Letter #6281
Cornelis DE SCHEPPER to [Ioannes DANTISCUS?]Prague, 1534-08-09
English register:
The original of this letter is not preserved. Only an excerpt, viz. the second part of the letter with the novitates, has been preserved in a contemporary copy in the 'Herzogliches Briefarchief' in the Königsberg archives, along with a German translation.
De Schepper gives a lengthy justification for the surrender to the Turks of the city of Corone, which had only recently been conquered by Andrea Doria for the Emperor [Charles V]. He himself had long been aware of this decision, but he had kept it secret so as not to endanger the Spanish garrison there. The fortress has an unsafe anchorage, exposing the ships of the defence to enemy attacks. Moreover, the Turkish fleet has grown so well equipped that even in the high seas it is a dangerous adversary. Meanwhile, wicked Christians proved at least as great a danger as the Turks, luring the French King [Francis I] into alliances against the Emperor, and provoking severe uprisings.
Due to its location, Corone is difficult to supply. Jeopardising the Spanish garrison there would have discouraged the troops in other enterprises of the Emperor. Finally, negotiations with the Sultan [Suleiman the Magnificent] were appropriate because of the difficulties in supplying and defending the numerous cities captured by the Emperor. To all these arguments to give up Corone may be added that for reasons undisclosed here, King Ferdinand insisted on rendering a service to the Sultan. He sent De Schepper to obtain this from the Emperor.
As a result the Spanish garrison and the Greek inhabitants were able to leave the city unharmed, taking with them all their possessions, equipment and supplies. The Spanish soldiers have safely arrived in Sicily. Upon these considerations everyone should acclaim the decision to surrender Corone.
The Emperor will soon be confronted with a major war with the Turks. After their unfortunate sea expeditions they have appointed the corsair Khair al-Din Pasha as chief commander of their navy. He is a major threat to all Christians, save for the French. On the imperial side the Mediterranean coasts are well defended, and a considerable navy is on stand-by.
In Germany all is peaceful now. The instigators of the unrest have wasted their effort. The Emperor desires to engage in a serious campaign against the enemies of the faith, but he is impeded by many internal difficulties.
Dantiscus should know that De Schepper will soon leave for Spain, and be aware that he is as always willing to render him a service.
Manuscript sources:
Prints:
| ||||||||
Text & apparatus & commentaryPlain textText & commentaryText & apparatus
Ex litteris domini Cornelii etc.
Scio non defuturos apud vos, qui admirantur de quibusdam, qui hoc anno advenere interque alia de Coronis urbis in Poloponneso dimissione. Qui omnes ubi intellexerint, quo consilio illa facta sint, desinent admirari. Equidem haec ita fieri sciveram longe prius, neque enim huius rei consilium clam me fuit, neque tamen ex me quisquam rescivit, ne male his cederet, qui ibi erant in praesidio Coronis. Itaque dimissio ob plurimas causas fuit, urbs enim illa tametsi forti loco sita, portu tamen caret, stationem tantum malefidam habet. Quae res quam sit periculosa, ubi de succurrendo agitur, eodem tempore, quo anno superiori novum eo importavit praesidium Andreas de Auria, didicimus, neque enim, maritimo proelio decertare si nolit hostis, cogi potest, adactis enim in terram pup <p> ibus e proris triremium iaculetur et quantumvis instructa classis hoc modo periclitabitur.
Nunc taceo, quod certissimi fuimus de summo apparatu classis, quem faciebant Turcae, quae etiam classis aequo mari posset nostrae negotium facessere. Nihil dico, quod et a malis Christianis tantum nobis imminebat periculi tamquam ab ipsis Turcis, qui non pro nomine et titulis maiorum. Nam et regem Galliae, crudelem illum hostem, impulere importunis sollicitationibus et confoederationibus, adversus Karolum ut terra marique contenderet. Ne quid dicam de permaximis tumultibus, qui ex eodem lacu promanarunt. Loci itaque qualitas et quod non sine summo et manifesto periculo commeatus inferri posset, et quod in ea urbe erat flos Hispaniae militiae, qui si periclitatus fuisset, quis tandem pro Karolo caesare in alienis regionibus praesidiarius esse voluisset, quod denique cum Turca in occupationibus oppidorum, quae plurima ille habet, quibus muniendis quam subiugandis maior inest difficultas, sed alia quadam ratione, quae nobis cognita perspectaque est, agendum, in causa fuere dimissionis Coronis accedente praesertim requisitione Ferdinandi regis, qui ut caesari Turcarum gratificaretur, me transmisit ad Karolum hanc rem impetraturum. Egressus est itaque miles Hispanus nullo damno illato in muros, ne cum lapidibus illis bellum fuisse videretur, exportatis tamen Graecis incolis omnibus cum omni ipsorum supellectile et machinis, commeatu, provisionibus, quae inerant, invitisque Turcis post multas res praeclare gestas praebitaque indicia virtutis et magnanimitatis prospera usque navigatione pervenit in Siciliam. Haec quisquis perpenderit, expertus praesertim rerum maximarum, non poterit non summo opere extollere consilium istud.
Quod ad alia attinet, Carolo caesari magnum bellum a Turcis est in foribus. Qui Turcae post infelices aliquot expeditiones maritimas praefecere toti classi virum piratam, quem ipsi Cheyradinum Bassam, nos Barbarossam vocamus. Is Christianis omnibus praeterquam regis Francorum subditis, quo cum rege fraternitas est caesari Turcarum, gravia minatur. Classem habet magnam et instructam. Neque nos animo deficimus, qui et litora omnia Italiae, Siciliae, Sardiniae, Hispaniae insularumque firmo praesidio munivimus, et non contemnendam classem intentam in omnem occasionem. Brevi resciemus, quid attentaverint.
In Germania nunc omnia pacata sunt. Excitatus hic fuit ignis in quibusdam, qui tam cito extinctum illum iri non crediderant quique nunc pecunias, oleum et operam luserunt. Taliter solent humana consilia succedere, quae praesertim adversus dominum et adversus Christum eius ineuntur. Carolo caesari in votis nil magis est, quam in hostes fidei seriam expeditionem facere. At impeditur multis difficultatibus, quae illi domi fere struuntur. Quas omnes, spero, dissipabit angelus Domini, qui scrutator est cordium. Ego brevi hinc in Hispanias volabo, id quod Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram haud ignorare volui. Quae de me potest sibi persuadere, ubicumque futurus sim locorum, adesse ibi hominem, qui ingratissimus esset, ni mentem animumque, et propensitatem suam erga Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram aliquo genere officii testari vellet, id quod novit Salvator Christus, qui eandem Reverendissimam Dominationem Vestram diu conservet.
Ex Praha, die nona mensis Augusti anno Domini 1534.
Eiusdem Dominationis Vestrae Reverendissimae ex animo inservitor Cornelius Duplicius Scepperus eques, consiliarius et orator caesareus