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DANZIG REPORT
No. 79

Editor: John H. Bloecher Jr., 1743 Little Creek Drive, Baltimore, Md. 21207

April-May-June 1993

Correspondence to London — 1587
The enclosed letter was sent to London and written in Spanish, with the address panel endorsed ppto, with part of the original wax seal on the reverse. As you can see from the translation, trade between Danzig and Portugal is described and the writer warns of the King of Denmark’s methods of enforcing customs controls. Originally written on the 16th of February, 1587, it may be helpful if we take a look at some of the historical events of the 1580’s and gain a perspective. In 1585, Bathory plans to conquer Russia, to form a huge united Slavic state under Polish leadership, and free the Balkan Christians (Slays, Hungarians, Moldavians, Vlachs and Greeks) from the Moslem terror—rule. Support of Pope Sixtus V (1521—1590) for the Polish plan and for Polish King Stef an I Bathory to be the supreme commander of Christian forces allied into an anti—Turkish league organized to free Southern Europe from Turkish—Moslem yoke. In hopelessly fragmented Europe, Spain was the strongest anti— Turkish power. Philip II of Spain 9ave initial support to the Polish plan but Spanish war for the Netherlands against the British and the Dutch
weakened Philip’s participation in the Polish plan. The plan failed because of the death of King Stephan Bathory (1533—1586), possibly from poison. Disbanding of the Polish mobilization campaign against Muscovy Russia and growing opposition of the SeJm to appropriate money for military operations abroad. Death of Bathory marks the end of Poland’s Golden Age. The next elected king was Sigismund III Vasa in 1587, the year of our letter. Mary Queen of Scots was beheaded. The Spanish Armada defeat came in the next year, 1588, in the same waters described in our letter. London had a major Hanseatic counting— house, arid trade with England was brisk, until the Dutch made inroads into the Hanseatic League.

 

Danzig Report Vol. 1 - Nr. 79 - April - May - June - 1993, Page 1.