Sigismund von Herberstein

Siegmund Freiherr von Herber Stone (* August 24 1486 in Wippach, † March 28 1566 in Vienna ) was an Austrian imperial councilor and ambassador at the Russian court. His travelogues in his famous Moscovia make him the founder of the Russian customer. He is considered the schreibfreudigste autobiographer of Austria in the 16th century.

Life

Siegmund came from the Krainer branch of the Styrian noble family Herbersteins. After studying in Vienna Herbersteins was active in financial management and in particular in the diplomatic service of the Habsburgs, the predestined him for his extensive education and his extensive knowledge of languages.

From the series he undertook 1515-1553 69 foreign trips in addition to successfully completing the 1541 negotiations for a truce with the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman two trips to Russia stand out.

Already with his first trip to Russia in 1516/17 became Herbersteins for "Eastern Europe experts" in Habsburg service. 1525/26 led him another trip to the court of the Grand Princes of Moscow. His impressions gained, published Herbersteins 1549 Latin edition under the title Commentarii Rerum Moscoviticarum in Vienna, which was 1551 then reprinted often in slightly modified 1556 and reissued in an expanded edition by the author, and in the subsequent period in Basel. An Italian adaptation under the title Comentari della Moscovia et par instruments della Russia et delle altre cose belle et Notabile appeared in 1550 in Venice. Herbersteins itself organized on the basis of the Latin edition of 1556, a newly expanded edition in German language, which appeared in 1557 under the title Moscovia the Hauptstat in tearing in Vienna. Regardless of this wrote John Pantaleon (1522-1595), Doctor of Arts and Medicine at Basel, a second German translation, the wonderful under the title Muscovites histories 1563 appeared in Basel and several times in the following years, sometimes under the title The Muscovite Chronica, was duplicated, including in one of Catherine the Great initiated Petersburg edition of 1795.

Herbersteins description is still historically and culturally valuable because the author is informed and curious linguist with his interlocutors, including transcripts from sources and documents leads and understand information and evaluate its own observations critical. His work was the first major report from the pen of West Europeans over the generations only marginally taken in the West to note Russia. For the one of 1238 / 40-1480 permanent Mongol rule had let take another development the Russian space and pushed him out of the field of view of most Europeans. The report shall contain the detailed accounts of the conditions at the Russian court also notes on cultural contacts between Russia and the West, which had existed in his time, especially with Italy and influenced among others by the work of Italian Renaissance architect the Russian church.

Herbersteins died in Vienna in 1566 and is buried in the local church of St. Michael.

Works

• My Sigmund Frey Lord Herberstain, Neyperg and Guttenhag, Raittung and Antzaigen of my life and being as afterwards volgt. Autobiographical recording by the year 1545, edited by Martin Georg Kovachich, collection of small yet unpublished pieces, in which concomitant single Abschritte writer of Hungarian history have recorded, Vol I, furnace 1805 full text, pages 111-287

• Rerum Moscoviticarum comentarii, Vienna March 1, 1549 -. Improved output Basel, in John Oporinus, 1551 -. From the author expanded and improved edition of Basel, in John Oporinus, July 1, 1556 -. Numerous reprints, including the one in the text, illustrations and page numbering with the issue of 1556 matching emphasis in Basel, in John Oporinus, 1571 ( digitized the Göttingen State Library )

• Moscouia the Hauptstat in the snatch, by Mr. Sigmund Frey Lord Herberstain, Neyperg VND Guetenhag Erbcamrer colonels, and colonels Inherits Ruckh food in Kärntn, Roman to starvation and Beheim Khue. May etc. Council VND presidents of Niderösterreichischen Camer acapulco worn, Vienna, Michael Zimmermann, 1557 ( digitized version of the Göttingen State Library ). From Herbersteins itself and expanded German edition prompted on the basis of the Basel edition of 1556.

• Rerum Moscoviticarum Commentarii. Synoptic Edition of the Latin and the German final version of Basel in 1556 and Vienna 1557 / Under the leadership of Frank fighter created by Eva Maurer and Andrew Fülberth. Edited and published by Hermann Beyer -Thoma. Eastern Institute Munich (Regensburg). Munich: Eastern Institute Regensburg urn 2007 588 pages ISBN 978-3-938980-14-9. Nbn: de: bvb :12- babs - 0000000434 ( http://www.osteuropa-institut.de/publikationen/weitere -publikationen/herberstein.html ) as a book-on- demand

• Rervm Moscouiticarum Commentarij Sigismundi Liberi Baroni in Herberstain, Neyperg, & Guettenhag: quibus Russiae ac Metropolis eius Moscouiae descriptio, Chorographicae tabulae, religionis indicatio ... continentur. - Basileae: Oporinus, 1571 Digitized edition of the University and State Library Dusseldorf.

Other writings Herbersteins are listed at:

• Friedrich von Adelung, Siegmund Freiherr von Herber stone. With special consideration for his travels in Russia, N. Gretsch, Saint-Petersburg, 1918 ( digitized version of the Göttingen State Library ), pp. 405 ff