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Letter #2759

Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS
Vienna, 1544-10-01
            received Wormditt (Orneta), 1544-10-21

Manuscript sources:
1fair copy in Latin, autograph, UUB, H. 155, f. 80
2excerpt in Latin, 16th-century, GStA PK, XX. HA Hist. StA Königsberg, HBA, C 1, No. 987 (enclosure No. 2.2)

Auxiliary sources:
1register in Polish, 20th-century, B. PAU-PAN, 8250 (TK 12), f. 155
2register in English, 20th-century, CBKUL, R.III, 30, No. 147

Prints:
1HARTMANN 1525-1550 No. 987, p. 510 (German register)
2CEID 2/1 No. 40, p. 198-200 (in extenso; English register)

 

Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus

 

Reverendissime Praesul, Domine observandissime et colendissime. Servitiorum meorum perpetuam commendationem.

Non potui me continere, quin ad Vestram Reverendissimam Dominationem de his, quae apud nos feruntur, paucis perscriberem. {Caesaream maiestatem} scribit Mary of Hungary (Mary of Austria, Mary of Habsburg) (*1505 – †1558), 1521-1526 Queen of Hungary, 1522-1526 Queen of Bohemia, 1530-1556 Governess of the Habsburg Netherlands on behalf of her brother, Charles V; daughter of Philip I of Habsburg and Joanna of Castile, sister of Emperor Charles V, wife of Louis II Jagiellonserenissima regina MariaMary of Hungary (Mary of Austria, Mary of Habsburg) (*1505 – †1558), 1521-1526 Queen of Hungary, 1522-1526 Queen of Bohemia, 1530-1556 Governess of the Habsburg Netherlands on behalf of her brother, Charles V; daughter of Philip I of Habsburg and Joanna of Castile, sister of Emperor Charles V, wife of Louis II Jagiellon gubernatrix The Low Countries (Netherlands), region around the delta of the Rhine, Schelde (Scheldt), and Meuse rivers, includes modern Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western GermanyInferiorum PartiumThe Low Countries (Netherlands), region around the delta of the Rhine, Schelde (Scheldt), and Meuse rivers, includes modern Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany suam Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castilecaesaream maiestatemCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile circa Châlons-sur-Marne (Châlons-en-Champagne, Cathalaunum), town in northeastern France, on the Marne river in Champagne, between Saint-Dizier and ReimsScholonChâlons-sur-Marne (Châlons-en-Champagne, Cathalaunum), town in northeastern France, on the Marne river in Champagne, between Saint-Dizier and Reims civitatem ad Marne (Matrona), river in northeastern France, flowing into the Seine near ParisMatronamMarne (Matrona), river in northeastern France, flowing into the Seine near Paris flumen suas copias tali modo direxisse, ut omnibus videbatur eandem obsidere velle, sed noctu superato fluvio[1] The French GalliThe French territi suas instruunt acies ad confligendum, sed non expectato congressu retrahunt se. At non tantum, quin caesareus exercitus postremos sit assecutus multis caesis atque captis ex potioribus et nominatis. Ita disiunctus est exercitus, pars in Châlons-sur-Marne (Châlons-en-Champagne, Cathalaunum), town in northeastern France, on the Marne river in Champagne, between Saint-Dizier and ReimsScholonamChâlons-sur-Marne (Châlons-en-Champagne, Cathalaunum), town in northeastern France, on the Marne river in Champagne, between Saint-Dizier and Reims, pars vero versus Paris (Lutetia Parisiorum, Parisii), city in central France, on the Seine river, capital of FranceParisiumParis (Lutetia Parisiorum, Parisii), city in central France, on the Seine river, capital of France se recepit[2]. Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of CastileCaesarCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile occupatis omnibus intermediis fortaliciis iam versus Paris (Lutetia Parisiorum, Parisii), city in central France, on the Seine river, capital of FranceParisiumParis (Lutetia Parisiorum, Parisii), city in central France, on the Seine river, capital of France tendebat et haec sunt usque in septimam Septembris. Quae postea subsecuta, expectamus in horas. Francis I of Valois (*1494 – †1547), 1515-1547 King of France; son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of SavoyGallusFrancis I of Valois (*1494 – †1547), 1515-1547 King of France; son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy sollicitus de pace tractat instantissime. Obtulit condiciones, quas Charles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castilecaesarea maiestasCharles V of Habsburg (*1500 – †1558), ruler of the Burgundian territories (1506-1555), King of Spain as Charles I (1516-1556), King of Naples and Sicily, King of the Romans (1519-1530), Holy Roman Emperor of the German Nation (elected 1519, crowned 1530, abdicated 1556); son of Philip I the Handsome and Joanna the Mad of Castile illico per Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle (*1484 – †1550), doctor of both canon and civil law, one of the most trusted advisors of Emperor Charles V, in 1519 entered the service of Charles V, in 1521 took part in the Habsburg-French negotiations in Calais, in 1529 in peace negotiations with the Roman Curia and the Italian states, and later, in 1538, in the conference of Nice between Charles V and Francis I; prominent official and advisor of Charles V and of Margaret of Austria in the administration of the County of Burgundy and of the Habsburg Netherlands, collaborator of Chancellor Gattinara, 1530 secretary of State for German and Netherlandish affairs and Chancellor of the Kingdom of Sicily and Naples (he replaced Gattinara after his death in the position of Grand Chancellor, although not using the title); imperial envoy to France (several times up to 1528) (CE, vol. 3, p. 68-70; DURME 1964; ANTONY 2006)episcopum AtrebatensemNicolas Perrenot de Granvelle (*1484 – †1550), doctor of both canon and civil law, one of the most trusted advisors of Emperor Charles V, in 1519 entered the service of Charles V, in 1521 took part in the Habsburg-French negotiations in Calais, in 1529 in peace negotiations with the Roman Curia and the Italian states, and later, in 1538, in the conference of Nice between Charles V and Francis I; prominent official and advisor of Charles V and of Margaret of Austria in the administration of the County of Burgundy and of the Habsburg Netherlands, collaborator of Chancellor Gattinara, 1530 secretary of State for German and Netherlandish affairs and Chancellor of the Kingdom of Sicily and Naples (he replaced Gattinara after his death in the position of Grand Chancellor, although not using the title); imperial envoy to France (several times up to 1528) (CE, vol. 3, p. 68-70; DURME 1964; ANTONY 2006)[3] Henry VIII Tudor (*1491 – †1547), 1509-1547 King of England; son of Henry VII Tudor and Elizabeth of Yorkregi AngloHenry VIII Tudor (*1491 – †1547), 1509-1547 King of England; son of Henry VII Tudor and Elizabeth of York[4] misit per postas[5]. Sunt, qui multum sperant de pace ratione nuntii, cum sit filius Granvellae[6].

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 HabsburgSerenissimus rex meusFerdinand 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 hodie abhinc Pragam profectus, speramus reditum post viginti dies. Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationi me et servitia mea commendo.

Vestrae Reverendissimae Dominationis obsequentissimus 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 liber baro in HerberstainSigmund 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) etc., manu propria.

[1 ] A reference to the imperial forces crossing the Marne (cf. cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 37. Documenta ex Archivo Regiomontano ad Poloniam spectantia VII pars H B A, B 2, 1543-47, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1976 Elementa, XXXVII, No. 870, p. 108-109cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 37. Documenta ex Archivo Regiomontano ad Poloniam spectantia VII pars H B A, B 2, 1543-47, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1976 )

[2 ] Andrzej Górka sent similar, though more detailed, news, which seems to have been largely propaganda, to Duke Albrecht von Hohenzollern in late October 1544. Because of the similarity of some expressions, one can guess that the information came from the same sources that Herberstein used in the present letter to Dantiscus (see cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 37. Documenta ex Archivo Regiomontano ad Poloniam spectantia VII pars H B A, B 2, 1543-47, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1976 Elementa, XXXVII, No. 870, p. 108-111cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 37. Documenta ex Archivo Regiomontano ad Poloniam spectantia VII pars H B A, B 2, 1543-47, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1976 ; cf. cf. Martin du Bellay, Guillaume du Bellay, Mémoires de Martin et Guillaume du Bellay, vol. IV , ed. by V.-L. Bourrilly, Fleury Vindry, Paris, 1919 du Bellay, IV, p. 265-267cf. Martin du Bellay, Guillaume du Bellay, Mémoires de Martin et Guillaume du Bellay, vol. IV , ed. by V.-L. Bourrilly, Fleury Vindry, Paris, 1919 ; letter cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1544-08-28, CIDTC IDL 2752IDL 2752cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to Ioannes DANTISCUS Vienna, 1544-08-28, CIDTC IDL 2752, footnote 18!!!)

[3 ] Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle as a bishop seldom resided in his diocese. He remained at the court and took part in various political campaigns, for example in the religious dispute at the diet in Worms in 1541, and in Regensburg in 1542. After the death of Charles V he was a diplomat in Philip II’s service, among other posts (cf. cf. Alfred Kohler, Karl V. 1500-1558. Eine Biographie, München, 1999 Kohler I, p. 128cf. Alfred Kohler, Karl V. 1500-1558. Eine Biographie, München, 1999 )

[4 ] Henry VIII Tudor as an ally of Charles V in the war against Francis I, he laid siege to Boulogne-sur-Mer from late July to September 14, wanting to join it to Calais – an English dominion on the continent (1360-1558) (see 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 Fisher, p. 462-463cf. Herbert A. L. Fisher, The History of England from the Accession of Henry VII to the Death of Henry VIII (1485-1547), London, 1919 ; cf. Jasper Ridley, Henry VIII, [New York], 1985 Ridley, p. 383-385cf. Jasper Ridley, Henry VIII, [New York], 1985 )

[5 ] Forced to carry on a war on two fronts, from the start of the imperial-English invasion Francis I tried to hold peace negotiations. Henry VIII, however, had no intention of starting any talks before capturing Boulogne-sur-Mer on September 14 (cf. footnote 9). Meanwhile, after taking Saint-Dizier (see letter No. 39 footnote 17), Charles V was considering ending the campaign because of problems with provisioning, and was inclined to sign a separatist peace with the king of France, which would allow him to solve the growing religious problems in the Reich and to prepare a campaign against Turkey, in which, it was said, the emperor was to take part in person. Though preliminary peace talks were held from about mid-August, Charles V undertook further military action to put pressure on Francis I (see letter No. 39 footnote 18). The emperor expected that after breaking off the alliance with the sultan, Francis I would stand at the Habsburgs’ side in the anti-Turkish campaign and help deal with the religious relations on the eve of the expected general council. At this time, Francis I was conducting his own negotiations on the terms of a peace treaty with Henry VIII (through cardinal Jean du Bellay), in exchange for which the king of England demanded Boulogne-sur-Mer, among other things. On September 7, 1544 Charles V sent Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle to Henry VIII as he laid siege to Boulogne-sur-Mer (to Hardelot Castle), to obtain the king of England’s declaration whether he intended to continue the joint campaign against Francis I and march on Paris, or whether he agreed to the emperor signing a separate peace treaty with the king of France. On September 10, Henry VIII said he would not take part in the march on Paris. Perrenot returned to Crépy from his mission on September 18, the day the peace treaty was signed, though its terms had in fact been agreed a few days earlier. Perrenot later claimed that Henry VIII had agreed to the separatist peace treaty, but the king of England denied this (see cf. Vincent de Cadenas y Vincent, Diario del Emperador Carlos V (Itinerarios, permanencias, despacho, sucesos y efemérides relevantes de su vida), Madrid, Hidalguia, 1992 Cadenas y Vicent, p. 313-314cf. Vincent de Cadenas y Vincent, Diario del Emperador Carlos V (Itinerarios, permanencias, despacho, sucesos y efemérides relevantes de su vida), Madrid, Hidalguia, 1992 ; cf. Manuel Fernández Álvarez, Charles V Elected Emperor and Hereditary Ruler, London, 1975 Fernández Álvarez 1975, p. 129cf. Manuel Fernández Álvarez, Charles V Elected Emperor and Hereditary Ruler, London, 1975 ; Fcf. Manuel Fernández Álvarez, Carlos V, el César y el Hombre, Madrid, 2002 ernández Álvarez 2002, p. 656-657cf. Manuel Fernández Álvarez, Carlos V, el César y el Hombre, Madrid, 2002 ; 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 Fisher, p. 462-463cf. Herbert A. L. Fisher, The History of England from the Accession of Henry VII to the Death of Henry VIII (1485-1547), London, 1919 ; Jansen, VI, p. 258-259; cf. Robert Jean Knecht, Renaissance Warrior and Patron: The Reign of Francis I, Cambridge, 1994 Knecht, p. 493-494cf. Robert Jean Knecht, Renaissance Warrior and Patron: The Reign of Francis I, Cambridge, 1994 ; cf. Alfred Kohler, Karl V. 1500-1558. Eine Biographie, München, 1999 Kohler I, p. 289-294cf. Alfred Kohler, Karl V. 1500-1558. Eine Biographie, München, 1999 ; cf. Jasper Ridley, Henry VIII, [New York], 1985 Ridley, p. 384-385cf. Jasper Ridley, Henry VIII, [New York], 1985 ; cf. Jack J. Scarisbrick, Henry VIII, Barkley and Los Angeles, 1968 Scarisbrick, p. 447-449cf. Jack J. Scarisbrick, Henry VIII, Barkley and Los Angeles, 1968 , cf. cf. Martin du Bellay, Guillaume du Bellay, Mémoires de Martin et Guillaume du Bellay, vol. IV , ed. by V.-L. Bourrilly, Fleury Vindry, Paris, 1919 du Bellay, IV, p. 259-281cf. Martin du Bellay, Guillaume du Bellay, Mémoires de Martin et Guillaume du Bellay, vol. IV , ed. by V.-L. Bourrilly, Fleury Vindry, Paris, 1919 ; cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 37. Documenta ex Archivo Regiomontano ad Poloniam spectantia VII pars H B A, B 2, 1543-47, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1976 Elementa, XXXVII, No. 870, p. 108-111, No. 871, p. 113cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 37. Documenta ex Archivo Regiomontano ad Poloniam spectantia VII pars H B A, B 2, 1543-47, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1976 ; cf. Corpus Documental de Carlos V, vol. 2 (1539-1548), ed. by Manuel Fernández Álvarez, Salamanca, 1975 CDCV, II, No. 284, p. 270, No. 313, p. 356cf. Corpus Documental de Carlos V, vol. 2 (1539-1548), ed. by Manuel Fernández Álvarez, Salamanca, 1975 ).

[6 ] Nicolas Perrenot de Granvelle in 1521, at chancellor Mercurio Arborio di Gattinara’s side he took part in the Habsburg-French negotiations in Calais, and subsequently completed several missions to France up to 1528. In 1529 he took part in the peace negotiations with the Roman Curia and the Italian states, and in 1538 in Nice – in the talks on a truce with Francis I. In 1530, after Gattinara’s death, he succeeded him in the post of chancellor to Charles V. He was one of the emperor’s most trusted advisors and influential politicians. His correspondence with Dantiscus from the years 1529-1541 is known (cf. cf. Alfred Kohler, Karl V. 1500-1558. Eine Biographie, München, 1999 Kohler I, p. 127-128cf. Alfred Kohler, Karl V. 1500-1558. Eine Biographie, München, 1999 )