The History of the Church Since the Days of Christ, Book 1 · History of century 15 – History of century 16
CENTVRIE. XV.
Rupertus.
VInces…aus the Emperour for his Cowardize, & vnhonest life, was deposed, & Rupertus Duke of Bauaria was advanced to the Emperiall authoritie by the Electors of Germanic, and ruled (10.) yeeres. This Emperour went vntounto Italie, against Galiatius of Millan, but hee preuailed nothing. In his time Mahomet, the Turke when hee had killed his brother,Mahomet after the death of Tamburlan vexeth the Christians and taketh Hadrianopolis. obtained alone the kingdome; who after the death of Tamburlan, the Tartarian, recouering againe his fathers dominion, vexed with extreme murther and slaughter, the Bulgares and Vallaches, and tooke the citie of Hadrianopolis, which he made his Seat royall.
Sigismundus.
AFter Rupertus Sigismund sonne of Charles 4. and brother to Vinceslaus being King of Bohemie and Hungarie was ordained Emperour and reigned 27. yeares. Hee was a prudent, wittie, learned, and noble Prince, but in warre and deeds of armes vnfortunate: for hee was oftentimes ouercome and chased of the Turkes and other enemies. By the procurement of this Emperour a great councell was holden at Constance, for the vnion of the Church which continued for the space of 4. yeeres. In this councell Iohn Husse was burned for preaching against the Bishop of Rome. Also Hieronymus of Prague was condemned by the same councell and burned,The burning of Iohn Husse the cause of a great tumult and sedition. after whose burning in Bohemie, was great tumult, sedition, and ciuill warre: For the common people that fauoured Iohn Husse, gathered together in great number, and choosed a certaine valiant man named Zisca to be their Captaine, a man verie witty and expert in warfare, as may appeare by this wittie policie which hee vsed against his enemies. VponUpon a certaine time, his enemies set vponupon him in a rough place, where no battell could be fought but on foote only, whereupon when his enemies were lighted from their horses,The polieie of Zisca for the ouerthrow of his enemies. Zisca commaunded the women which customably followed the hoast, to cast their kirchiefes vponupon the ground, wherein the horsemen being intangled by their spurres were slaine before they could vnloose their feete. And forasmuch as he had no walled nor fenced towne to inhabite, he chosed out a certaine place vponupon the riuer of Lusinitius which was fenced by nature, about 8 miles from the Citie of Ausca. This place he compassed with walles, & commanded eueryevery man to build them houses where they had pitched their tents, and named this Citie, Thabor; and the inhabitants his companions Thaborits, because their Citie was built vponupon the top of a mountaine. He fought against the Emp. Sigismund and draue him out of Bohemia, and although the Emperour came backe againe to Bohemia with a great armie of Hungarians and Morauians, yet the second time also hee cowardly fled, and Zisca pursued after him a daies iourney, found great and rich spoyles, and tooke the towne of Broda by force and set it on fire.The prouident care of Zisca in time of his blindnes. It is almost incredible that a man, being blind, as Zisca was in the time of his hottest warres (for hauing but one eye he lost it at the siege of a certaine towne) did so prouidently forecast all opportunities and aduantages against his enemies, as if hee had seene.
It is reported that when hee was lying sicke and readie to die,Zisca at his de…th appointeth a drumme to be made of his skin. being demaunded where he would hauehave his body to be buried, hee answered that they should pull the skin from off his dead body, and that a Drumme should be made thereof, which they should vse in the battell, affirming that as soone as their enemies heard the sound of that Drumme they would not abide but take their flight. After the death of Zisca the Emperour Sigismund assembled the Nobles of Germanie at Norinberge, and leuied a great armie to enter into Boheme, and pursue the Hussites or Thaborites of new againe: Also Pope Martin sent Iulian his Cardinall of S. Angelie into Germanie to that same effect, that is to say, to make warre against the Bohemians.
The Emperour warreth vponupon the Hussits with bad successe.But the Emperour had no better successe in this enterprise, then hee had in the former, for all his armie was striken with a sudden feare, before any of his aduersaries were come in sight, and fled most shamfully to the great encouragement and inritching of their aduersaries. The Cardinall Iulian himselfe being present and marueling at the sudden feare, went about the Captaines, perswading them to put on armour, to order their battells, and couragiously to abide their enemies. But this exhortation was all in vaine, for feare had put away all boldnesse, and euerie man did runne headlong away. The Cardinall also, although it were against his will, was forced to doe the like, after this, the Cardinall addressed himselfe to the councell of Basile wherein he was appointed to be president in name and behalfe of the Bishop of Rome. But of this hereafter.
Albertus.
NExt to Sigismund, Albert Duke of Austria his sonne in law, was chosen to be Emperour, and gouerned eight yeeres: for his liberalitie, iustice & manhoode in wars, greatly renowned. He subdued the Bohems,Amurathes subdueth Scopia and Newmount in Seruia, as also Thessalonica and Croia. and brought in subiection the people of Morauia. In his time Amurathes Emperour of the Turkes invaded the king of Seruia, from whom after long siege he wanne Scopia, and Newmount, and hee tooke in battel his two sonnes whom he berest of their sight, but after he tooke their sister in marriage and restored Newmont. Hee tooke also the famous towne of Grecia called Thessalonica, being then vnderunder league and protection of the Venetians, and the towne of Croia in Epirus, but God raised vp Ioannes Huniades a valiant man in Wallachia,Ioannes Huniades an enemie to the Turkes. who being aided with the power of Vladislaus the king of Polonia did infringe the puyssance of the Turke, and recouered againe to the Christians the greatest part of Seruia, and Bulgaria, so, that the Turkes was compelled to desire truce for ten yeeres. But after the truce was concluded on both parts, and with solemne oath also confirmed,A truce concluded betwixt the Christians and Turkes for 10 yeeres, by means of the Pope broken to the ouerthrow of the Christians. and Amarathes was returned backe againe to Asia, Pope Eugenius the 4. sent Iulianus Caesarianus, to the foresaid king with full dispensation to breake his oath and league with the Turke, whereby it came to passe that the young king inticed by the wicked instigations of Eugenius set forward his armie against the Turke vntill he came to Varna a towne of Bulgaria, where he was discomfited and slaine by Amurathes to the great hurt, and greater shame of Christian people, whom the Infidels might iustlie accuse of periurie, and breaking of Couenants, sealed by the name of Christ whom they professe to be their Sauiour. This battell at Varna fell out in the raigne of Fredericke, The battell at Varna.of whom we are to speake in the next place.
Fredericke 3.
AFter Albert Frederick the 3. Duke of Austria was chosen to be Emperour and raigned 53. yeeres, in whose daies much war and dissention raigned almost thorow all Christian Realmes,Note. whereby it had beene easie for the Turke to hauehave ouerrunne them all, if the mercifull prouidence of God had not kept Amurathes occupied at this time. To this Frederick came Elizabeth the spouse of Albert sometime Emperour with Ladislaus her son, by whom he was nourished and entertained a certaine space, till at length after the death of Vladislaus aforesaid king of Hungarie (who was slaine by the Turkes, in the battell of Varna) the men of Austria rising vp in armour required the Emp. to giuegive them their young King,The kingdomes of Ladislaus committed to three gouernors. who being restored into their hands, and being yet vnderunder age, committed his three Kingdomes to three gouernours, whereof Iohn Huniades the worthy Captaine aboue mentioned had the ruling of Hungarie.
George Pogicbzachius had Bohemia, and Vlricus the Earle of Cilicia had Austria.Vlricus seeketh the destruction of Huniades But Vlricke had the chiefe custodie of the young King, and was a great enemie to Huniades by many secret meanes seeking his destruction. But Huniades being couragious, and wise, and circumspect, easily disappointed all his fetches.
After the death of this worthy gouernour his two sonnes Ladislaus and Mathias gouerned Hungarie, and in their time Ladislaus King of Bohemia, Hungarie, and Austria came into Alba a towne of Hungarie, accompanied with Vlricus Earle of Cilicia, and governour of Austria vnderunder the young king. Ladislaus most gladly receiued the king, but debarred from entering into the Citie 4000. armed souldiers, of the number of them that accompanied the king. Vlricus the Earle grudging at this and sitting in Councell required Ladislaus to appeare before him and accused him of treason, for shutting the gates vponupon the kings souldiers, and not content with this, hee tooke his sword from his Page and let a stroake flee at his head. But the Hungarians hearing the noyse in the Councell brake in vponupon them and there incontinent killed Vlrick the Earle,Vlricus sl…ine by the Hungarians. wounding him and cutting him in peeces. The king hearing thereof, although hee was not a litle discontented thereat in his mind, yet seeing there was none other remedie hee dissembled his griefe for a time.The king of Hungaria causeth the one sonne of Huniades to be beheaded, the other imprisoned. But afterward in his Progresse when hee came to Buda accompanied with the two sonnes of Huniades, hee caused them both to be taken and cast into prison, and Ladislaus forthwith was beheaded. Mathias was carried Captiue to Austria, to suffer the like punishment, if the Lord had not prevented Ladislaus, the king by suddē death,The death of the king of Hungaria. who departed this life about the verie time appointed for the celebration of his marriage in Prague with Magdalen daughter to the King of Fraunce.
Thus the young king who hated the race of Huniades, and more hated the light of the Gospell that shined in Bohemia, and was of purpose (as is supposed) at his marriage to root out the sect of the Hussits (as hee called it) was timously in the merciemercy of God cut off himselfe to the great benefit of the true Church of God.
In this Emperours time suite was made by the Germanes to the Emperour that hee would prouide remedie against the actions of the insatiat Popes,The Germans make petition to the Empe. to be freed of the Popes burthens, but in vaine. and that hee would not suffer his subiects in Germanie to bee exhausted, and empourished by them. The Emperour being moued and ouercome by their perswasion, promised that hee would prouide no lesse for them, then the king of Fraunce had done for the Frenchmen. But the subtle perswasions of Aeneas Syluius did so bewitch the Emperour that he contemning the equall iust and necessarie requests of his subiects, chosed the said Aeneas to be his Ambassadour to Calixtus newly chosen Pope, to sweare vntounto him in his name, and to promise the absolut obedience of all Germanie. Thus the Germans were derided and frustrate by Fredericke, and the Emperour on the other part fearing least the Germanes after his death should transport the Empire to another familie caused his son Maximilian 7. yeeres before his death to be chosen and also crowned king of Romans, and did associate him to the ministration of the Empire. In this Emperours time likewise flourished a valiant man sonne of Iohn Castriotus Prince of Epirus,The valour of George Castrio… named by the Turkes Scanderbege. and Albania, called George who was giuen in hostage to the Turke, with other two brethren. But this George excelling all the rest of his equalls, in strength of body, vigour of minde, and actiuitie in warfare, was named by the Turkes Scanderbeius, which soundeth as much as Alexander Magnus. He ouercommeth Caramanus of Cilicia.Hee was sent out by the Turkes to fight against Caramannus of Cilicia the Turkes enemie, in which expedition hee behaued himselfe so manfully, that hee wanne great renowne with the Turke, insomuch that hee trusting to the Turkes fauour,Asketh of Amurathes his fathers dominion of Epirus. when hee heard of the death of his father, durst aske of the Turke the grant of his fathers dominion to be giuen vntounto him. The which request although Amurathes did not deny vntounto him, yet notwithstanding hee perceiuing that the matter was dallied out with faire words,Is put off with faire words, flieth from the Turke: recouereth Croia and the other Cities of Epirus, and maintaineth vvarre against the Turkes. by subtle meanes and policie slipt out of the Turkes Court, and came to Epirus his owne inheritance, where first by counterfeite letters hee recouered Croia. The other cities of their owne voluntarie minde yeelded to him, and hee so manfullie behaued himselfe, that against all the force both of Amurathes and Mahomet he maintained his owne, repulsed their violence, and put to flight their armies many yeeres together.
Mahomet the second taketh the Isle of Euboia, destroyeth the towne of Calcis, razeth Athens, besiegeth, taketh, and sacketh Constantinople.In this Emperours time Mahomet the second tooke the Isle of Euboia, and destroyed the towne of Calcis, afterward hee commanded the Cittie of Athens to be razed and vtterly subverted, and from thence returning his armie to Thracia, with a mightie multitude compassed the towne of Constantinople both by sea and land in the yeere of our Lord. 1453. and in the 54. day of the sayd siege, it was taken and sacked, and the Emperour Constantinus slaine: such terrible crueltie did they vse as the like is not often read of in any historie. There was no corners in Constantinople which was not defiled with floodes of Christian blood,His crueltie against the Christians of Constantinople. so that in this one towne are reckoned to the number of fortie thousand persons that were slaine, amongst whose dead bodyes, the body of Constantine the Emperour was found, whose head being brought to Mahomet, he commaunded it to be carried vponupon a speare through the whole Citie, for a publike spectacle and derision to all the Turkish armie.He causeth the Crucifixe to be carried about in derision. Also he tooke the Image of the Crucifixe, being there in the high Temple of Sophia and (writing this superscription vponupon the head of it, Hic est Christianorum Deus, this is the God of the Christians) caused it to be carried thorow all his armie, and made every man to spit at it most contumeliously. Thus was the noble citie of Constantinople sacked 1139. yeers after it was first built by Constantine the great,Constantinople made the seat royall of the Turkish Emperour. & now is made the Imperiall seat of the Turkish dominion. Notwithstanding the proud heart of Mahomet which was so highly lift vp by the conquest of Constantinople, was by the providence of God somewhat abated soone after. For at the siege of Belgradum in Hungarie, in the yeere 1436. hee was so manfully resisted by that worthie Governour Iohannes Huniades, that hee was compelled after the losse of a great part of his army,Mahomet is forced by Iohn Huniades to raise his siege of Belgrade. to the number of 40000. souldiers, his owne person also being sore wounded, to raise his siege, and for feare and shame ready to kill himselfe.
In the East after Emanuel raigned Iohannes his sonne, who was present at the Councell of Florence,Emperours of the East. with Eugenius 4. Pope of Rome, but lived not long after his returning. And after his death, because hee had no children, his brother Constantine succeeded, in whose time the town of Constantinople was pitifully destroyed, and the Emperour himselfe slaine, as hath beene declared. And here is the end of the Empire of Christians in the East.
CENTVRIE XVI.
Maximilianus.
IN the yeare of our Lord 1486. Fredericus waxing aged, and partly also mistrusting the hearts of the Germaines, did in his life-time associate his sonne Maximilian to be ioyned Emperor with him, with whom he reigned for the space of 7. yeers till the death of Fredericke his father, after whose departure he reigned 25. yeers. This Maximilian as he was a valiant Emperor, prudent and singularly learned, so was his raigne intangled in many vnquiet and difficult warres. First in the lower Countries of Flanders and Brabant, where he was taken captiue,Maximilian taken prisoner, & relieved by his father. but worthily againe relieved by his father. Hee had to wife Mary the onelyonly daughter to the Duke of Burgundie, by whom hee had two children, Philip the father of Charles the fift, and Margaret. this Mary by a fall from her horse, fell into an ague and died. So happy was the education of the Emperor in good letters, so expert hee was in tongues and sciences,, but especially such was his dexteritie and promptnesse in the Latine tongue,He writeth an history in Latin of his own acts and feats of warre. that hee imitating the example of Iulius Caesar, did write and comprehend in Latin Historie his owne acts and feats of warre done by him.
In this Emperours time Baiazeth the second Emperour of Turkes, after long siege tooke a strong towne of Peleponesus called Methon,Baiazeth the 2. subdueth Modon, & killeth the Noblemen found there. or Modon, being vnderunder the dominion of the Venetians, and caused all the Noblemen of the Venetians and Grecians that were found in the towne, to be brought into his owne presence, and there most cruelly to be slaine.