Publication details
The Diplomacy of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order in Seeking Support from the Courtiers of Sigismund of Luxembourg
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| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Sigismund of Luxembourg (1368-1437) sought to involve the Order intensively in his European policy and to subordinate it to his interests. In my paper I focus on the question to what extent and in what way the Order's diplomacy (the Grand Master's legations) was able to influence the attitudes of Sigismund through his courtiers and people from his entourage. Those Teutonic Knights who became courtiers of Sigismund (he appointed them usually as counsellors) represent the fundamental issue. To what extent were they able to balance their loyalty to Sigismund and the Grand Master, whose political interests were often opposed? Were such members of the Order as Johann von Wallenrode, Claus Redewitz or Heinrich Holt more of an asset to their Order or rather to the emperor? It was widely believed that the Teutonic Knights enjoyed great popularity among the elite of the Empire. Envoys to the court of Sigismund of Luxembourg therefore expected an automatic favourable reception from his courtiers. However, some of the accounts of the legations and the Procurator of the Order show that they had to strive for their support. How successful were their efforts in the case of Chancellor Caspar Schlick, through whom they wanted to change the attitude of Sigismund? The above-mentioned questions are also noteworthy from the perspective of the interpretative value of primary sources such as dispatches or correspondence. |
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