Procházka-Eisl, Gisela

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| 67 David	Ungnad	Wants	his	Money	Back	Gisela	Procházka-Eisl					Author:	Faculty	Member,	Department	of	Near	Eastern	Studies,	University	of	Vienna	gisela.prochazka-eisl@univie.ac.at		ORCID:	0000-0003-0216-8926			Keywords:	David	Ungnad,	Letter,	Marin	Babali,	Dubrovnik,	16th	century			Cite	this	article:	Procházka-Eisl,	Gisela.	“David	Ungnad	Wants	His	Money	Back”	Keshif:	E-Journal		for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions	2/2	(Summer	2024):	67-77.		Available	under	https://doi.org/10.25365/kshf-24-02-09.		Acknowledgement:	I	would	like	to	thank	Claudia	Römer	very	much	for	her	comments	and	help.		_____________________________________________	Article	DOI	10.25365/kshf-24-02-09	Published	online	September	30,	2024	©	2024	Gisela	Procházka-Eisl,	published	by	Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions.	This	 is	 an	 Open	 Access	 article	 licensed	 under	 the	 Creative	 Commons	 Attribution	 4.0.	 International	License	(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 68 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 Context	In	 August	 1573,	 Emperor	 Maximilian	 II	 sent	 David	 Ungnad	 von	Weißenwolf1	 as	 an	envoy	 (orator)	 to	 the	Porte	 in	 Istanbul.	Ungnad,	a	Lutheran	aristocrat	 from	Sonnegg	(Carinthia,	southern	Austria)	was	perfect	for	this	mission:	One	year	before,	in	1572,	he	had	spent	several	months	in	Istanbul,2	when	he	was	entrusted	with	the	responsibility	of	 leading	 the	ambassadorial	delegation	 that	along	with	many	presents	delivered	 the	tribute	to	the	Ottomans.	3	This	meant	he	already	had	some	experience	of	the	East,	had	an	 excellent	 international	network,	was	highly	 educated,	 spoke	 Slavic	 languages	 and	proved	to	be	a	 reliable	gatherer	of	 information	 for	 the	emperor	during	the	 five	years	that	his	mission	was	to	last.		 Ungnad	also	maintained	business	 contacts,	 and	 the	 two	documents	presented	below	bear	witness	to	a	precarious	situation	in	which	he	approached	the	Sultan:	It	con-cerns	 a	 loan	 that	Ungnad	 had	 granted	 to	 a	Dubrovnik	merchant	 residing	 in	Galata.	However,	the	merchant	had	gone	bankrupt	and	absconded.	In	spring	1578,	as	Ungnad’s	time	to	return	to	Austria	approached,4	he	 turned	to	 the	Sultan	to	request	his	money	back	by	the	highest	order.		The	 two	 documents	 presented	 here	were	 issued	 roughly	 three	months	 before	Ungnad’s	departure	from	Istanbul	and	are	today	in	the	archives	of	St	Florian’s	Abbey	in	Upper	 Austria	 under	 the	 shelfmarks	 “Fragment	 24a”	 and	 “Fragment	 24b”.	 As	 with	many	such	Ottoman	documents	that	ended	up	in	monasteries	and	regional	archives,	it	is	 not	possible	 to	determine	who	acquired	 them,	when	 and	 from	whom.	 It	 could	be	that	 the	 choirmaster	 Franz	 Kurz	 (1771-1843)	 bought	 them,	 along	with	 “Fragment	 23”	written	in	Arabic,	during	one	of	his	stays	in	Vienna.	But	that	is	pure	speculation.5		 1		 For	 biographical	 details	 on	 David	 Ungnad	 (1530-1600)	 see	 Wurzbach	 1886,	 180-181	 (s.v.	Weißenwolf),	and	Ferus	2007.		2		 He	wrote	a	report	on	this	journey,	which	was	published	by	Ferus	in	2007.		3		 Incidentally,	 he	 had	 brought	 the	 emperor	 horse	 chestnuts	 from	 that	 trip,	 which	 were	 further	cultivated	by	 the	 famous	 court	botanist	Carl	Clusius.	They	 represent	 the	beginning	of	Vienna's	beautiful	chestnut	avenues.	Cf.	Ferus	2007,	40.		4		 Ungnad	left	Istanbul	on	4.	june	1578.		5		 Thanks	to	Dr.	Friedrich	Buchmayr	for	this	hint.		Gisela	Procházka-Eisl,	David	Ungnad	Wants	His	Money	Back│69 Fragment	24a	was	prepared	in	Istanbul	at	the	end	of	March	1578	and	is	addressed	to	 the	 Begs	 of	Dubrovnik.	 According	 to	 its	 form	 (tevḳīʿ-i	 refīʿ-i	hümāyūn	 vāṣıl	 olıcaḳ	maʿlūm	ola	ki),	 it	 is	a	copy	of	a	 sultan’s	decree.	 6	The	Begs	of	Dubronik	are	urgently	requested	 to	 raise	 Ungnad’s	 money	 somehow,	 as	 the	 ambassador	 was	 about	 to	 be	relieved	and	return	to	Austria.			Transcription	Fragment	24a	1.		 Mefāḫirü	 l-ümerāʾi	 l-milleti	 l-mesīḥīye	 merāciʿü	 l-küberāʾi	 ṭ-ṭāʾifeti	 l-ʿīsevīye	Dubrenik7	begleri	 tevḳīʿ-i	 refīʿ-i	hümāyūn	 vāṣıl	 olıcaḳ	 maʿlūm	 ola	 ki	 ḥāliyā	 Peç	kıralı		2.	 	imparaṭoruñ	ilçisi	ve	Ṣonek	nām	maḥallüñ	begi	olub	bi-l-fiʿl	südde-i	seʿādetde	olan	David	Unġnad	bāb-i	saʿādetüme	ʿarż-i	ḥāl	gönderüb	bundan		3.		 aḳdem	Dubreniküñ	ʿayānından	[!]	Marin	Babali	nām	tācire	Ġalaṭada	sākīn	[!]	iken	ḳarż-i	 ḥasen	 ḥeylī	 [!]	 aḳçe	 virüb	 mezbūr	 Marin	 Babali	 daḫı	 Dubrenikde	 Conyo	Babali	4.		 nām	 ʿammūsı	 ile	 dāʾimā	 alış	 viriş	 idüb	mā-beynlerinden	 küllī	 muʿāmeleleri	 olub	mezkūr	Conyo	mezbūr	Marin	Babalinüñ	metāʿ	ü	esbābın	ve	aḳçesin	5.		 göndermeyüb	Dubrenikde	alıḳomaġ-ıla	mesfūr	Marin	Babali	nām	daḫı	müflis	olub	geçinmege	ḳudreti	olmamaġın	ġaybet	idüb	ilçi-i	meẕkūr	mezbūr		6.	 Marin	Babali	Dubreniküñ	yarar	kişizādelerinden	olub	āsitāne-i	saʿādetde	Dubrenik	ilçileri	ḥāżır	olmadükleri	[!]	zamānda	vāḳiʿ	olan		7.	 ilçilik	 ḥidmetin	 itmekle	 iʿtimād	 u	 iʿtiḳād	 idüb	 daḫı8	 aḳçeʾi	 virüb	 şimdikiḥālde	 ne	cānibe	gitdügi	maʿlūm	olmayub	müşārün	ileyh	ilçi	daḫı	 6		 There	 is	also	an	entry	on	this	topic	 in	a	Mühimme	Defteri,	which	was	edited	 in	an	unpublished	MA	thesis	(Eren	2011).	However,	the	edition	contains	no	translation	and	presents	some	difficulties	with	the	names,	which	makes	it	impossible	to	find	them:	David	Ungnad	becomes	David	Onkidek	(p.109).		7		 With	one	exception	Dubrovnik	is	written	in	this	document	„Dubranik/Dubrenik“.		8		 Reading	uncertain,	paper	damaged.		70 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 8.		 bir	nice	defʿā	[!]	size	mektūblar	gönderüb	zikr	olınan	aḳçeʾi	müteveccih	olanlardan	taḥṣīl	idüb	gönderesiz	diyü	ricā	itmişken	aṣlā	9.		 mektūblarına	 iltiḳāʿ	 itmeyüb	 aḳçesi	 taḥṣīl	 olınub	 gönderilmeyüb	 ve	 gendüsi	 daḫı	ʿan	ḳarīb	vilāyetine	gitmek	üzre	olmaġın	ḳadīmü	z-zamāndan		10.		 dergāh-i	saʿādet-destgāhumuza	olan	ṣadāḳat	u	iḥlāṣuñuz	[!]	müstedʿāsınca	meẕkūr	Marin	Babali	nām	ẕimmīye	virdügi	ḳarż	aḳçesi	anda	olan	11.		 aḳçe	ve	esbāb	ve	metāʿ	ve	emlākından	ve	anuñ	iflāsına	sebeb	olan	ʿammūsı	meẕkūr	Conyo	Babalinüñ	emvāl	ü	esbābından	taḥṣīl	ü		12.		 tedārük	olınub	vilāyetine	gitmezden	muḳaddem	südde-i	 saʿādetüme	 irsāl	olınmaḳ	içün	ḫükm[!]-i	hümāyūnum	ṭaleb	itmegin	āsitāne-i	saʿādetümüze	13.		 olan	 ḳadīm	 iḥlāṣ	 [!]	 u	 istiḳāmetüñüz	 muḳteżāsınca	 ilçi-i	 mūmā-ileyhüñ	 meẕkūr	Marin	Babali	nām	ẕimmīye	virdügi	aḳçesi	14.		 żāyiʿ	 ü	 telef	 olmayub	 her	 ne	 ṭarīḳ-ile	 mümkin	 olursa	 taḥṣīl	 olınub	 dergāh-i	muʿallāma	gönderilmesini	emr	idüb	15.		 buyurdum	ki	ḥükm-i	 şerīfümle	Covan	V/Delfaro	 [?]	ve	Vidmar	nām	ādemleri	 var-düklerinde	[!]	bu	bābda	envāʿ-i	iḳdām	u	ihtimāmuñuz	ẓuhūra		16.		 götürüb	 müşārün	 ileyh	 ilçinüñ	 meẕkūr	 Marin	 Babaliya	 ḳarż	 virdügi	 aḳçesini	Dubrovnikde	vāḳiʿ	olan	emlāk	u	emvāl		17.		 ü	esbābından	ve	dāʾimā	muʿāmele	üzre	olub	alış	viriş	idüb	mezbūr	Marinüñ	iflāsına	sebeb	ü	bāʿis	olan		18.		 ʿammūsı	Babalinüñ	 emvāl	ü	 esbāb	u	 emlākından	āyīn	ü	 ʿādetüñüz	muḳteżāsınca	ihmāl	ü	müsāhele	olınmayub	ilçi-i		19.		 mezbūr	henüz	vilāyetine	teveccüh	itmezden	muḳaddem	her	ne	ṭarīḳ-ile	mümkīn	[!]	ü	mutaṣavver	olursa	bī-ḳuṣūr	taḥṣīl	ü	tedārük	20.		 eyleyüb	 ḥükm-i	 hümāyūnumla	 gönderdügi	 meẕkūrān	 ādemlerine	 teslīm	 idüb	göndermek	bābında	dergāh-i	muʿallāmuza	olan	ḳadīmī	21.	 	ṣadāḳat	u	 istiḳāmetüñüzi	ẓuhūra	 getürüb	 ilçi-i	mūmā-ileyhüñ	ḥaḳḳını	 kimesneye	belʿ	u	ketm	itdürmeyüb	vücūda		22.		 götüresiz	 [!]	 bu	defʿa	 ilçi-i	merḳūmuñ	aḳçesin	 taḥṣīl	 itmek	ḥuṣūṣınd[a]	 [!]	 envāʿ-i	iḳdām	u	ihtimāmuñuz	bezl	eyleyüb	tekrār	Gisela	Procházka-Eisl,	David	Ungnad	Wants	His	Money	Back│71 23.		 şikāyet	itmege	muḥtāc	eylemeyesiz	şöyle	bilesiz	ʿalāmet-i	şerīfe	iʿtimād	ḳılasız	taḥ-rīren	fī	evāsiti	min	şehri	Muḥarrem		24.	 sene	tisʿe	miʾe	semānīn	sitte9	(986	H.,	end	of	March	1578)	bi-maḳāmi	Ḳosṭan[t]inīye		Translation	Renowned	 rulers	 of	 the	 Christian	 confession,	 refuges	 of	 the	 greats	 of	 the	 Christian	community,	Begs	of	Dubrovnik!	As	soon	as	the	sublime	royal	letter	arrives,	may	it	be	known	that	David	Ungnad,	who	is	currently	the	envoy	of	the	ruler	of	Vienna	and	the	owner	of	the	place	called	Sonnegg	and	an	official	at	the	threshold	of	fortune,	has	sent	a	petition	to	my	porte	of	felicity.		Previously,	he	had	 lent	a	 large	 sum	of	money	without	 interest	 to	 the	merchant	Marin	Babali,	a	nobleman	from	Dubrovnik,	at	the	time	he	was	resident	in	Galata.	The	aforementioned	Marin	Babali	constantly	conducted	trade	with	his	uncle	Conyo	Babali	in	Dubrovnik,	 and	 there	was	a	 lot	of	business	between	 them.	The	mentioned	Conyo	failed	to	send	his	goods,	products	and	money	to	the	mentioned	Marin	Babali,	and	since	he	withheld	them	in	Dubrovnik,	the	mentioned	Marin	Babali	went	bankrupt.	As	he	no	longer	had	the	power	to	sustain	himself,	he	disappeared.		 The	 mentioned	 envoy	 (Ungnad)	 had	 confidence	 and	 believed	 that	 the	 afore-mentioned	Marin	Babali	belonged	 to	 the	honourables	of	Dubrovnik	and,	at	 the	 time	when	 there	 were	 no	 envoys	 from	 Dubrovnik	 at	 the	 Sublime	 Porte,	 performed	 the	necessary	envoy	services	and	lent	him	money.	And	now	there	 is	no	idea	where	he	is.	The	aforementioned	envoy	sent	several	letters	asking:	“You	ought	to	collect	the	afore-mentioned	 money	 from	 the	 responsible	 persons	 and	 send	 it”,	 but	 there	 was	 no	response	to	his	letters.	The	money	was	not	collected	and	sent.	And	 since	 he	 is	 soon	 to	 return	 to	 his	 homeland,	 in	 accordance	 with	 the	 long,	close	 relationship	 and	 sincerity	 with	 our	 Porte,	 he	 has	 demanded	 my	 sublime	 9		 The	word	order	of	this	number	is	somehow	mixed	up;	and	tisʿa	looks	more	like	sitta.		72 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 decree/ḥükm	that	the	borrowed	money	he	had	given	to	the	subject	called	Marin	Babali	be	collected	and	made	available	from	his	property,	goods,	chattels	and	real	estate,	as	well	as	from	the	goods	and	possessions	of	his	aforementioned	uncle	Conyo	Babali,	who	was	 the	 cause	 of	 his	 bankruptcy,	 and	 sent	 to	 my	 threshold	 of	 felicity	 before	 he	(Ungnad)	returns	to	his	homeland.		Given	 the	 long	 trust	 and	 appreciation	 that	 exists	 for	 our	 threshold	of	 felicity,	 I	have	ordered	that	the	money	given	by	the	aforementioned	envoy	to	the	subject	called	Marin	Babali	not	be	lost,	be	collected	by	whatsoever	means,	and	be	sent	to	my	Sublime	Threshold.		I	have	ordered	with	my	sublime	decree	that	you,	as	soon	as	his	(i.e.	Babali’s)	men	named	Covan,	V/Delfaro	and	Vidmar	have	arrived,	make	an	effort	 and	endeavour	 in	this	 matter,	 and	 as	 is	 your	 custom	 and	 practice,	 do	 not	 be	 negligent	 in	 taking	 the	money	 which	 the	 said	 envoy	 has	 lent	 to	 Marin	 Babali	 from	 his	 goods,	 wares	 and	properties	located	in	Dubrovnik,	and	also	from	the	goods,	wares	and	properties	of	his	uncle,	with	whom	he	has	constantly	been	 trading	and	who	was	 the	cause	of	Marin’s	bankruptcy,	in	whatever	way	this	may	be	possible,	before	the	aforesaid	envoy	returns	to	 his	 homeland,	 collect	 it	 and	 make	 it	 available,	 and,	 as	 for	 handing	 it	 over	 and	sending	it	with	the	aforesaid	men	whom	I	have	sent	with	my	exalted	command,	let	the	ancient	 fidelity	and	sincerity	which	you	have	shown	to	my	exalted	threshold	and	the	right	of	the	aforesaid	envoy	not	be	violated	by	anyone.		You	 shall	 endeavour	 and	 work	 hard	 this	 time	 in	 the	 matter	 of	 collecting	 the	money	of	the	aforementioned	envoy,	and	give	him	no	further	cause	for	complaining.		So	you	should	know.	Believe	in	the	Sublime	Sign	(i.e.	the	Tugra).	Written	in	the	middle	decade	of	the	month	of	Muḥarrem	in	the	year	986	(20-30	March	1578)	in	Con-stantinople.			Transcription	Fragment	24b	Türkische	Copeÿ	des	sultanischen	Bevelches	(German)		Gisela	Procházka-Eisl,	David	Ungnad	Wants	His	Money	Back│73 1.		 Ṣāḥib-devlet	paşa	ḥażretlerinüñ	mektūb-i	şerīfinüñ	içinde	olan	maʿdelerüñ	[!]	ʿayn	ile	ṣūretidür	2.		 müşārün	 ileyh	 ilçi	 imparaṭor	 cānibine	 teveccüh	 ü	 ʿavdet10	 eylemedin	 muʿaccelen	irsāl	ü	īṣāline	saʿy	vü	iḳdām	ve	cehd	3.		 ü	 ihtimām	 eyleyesiz	 eger	mezbūrlardan	 taḥṣīlinden	 zamān	mürūr	 idüb	 eglenmek	lāzım	gelür-ise	müşārün	ileyh		4.		 ilçi	 ʿavḳ	olunmaḳ11	 içün	gendü	cānibüñüzden	cāniblerüñüzden	gönderüb	ṣoñra	siz	mezkūrlardan	alub	5.		 ḳabż	eyleyesiz	müşārün	ileyh	daḫı	gönderdügüñüz	māl	ile	bize	olan	deynimüzi	edā	eyleye	şöyle	ki	bu	defʿa		6.		 daḫı	 sāyir	 zamāna	ḳıyāsen	 teʿallül	 ü	 ihmāl	 veyāḫūd	 taḥṣīlinde	 ʿusret	 vardur	 diyü	ihmāl	yāḫūd	7.		 ʿarż	 olunmaḳ	 lāzım	 gelse	 küllī	 sūʾ-i	 ẓann	 bāʿis	 ve	 ʿıtāb	 u	 ġażab-i	 pādişāhīnüñ	ıżrārına12	[!]	8.	 sebeb	 olınmaḳ	muḳarrer	 ü	muḥaḳḳaḳdur	 aña	 göre	 tedbīr	 ü	 tedārük	 aṣasız	 [?]	 bir	yirde	fermān-i		9.		 ʿālīşān-i	vācibü	l-izʿānuñ	tenfīzinde	müsāhele	taḳṣīr	revā	görilmeyüb	taḥṣīlinde	10.		 istiʿcāl	 olına	 zīrā	 imparaṭor-ile	 bizüm	 mā-beynümüzde	 olan	 dostlıḳ	 muḳteżāsı	budur	ki		11.		 anlaruñ	müteʿalliḳātı	ve	birden	bizüm	cānibimüze	müteʿalliḳ	olan	dostlarumuzdan	aṣlā	rencīde		12.		 vü	remīde	olmıya	taḥrīren	fī	evāsıṭi	şehri	Muḥarremi	l-ḥarām	sene	sitte	ve	semānīn	ve	tisʿa-miʾa		bi-medīneti	Ḳosṭanṭinīye	El-maḥrūse			 	 10		 Probably	a	misspelling:	ʿazimet	[?]		11		 Should	be	olunmamaḳ.	12		 Or	ısdārına?		74 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 Translation:	Turkish	Copy	[?]	of	the	Sultan’s	Order	This	 is	the	exact	copy	of	the	issues	contained	in	the	exalted	letter	of	His	Majesty	the	Pasha,	the	Lord	of	Happiness.			 Before	the	aforementioned	envoy	sets	out	for	the	Kaiser,	you	should	urgently	en-deavour,	exert	yourselves	and	pass	it	on.	If	collecting	[the	money]	from	the	aforemen-tioned	(i.e.	the	merchants)	takes	time	and	it	is	necessary	to	wait,	then	in	order	not	to	delay	 the	 aforementioned	envoy,	 forward	 it	 from	your	own	 side	 and	only	 afterwards	collect	it	from	the	aforementioned	(merchants).		Let	the	aforementioned	(merchant)	pay	the	debt	he	owes	us	with	the	money	you	send	him.	If	you	neglect	[the	matter],	claiming	that	there	is	delay	and	procrastination	or	 difficulty	 in	 collection	 as	 compared	 to	 otherwise,	 or	 if	 it	 becomes	 necessary	 [to	submit	the	matter	again],	then	that	is	the	cause	of	utter	suspicion,	anger	and	wrath	of	the	Padishah.		 Accordingly,	you	must	 take	precautions.	No	negligence	should	be	shown	 in	 the	execution	 of	 the	 high	 command	 to	 be	 obeyed	 and	 (the	money)	 should	 be	 collected	with	all	speed.	Because	the	friendship	that	prevails	between	the	Kaiser	and	us	requires	that	none	of	our	friends,	be	they	his	people	or	ours,	be	harassed	or	molested.			 Written	in	the	middle	decade	of	the	month	of	Muḥarrem,	in	the	year	986.			 In	the	city	of	Constantinople,	the	well-protected.		 	Gisela	Procházka-Eisl,	David	Ungnad	Wants	His	Money	Back│75 Facsimile	Fragment	24a				76 | Keshif:	E-Journal	for	Ottoman-Turkish	Micro	Editions,	Summer	2024,	vol.	2/2 Fragment	24b		 	Gisela	Procházka-Eisl,	David	Ungnad	Wants	His	Money	Back│77 Bibliography	Bůžek,	Václav:	„Die	Ungnads	von	Sonnegg	–	der	 lutherische	Adel	 in	der	Habsburger-monarchie	um	die	Mitte	des	16.	Jahrhunderts“.	Opera	Historica	18	(2017),	221-237.		Eren,	Yunus:	„34	numaralı	ve	H.986/	1578	tarihli	mühimme	defteri	[s.	1-164]	‘’inceleme	-	metin’’,	MA	thesis,	Istanbul	2011.		Ferus,	Andreas:	„Die	Reise	des	kaiserlichen	Gesandten	David	Ungnad	nach	Konstantin-opel	im	Jahre	1572“.	Wien	(unpublished	MA	thesis)	2007.		Graf,	Tobias	P.:	„Stopping	an	Ottoman	Spy	in	Late	Sixteenth-Century	Istanbul:	David	Ungnad,	Markus	Penckner,	and	Austrian-Habsburg	Intelligence	in	the	Ottoman	Capital“	,	Daphnis	48,1	(2019),	173-193.		Wurzbach,	 Constant	 von:	 Biographisches	 Lexicon	 des	 Kaiserthums	 Oesterreich	 54,	Wien	(K.K.	Hof-	und	Staatsdruckerei)	1886,	180-181.			

David Ungnad Wants his Money Back

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David Ungnad Wants his Money Back

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