A francia diplomácia viszonyulása Bethlen Gáborhoz 1620–1621-ben

The Attitude of French Diplomacy Towards Gabriel Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania, in 1620–1621

Hámori Nagy, Zsuzsanna

Edélyi Múzeum-Egyesület

2018-09-13T11:27:34Z

2018-09-13T11:27:34Z

2014

2014

Bethlen Gábor

történelem

francia diplomácia

konföderáció

Pfalzi Frigyes

II. Ferdinánd

On the basis of the documents of the French delegation in Vienna published in 1667, the article examines the opinion of French ambassadors about Gabriel Bethlen, Prince of Transylvania and elected king of Hungary, in 1620–1621. The analysis begins with the investigation of the efforts of the French ambassadors to negotiate a peace treaty between Emperor Ferdinand II and Frederick of Pfalz, elected king of Bohemia, and the Emperor and Gabriel Bethlen. At first, both Frederick and Gabriel Bethlen were unwilling to accept French mediation on the basis of the Emperor’s terms to dissolve their confederation and alliance in order to start negotiations. Finally, Gabriel Bethlen agreed to meet the French delegation in Pressburg in October 1620, and after the battle of the White Mountain in November, he left the confederation in winter 1620/1621. Still, hostilities did not cease with the peace negotiations between him and the Emperor with French mediation in Hainburg in spring 1621. Due to the concurrent conflict between France and Spain in Valtellina, French diplomacy finally chose to withdraw the ambassadors originally sent to represent the Emperor’s case in a treaty with his rebel subjects. As for the French attitude towards Gabriel Bethlen during the period of negotiations, some differences appear when considering him and Frederick. Although neither of them was recognised by the French diplomacy as titular king of Hungary and Bohemia respectively, Gabriel Bethlen could and did take advantage of the fact that he had not been crowned. This enabled him to meet the French ambassadors in person, who, on the other hand, were not allowed to get in touch personally with Frederick, elected and already crowned king of Bohemia. While the French delegation considered Frederick of Pfalz as too vain to accept the mediation of Louis XIII, their attitude towards Gabriel Bethlen was less harsh. Their personal encounter convinced the ambassadors that there was nothing barbarous or uncivilised (“rien de barbare”) in his and his subjects’ conduct, while Gabriel Bethlen, emphasising elements of representation, could avoid making political concessions. Furthermore, he was also able to convince the French mediators of his inclination to peace during the Hainburg treaties, despite the fact that he was constantly negotiating Ottoman military aid against Ferdinand II through his ambassadors at the Porte. On the whole, it can be said that both the good impressions made by Gabriel Bethlen’s personality on the French mediators as well as his skilful tactics contributed to their attitude of moderation concerning the Emperor’s harsh terms against his opponent, the Prince of Transylvania.

79-92. old.

magyar

angol

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https://eda.eme.ro/xmlui/handle/10598/30633

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