GStA PK, HBA, H, K. 762, No. VI.11.120

Ex litteris domini 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)⌊Sigismundi de 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)⌋ de data Vienna (Wien, Vienna), city in eastern Austria, on the Danube river⌊ViennaeVienna (Wien, Vienna), city in eastern Austria, on the Danube river⌋ a die 25 Aprilis 1534

De adventu Alvise Gritti (Lodovico Gritti) (*1480 – †1534), illegitimate son of Andrea Gritti, one of the most influential people in the Hungarian Kingdom under the reign of John Zápolya; 1530-1534 Governor and Chief Captain of Hungary (SZÁKALY)⌊Ludovici GrittiAlvise Gritti (Lodovico Gritti) (*1480 – †1534), illegitimate son of Andrea Gritti, one of the most influential people in the Hungarian Kingdom under the reign of John Zápolya; 1530-1534 Governor and Chief Captain of Hungary (SZÁKALY)⌋[1] nihil dum certi habemus[2]: alii eum in itinere vocatum ferunt, alii veneno sublatum, nonnulli vero illum perhibent a Suleiman the Magnificent (*1494 – †1566), 1520-1566 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire⌊TurcaSuleiman the Magnificent (*1494 – †1566), 1520-1566 Sultan of the Ottoman Empire⌋ revocatum propterea, quod İbrahim Pasha (*ca. 1493 – †1536), in 1536 the Sultan, worried about his growing importance, had him strangled and confiscated his property; 1523-1536 Grand Vizier and Serasker (supreme commander of the army) of Sultan Suleiman I and his trusted advisor (AT 16/1, No. 147, p. 286-295; CLOT 2012, p. 94-98; DZIUBIŃSKI, p. 104-106, 112-114; POCIECHA 4, p. 192)⌊Imbrami Bassaİbrahim Pasha (*ca. 1493 – †1536), in 1536 the Sultan, worried about his growing importance, had him strangled and confiscated his property; 1523-1536 Grand Vizier and Serasker (supreme commander of the army) of Sultan Suleiman I and his trusted advisor (AT 16/1, No. 147, p. 286-295; CLOT 2012, p. 94-98; DZIUBIŃSKI, p. 104-106, 112-114; POCIECHA 4, p. 192)⌋ sit a Persis profligatus[3].

Milites Hispani ex Corona (Corone, Koróni), town in Greece, on the Messenian Gulf⌊CoronaCorona (Corone, Koróni), town in Greece, on the Messenian Gulf⌋ in oppidulum quoddam irruptione facta magna caede Turcas affecerunt ms. afferrunt(!) ⌈affeceruntaffecerunt ms. afferrunt(!) ⌉[4], oppidulum interceptum direptum, victores The Spaniards ⌊HispaniThe Spaniards ⌋ onusti spoliis in civitatem rediere commeatu nunc denuo affatim instructam. Ex The Spaniards ⌊HispanisThe Spaniards ⌋ tamen desiderati sunt milites circiter 20.

Quae Italicus ms. italacus(!) ⌈ItalicusItalicus ms. italacus(!) ⌉ Clement VII (Giulio de' Medici) (*1478 – †1534), 1523-1534 Pope⌊pontifexClement VII (Giulio de' Medici) (*1478 – †1534), 1523-1534 Pope⌋ cum Francis I of Valois (*1494 – †1547), 1515-1547 King of France; son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy⌊rege GallorumFrancis I of Valois (*1494 – †1547), 1515-1547 King of France; son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy⌋ plantaverit[5], cf. Vulg. Mt 7:20 igitur ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos ⌊ex fructibus potissimum cognoscimuscf. Vulg. Mt 7:20 igitur ex fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos ⌋, idque in brevi. Francesco II Sforza (*1495 – †1535), 1521-1535 the last Duke of Milan from the Sforza family; son of Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este⌊Dux MediolanensisFrancesco II Sforza (*1495 – †1535), 1521-1535 the last Duke of Milan from the Sforza family; son of Ludovico Sforza and Beatrice d'Este⌋ iam suam Christina of Denmark (Christina von Oldenburg) (*1521 – †1590), daughter of Christian II of Denmark and Isabella of Austria, niece of Emperor Charles V, wife of Francesco II Sforza (1534-1535) and François I de Lorraine (1541-1545)⌊sponsamChristina of Denmark (Christina von Oldenburg) (*1521 – †1590), daughter of Christian II of Denmark and Isabella of Austria, niece of Emperor Charles V, wife of Francesco II Sforza (1534-1535) and François I de Lorraine (1541-1545)⌋[6] domi habet[7].

Henry VIII Tudor (*1491 – †1547), 1509-1547 King of England; son of Henry VII Tudor and Elizabeth of York⌊Rex AngliaeHenry VIII Tudor (*1491 – †1547), 1509-1547 King of England; son of Henry VII Tudor and Elizabeth of York⌋ male affectus in Clement VII (Giulio de' Medici) (*1478 – †1534), 1523-1534 Pope⌊pontificemClement VII (Giulio de' Medici) (*1478 – †1534), 1523-1534 Pope⌋ modis omnibus conatur principes Lutheranos in suam confederationem pertrahere[8].

Philip I of Hesse der Großmütige (*1504 – †1567), 1509-1567 Landgrave of Hesse, actually in power from 1518; son of Wilhelm II of Hesse and Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, married to Christine of Saxony (daughter of Georg, Duke of Saxony), protector of the Protestant Reformation and one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany, one of the leaders of the Schmalkaldic League (taken prisoner by emperor Charles V of Habsburg after the defeat at Mühlberg in 1547, but released in 1552) (ADB, 25, p. 765-783)⌊Landtgravius HessiaePhilip I of Hesse der Großmütige (*1504 – †1567), 1509-1567 Landgrave of Hesse, actually in power from 1518; son of Wilhelm II of Hesse and Anna of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, married to Christine of Saxony (daughter of Georg, Duke of Saxony), protector of the Protestant Reformation and one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany, one of the leaders of the Schmalkaldic League (taken prisoner by emperor Charles V of Habsburg after the defeat at Mühlberg in 1547, but released in 1552) (ADB, 25, p. 765-783)⌋[9] non procul ab Strasbourg (Straßburg, Argentoratum, Argentina), city in northeastern France, Alsace, on the Rhine river⌊ArgentinaStrasbourg (Straßburg, Argentoratum, Argentina), city in northeastern France, Alsace, on the Rhine river⌋ recensuisse dicitur exercitum ex octo millibus peditum ms. praeditum(!) ⌈peditumpeditum ms. praeditum(!) ⌉ conflatum et dum hoc unum mollitur, ut Ulrich von Württemberg (*1487 – †1550), 1498-1519 and 1534-1550 duke of Württemberg⌊ducem VirtemburgensemUlrich von Württemberg (*1487 – †1550), 1498-1519 and 1534-1550 duke of Württemberg⌋[10] in ducatum suum restituat[11], etiam atque etiam videat, ne suo ipsius ducatu semetipsum exuat. Nam dubia est Mars ancient Roman god of war⌊MartisMars ancient Roman god of war⌋ alea[12] et certum est illum frustrari sua spe, quam in praesidiis aliquorum principum, utpote Georg of Saxony der Bärtige (Georg von Wettin) (*1471 – †1539), 1500-1539 Duke of Saxony; 1496-1534 brother-in-law of King Sigismund I Jagiellon, from 1523 father-in-law of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, Catholic and protector of the Roman faith in Saxony (NDB, Bd. 6, p. 224-227)⌊SaxoniaeGeorg of Saxony der Bärtige (Georg von Wettin) (*1471 – †1539), 1500-1539 Duke of Saxony; 1496-1534 brother-in-law of King Sigismund I Jagiellon, from 1523 father-in-law of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, Catholic and protector of the Roman faith in Saxony (NDB, Bd. 6, p. 224-227)⌋ et Bavariae[13], collocavit.

[1] Alvise (Lodovico) Gritti was an advisor to Suleiman I on Hungarian matters. In accordance with the political orientation of his native Venice, he represented and supported the interests of János I Zápolya against the Habsburgs. In 1530, after the successful defense of Buda against the forces of Ferdinand I, Zápolya appointed him the governor of Hungary, and also the chief treasurer and advisor. When his importance began to overshadow Zápolya’s position, he was suspected (not without reason) of wanting to take over Hungary and the Danube duchies in order to rule over them under the protectorate of the Ottoman Empire, whose interests he in fact represented. He lost the sultan’s favor in 1534. After Imre Czibak, bishop of Várad and vice-voivode of Transylvania, was murdered upon his orders, Gritti, besieged by the Transylvanian insurrectionists led by Stefan Mailath and a Moldavian unit at the castle of Medgyes (today Mediaş), was given up by the garrison and executed on September 29, 1534 (see cf. Ferenc Szákaly, Ludovico Gritti in Hungary 1529-1534. A Historical Insight into the Beginnings of Turco-Habsburgian Rivalry, Budapest, 1995 ⌊Szákalycf. Ferenc Szákaly, Ludovico Gritti in Hungary 1529-1534. A Historical Insight into the Beginnings of Turco-Habsburgian Rivalry, Budapest, 1995 ⌋, p. 13-96, cf. cf. , CIDTC IDL , 6280⌊IDL 6280cf. , CIDTC IDL , 6280⌋, footnote 16).

[2] Ferdinand I invited Gritti to Vienna for January 1, 1534, intending to use him for further negotiations with János I Zápolya on taking over the part of Hungary then in Zápolya’s hands, an option he considered possible (given peace guarantees from the sultan and the mediation of the king of Poland). This matter was to be clarified and effected by Ferdinand’s mission to Constantinople in November 1533. Contrary to Gritti and Ibrahim Pasha’s earlier assurances, however, the sultan favored maintaining Zápolya’s rights to the whole of Hungary. The sultan authorized Gritti to settle the disputes between the two kings of Hungary; Ferdinand I was still waiting for Gritti in Vienna in early 1534. Because still nothing was known of Gritti’s arrival at the end of March, Herberstein was to go to Cracow with the aim of obtaining the Polish king’s arbitration on the Hungarian issue, which was linked to a tactical proposal of a Polish-Habsburg alliance. This mission never came about. Gritti did not come to Vienna, so Cornelis De Schepper was sent to Constantinople and reached it on April 26, 1534 (see cf. Sigmund Herberstein, Sigmunds von Herberstein Selbstbiographie, ed. by Th. G. von Karajan, Wien, 1855, series: Fontes Rerum Austriacarum I Abteilung, Scriptores Band 1 ⌊HERBERSTEIN 1855cf. Sigmund Herberstein, Sigmunds von Herberstein Selbstbiographie, ed. by Th. G. von Karajan, Wien, 1855, series: Fontes Rerum Austriacarum I Abteilung, Scriptores Band 1 ⌋, p. 307-309; 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. 76, p. 161-166, No. 218, p. 401-408, No. 236, p. 439-445, No. 270, p. 503; 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. 166-177, 179-180, 307-316 (No. 10-11); cf. Ferenc Szákaly, Ludovico Gritti in Hungary 1529-1534. A Historical Insight into the Beginnings of Turco-Habsburgian Rivalry, Budapest, 1995 ⌊Szákalycf. Ferenc Szákaly, Ludovico Gritti in Hungary 1529-1534. A Historical Insight into the Beginnings of Turco-Habsburgian Rivalry, Budapest, 1995 ⌋, p. 77-81, cf. cf. , CIDTC IDL , 6280⌊IDL 6280cf. , CIDTC IDL , 6280⌋, footnote 21).

[3] Most probably an exaggerated or false rumor about some failure of Ibrahim Pasha’s in the initial and rather difficult stage of his campaign against Shah Tahmasp I of Persia, conducted from the autumn of 1533. The campaign, in second stage of which (from June 1534) the sultan himself took part, culminated in his entry into Baghdad on December 4, 1534 (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. 143-149; cf. André Clot, Suleiman the Magnificent, New York, 2012 ⌊Clotcf. André Clot, Suleiman the Magnificent, New York, 2012 ⌋, p. 89-94, cf. 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. 40, p. 81, No. 278, p. 515, No. 302, p. 566-567, No. 321, p. 595, No. 376, p. 683, cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 16/2, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1961 ⌊AT 16/2cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 16/2, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1961 ⌋, No. 415, p. 75, No. 475, p. 172, No. 552, p.314, No. 565, p. 336, No. 689, p. 572, cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 17, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wacław Urban, Andrzej Wyczański, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1966 ⌊AT 17cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 17, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wacław Urban, Andrzej Wyczański, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1966 ⌋, No. 482, p. 600).

[4] Probably a reference to the event of August 8, 1533, namely the operation undertaken by the Koróni garrison when Andrea Doria arrived with his fleet to free the fortress from the Turkish blockade. Cornelis De Schepper mentioned this in his letter to Dantiscus of October 8, 1533, using almost identical expressions to those in the mentioned letter. The same information was given by Jost Ludwig Decius to Duke Albrecht von Hohenzollern first in a letter of May 16, 1534, noting it was conveyed to him by Herberstein, and then in a letter of May 22, 1534, where he writes the events took place in April and the news about it has come to him from Venice (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. 485, p. 680-681, cf. No. 486, p. 682; cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 46. Res Polonicae ex Archivo Regiomontano, XVI pars (AD. 1525-1535), vol. 46, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1979 ⌊EFE 46cf. Elementa ad fontium editiones 46. Res Polonicae ex Archivo Regiomontano, XVI pars (AD. 1525-1535), vol. 46, ed. by Karolina Lanckorońska, Roma, 1979 ⌋, No.124-125, p. 135-136, cf. cf. , CIDTC IDL , 988⌊IDL 988cf. , CIDTC IDL , 988⌋, footnote 6). Yet on April 1, after the negotiations with Turkey, Koróni was given over to Turkey and the garrison and inhabitants of the town were evacuated on the order of Charles V (see 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. 212; 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. 179; 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. 593, p. 840, 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. 146, p. 291, No. 301, p. 564, No. 302, p. 566, No. 338, p. 623, cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 16/2, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1961 ⌊AT 16/2cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 16/2, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1961 ⌋, No. 578, p. 368; 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. 217, footnote. 11, No. 768, p. 225, No. 776, p. 244, 245, footnote 4, cf. HBA H, K. 763 (old pressmark: VI. 11.44);3.8.1534; cf. , CIDTC IDL , 6280⌊IDL 6280cf. , CIDTC IDL , 6280⌋, footnote 1).

[5] A reference to the meeting between pope Clement VII and France’s King Francis I in Marseille in October-November 1533, on the occasion of the marriage, initiated by the pope, between Catherine de Medici and Henry de Valois, duke of Orléans (the future Henry II), and probably the joint plans of the pope and the king of France concerning taking over the Duchy of Urbino, the title to which Catherine de Medici inherited from her father, Lorenzo de Medici (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. 485, p. 681, No. 548, p. 768, No. 569, p. 800; 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. 102, p. 213; cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 16/2, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1961 ⌊AT 16/2cf. Acta Tomiciana, vol. 16/2, ed. by Władysław Pociecha, Wrocław - Kraków - Poznań, Zakład Narodowy im. Ossolińskich, 1961 ⌋, No. 415, p. 74).

[6] Christina of Denmark in September 1533 in Lille was married to Francesco II Sforza per procuratorem. The proxy was Massimiliano Stampa (cf. Julia Cartwright, Christiana of Denmark Duchess of Milan an Lorraine 1522-1590, London, 1913 ⌊CARTWRIGHTcf. Julia Cartwright, Christiana of Denmark Duchess of Milan an Lorraine 1522-1590, London, 1913 ⌋, p. 78-81; cf. Michael Roberts, The Early Vasas. A history of Sweden, 1523-1611, Cambridge, 1968 ⌊ROBERTScf. Michael Roberts, The Early Vasas. A history of Sweden, 1523-1611, Cambridge, 1968 ⌋, p. 124-125).

[7] Probably a reference to the arrival and stay of Christina of Denmark at Castello Sforzesco in Vigevano in April 1534. Because the castle chambers were not quite ready, she apparently only had dinner there and then, before her grand entry into Milan (May 3), traveled for a little rest to the villa of Cussago which Francesco II had granted to Count Massimiliano Stampa (cf. Julia Cartwright, Christiana of Denmark Duchess of Milan an Lorraine 1522-1590, London, 1913 ⌊CARTWRIGHTcf. Julia Cartwright, Christiana of Denmark Duchess of Milan an Lorraine 1522-1590, London, 1913 ⌋, p. 87-90).

[8] Most likely a reference to the diplomatic actions of Henry VIII after the news reached him in July 1533 on the pope’s judgment concerning his marriage to Anne Boleyn (see letter No. 27, footnote 9). Stephen Vaughan and Christopher Mont, Henry VIII’s envoys to the dukes of Saxony and Bavaria (the main opponents of the Habsburgs’ growing power) arrived in the Reich in late August 1533. Their missions were not received enthusiastically, however. Despite this, under Thomas Cromwell’s influence the English diplomatic service undertook further attempts to strengthen its contacts in the Reich. In December 1533 the royal council decided to send envoys to the major dukes of the Reich (incl. Saxony, Bavaria, Hesse) and the archbishops as well as the Hansa towns (incl. Gdańsk), and also to the king of Poland and János I Zápolya, in order to win support for Henry VIII against the pope and to form an alliance. Another demand of the English envoys discussed at the Schmalkaldic diet in Nuremberg in May 1534 was the establishment of an embassy of the Schmalkaldic League in England. It has been suggested that coordinating the evangelical reform already planned in England was one of the embassy’s tasks. The mission was not particularly successful because the League’s attention was focused on the issue of duke Ulrich’s restitution (see footnote 20) to the Duchy of Württemberg. Upon the suggestion of landgrave Philip of Hesse, a new envoy from Henry VIII was to arrive before April 20 with instructions on the king of England’s possible help in dealing with the Württemberg issue. In consultation with Francis I, Henry VIII supported it with the sum of 50,000 crowns (see cf. Rory McEntegart, Henry VIII, The League of Schmalkaladen and the English Reformation, The Boydell Press, 2002 ⌊McENTEGARTcf. Rory McEntegart, Henry VIII, The League of Schmalkaladen and the English Reformation, The Boydell Press, 2002 ⌋, p. 14-25; cf. Johannes Janssen, History of the German People at the Close of the Middle Ages, vol. 5, St. Luis, 1903 ⌊JANSSEN 1903 Vcf. Johannes Janssen, History of the German People at the Close of the Middle Ages, vol. 5, St. Luis, 1903 ⌋, p. 410-411; cf. 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. 183).

[9] On January 27,1534 Philip I signed a secret pact with Francis I in Bar-le-Duc, its main goal being to regain Württemberg for Duke Ulrich (see cf. Johannes Janssen, History of the German People at the Close of the Middle Ages, vol. 5, St. Luis, 1903 ⌊JANSSEN 1903 Vcf. Johannes Janssen, History of the German People at the Close of the Middle Ages, vol. 5, St. Luis, 1903 ⌋, p. 407-408; 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. 183; 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. 505; cf. footnote 20-21).

[10] After killing Hans von Hutten (whose wife he had fallen in love with) in 1515, Ulrich duke of Württemberg was twice placed under the imperial ban. In 1519 the Swabian League banished him from Württemberg, which was taken over by the Habsburgs. In exile, he served Francis I, among others. In c. 1523 he converted to evangelicalism. After an unsuccessful attempt at regaining his duchy in 1525, he came to Hesse the following year, to landgrave Philip (see footnote 18) who promised to organize military aid to regain Württemberg (cf. footnote 21). This anti-Habsburg operation was supported by Francis I, Henry VIII (see footnote 17) and Ulrich Zwingli. He supported both Lutheran and Zwinglian evangelicalism, and introduced the Reformation intensively in his duchy, economically exploiting church estates and imposing taxes, which soon reduced his popularity. He joined the Schmalkaldic League in 1536 and took part in the Schmalkaldic War, ended with the humiliating treaty of Heilbronn (1547) under which, by the emperor’s grace, he was allowed a restricted rule in his duchy.

[11] A reference to the preparations for a military operation in which the Schmalkaldic League’s forces under the command of Philip, landgrave of Hesse, were to take over the Duchy of Württemberg. On April 12 the landgrave and Duke Ulrich of Württemberg issued a special declaration addressed to Ferdinand I and describing their objective – to regain Württemberg for Ulrich and his son Christopher. On April 23, 1534 they set off from Kassel (northern Hesse) with an army of about 4,000-5,000 cavalry and about 20,000 infantry, including reinforcements, and on May 13 defeated the Habsburg forces – about 500 cavalry and about 9,000 infantry – at Lauffen on the Neckar (about 50 km north of Stuttgart). As a result, they took all of Württemberg and restored duke Ulrich to power, as sanctioned by the Treaty of Kaaden (see cf. Johannes Janssen, History of the German People at the Close of the Middle Ages, vol. 5, St. Luis, 1903 ⌊JANSSEN 1903 Vcf. Johannes Janssen, History of the German People at the Close of the Middle Ages, vol. 5, St. Luis, 1903 ⌋, p. 412-418; 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. 183-184, cf. 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. 102, p. 213, No. 329, p. 607, No. 350, p. 643, No. 361, p. 660, No. 368,p. 672, footnote 5, No. 376, p. 683-684, No. 379, p. 688, No. 415, p. 74-75; cf. Gratae posteritati Sigismundus liber baro in Herberstein Neyperg et Guettenhag, primarius ducatus Carinthiae hereditariusque et camerarius … actiones suas a puero ad annum usque aetatis suae septuagesimum quartum brevi commentariolo notatas reliquit, Vienna, Raphael Hofhalter, 1560 ⌊HERBERSTEIN 1560cf. Gratae posteritati Sigismundus liber baro in Herberstein Neyperg et Guettenhag, primarius ducatus Carinthiae hereditariusque et camerarius … actiones suas a puero ad annum usque aetatis suae septuagesimum quartum brevi commentariolo notatas reliquit, Vienna, Raphael Hofhalter, 1560 ⌋, f. D3r; cf. cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to [Ioannes DANTISCUS?] Vienna, 1534-08-29, CIDTC IDL 6280⌊IDL 6280cf. Sigmund von HERBERSTEIN to [Ioannes DANTISCUS?] Vienna, 1534-08-29, CIDTC IDL 6280⌋, footnote 26).

[12] Dubia est Martis alea, cf. Erasmus, Coll., p.318, v. 161-163 (Militis et Carthusiani): Carthusianus.

[13] From that moment the dukes of Bavaria were in opposition to the Habsburgs, and while remaining faithful to Catholicism they supported the Protestant groups in order to neutralize the Habsburgs’ influence in the Reich. Hence, they joined the Schmalkaldic League (see letter No. 27, footnote 4) and supported János I Zápolya’s cause. In 1534 they encouraged him to attack Ferdinand I from Hungary, simultaneously with the Württemberg operation. After duke Ulrich’s restitution in Württemberg, they signed an agreement with the Habsburgs in Linz, recognizing Ferdinand I as king of the Romans (see cf. Johannes Janssen, History of the German People at the Close of the Middle Ages, vol. 5, St. Luis, 1903 ⌊JANSSEN 1903 Vcf. Johannes Janssen, History of the German People at the Close of the Middle Ages, vol. 5, St. Luis, 1903 ⌋, p. 410; 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. 502; No. 368, p. 672).