Bernard, The King's Reformation. Henry VIII and the Remarking of the English Church, New Haven and London, 2005 , p. 67-68, 85; cf. Jasper Ridley, Henry VIII, [New York], 1985 Ridleycf. Jasper Ridley, Henry VIII, [New York], 1985 , p. 215-221; cf. Herbert A. L. Fisher, The History of England from the Accession of Henry VII to the Death of Henry VIII (1485-1547), London, 1919 Fishercf. Herbert A. L. Fisher, The History of England from the Accession of Henry VII to the Death of Henry VIII (1485-1547), London, 1919 , p. 318-322). .

[6] A reference to the siege of Güns (Köszeg) by the Turkish army in August 1532 (see cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1532-08-22, CIDTC IDL 819IDL 819cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1532-08-22, CIDTC IDL 819, footnote 8).