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• A Humanist Diplomat in Early 16th Century Hungary: Hieronymus Balbus

  11-48

  Attila Bárány

  Views:

  154

  The article investigates new sources, Western European, mainly English diplomatic reports – several being so far unknown for Hungarian scholarship, or, if known, not examined in this regard – e.g. held at the British Library Manuscript Collection to shed light on Hungarian-Ottoman relations at the eve of the fall of the “shield of Christendom”, Belgrade in 1521. The article follows the mission of Hieronymus Balbus, an Italian at the diplomatic personnel of Jagiellonian Hungary, in 1521 to the Habsburg, Tudor and Valois courts. Balbus’s diplomatic workings – through the embassy to the Emperor (Charles V in Worms and Brussels), a peace conference at Calais and Cardinal Wolsey and Henry VIII, King of England – has not been adequately seen in Hungarian historiography, and some of his letters and political activity ranging from Bruges, Worms, Calais, London and Cologne has not so far been mapped, yet new insights can be given for the understanding of Louis II’s diplomatic efforts during the stress of the siege and loss of Belgrade in 1521. The investigation is largely based on Balbus’s dispatches – which has not survived in Hungarian archival material but were preserved in the reports of English envoys of his activity, to the maker of Tudor policy, Chancellor Wolsey. The correspondence of Balbus provides valuable information on the administration of Louis II, about its relationship with the Turks and the Emperor. The leaders of Hungarian diplomacy did not lack astuteness and “had a clear picture” about the international power relations. The government experimented with alternatives, provided they did not receive any aid from the Habsburgs: they were willing to go as far as making an alliance with not only the English, but even with the Emperor’s enemies, the Valois. In 1521, despite the powerful Habsburg dominance, Hungarian foreign politics did have some room to manoeuvre.

• Jenő Bánó: Travels of an Immigrant and his Path to Diplomacy

  109-130

  Balázs Venkovits

  Views:

  108

  This paper introduces a case study of Hungarian emigration to the Americas, which illustrates some of the general trends in migration at the turn of the century as well as a unique career path of a Hungarian immigrant in Mexico. By discussing and analyzing the life, diplomatic career, and publications of Jenő Bánó, the paper touches upon issues including the significance of travel writing in influencing migration, the use of migration propaganda, and relations between Hungary and the Americas.

• Allemaal Gelogen: Feit en fictie in Bougainville (1981) van F. Springer

  219-233

  Liesbeth Dolk

  Views:

  106

  In this article I briefly introduce the Dutch diplomat and author Carel Jan Schneider (Batavia 1932-Den Haag 2011) and his literary work. Under his pseudonym F. Springer he published fourteen books: novels and short stories. His work has been translated into French, German, Thai, Danish, Bulgarian, Slovak and Japanese. In 1995 Springer was awarded the prestigious Constantijn Huygens Prize for his complete works of fiction.

  In my article I will touch upon the following questions: did Schneider’s profession as a diplomat influence his way of writing and to what extent are fact and fiction interwoven in his work?

• Een groot Nederlander: J.P.Ph. Clinge Fledderus (1870-1946)

  131-148

  Maarten J. Aalders

  Views:

  105

  This article dives into a part of the life and personal history of J.P.Ph. Clinge Fledderus (1870-1946), consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, who played a crucial role in organizing relief for Hungary in the Interbellum and the organization of the possibilities for Hungarian children to recover from the effects of post-war famine and malaise after the First World War by giving them a holiday of some months in the Netherlands. A commemorative marble plaque for him still can be found on the front of the building at the Üllői út 4 in Budapest.