USA > Pennsylvania > The Fatherland: (1450-1700) : showing the part it bore in the discovery, exploration and development of the western continent with special reference to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; pt. I. of a narrative and critical history > Part 5
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87 Geschichte der Welser-Züge in America, p. 42.
88 Sebastian Rentz had previously travelled extensively through Asia and Africa in the interests of his employers the Welser Company, and as early as 1517 had obtained some reputation as a cartographer or map- maker.
89 Not Governor of San Domingo, as stated by Weyermann.
89b Coro was chosen as a landing-place, because the pilots of that day were somewhat acquainted with that part of the coast; and further, there was a possibility of obtaining assistance there, if necessary, from the Europeans who were already in this vicinity.
9) Originally an Indian village called Coriana. The first Europeans who landed here were a party of adventurers under Juan de Ampues,
62
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
Thus was established German civilization upon the soil of the new world, even prior to the Spanish con- quest of Mexico or Peru.
The musical feature of the above celebration was undoubtedly the most inspiring part of the occasion. Historically it is the first record of an organized band of musicians in the new world. This is but another incident where the priority belongs to the German nation.
Many successive expeditions were sent out to America by the Germans after the edict was issued by Charles V, granting an extended permission to all of his German subjects to emigrate and settle in
who called the place Coro. Prior to the grant of the Germans, the whole territory was known as Coro See Ternaux, introduction, pp. 4-5.
90g Dedicated July 26, 1529.
91 Coro, or Santa Anna de Coro, afterwards became the capitol of Venezuela and the seat of the Spanish Viceroy. The town is situated at the head of a bay of the Gulf of Maracaibo, called El Golfete. It is built on several islands and a narrow sandy isthmus, which separates the gulf from the Caribbean sea. It is said that the original village found there by the Spaniards consisted of a group of houses built in the water upon piles, like those of the lake-dwellers. Recent explorations of the shell-mounds on the Florida Keys by Mr. Cushing have brought to light numerous remains which seem to indicate that this settlement upon the shore of Coro was a relic of an ancient civilization which once extended along the shores of the Caribbean sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Spanish records state that on acconut of the marine location of this Indian village, they called the place Little Venice. a name which eventually became Venezuela. During the Spanish régime, prior to 1636, the town was a rich and important one. After the removal of the seat of govern- ment to Caracas in the latter year, it lost much of its wealth and impor- tance. It is now chiefly known for its commerce and export trade. The town has four fine churches and about 10,000 inhabitants. The great drawback to its development has been a lack of drinking water, which has to be carried from the mainland.
Arms of Nürnberg. 63
the West Indies. Among these expeditions of the Welsers which deserve special mention, are those
ARMS OF THE IMPERIAL CITY OF NURNBERG.
under Nicolaus Federmann, George Hohemuth,92 von
92 George Hohemuth (not Frohermuth, as occasionally written) was a native of Memmingen, but is usually known as of Speyer.
64
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
Speir, and the Frankish knight Philip von Hutten,93 a nobleman from Birkenfeld; and, later, the expedi- tions sent out by the Fuggers to develop the western coast of South America.
93 Philip von Hutten was a brother to Bishop Moritz von Hutten at Eichstedt. He left a diary covering the period from 1538 to 1541, which was published by Meusel, under the title Zeitung aus Indien (Bibliotheca Historica, vol. iii, lips., 1787).
THE STORY OF WELSERLAND.
WELSER ARMS.
pen.) After a long and stormy voyage the adventur- ers reached San Domingo in December, 1529, and after refitting and obtaining the requisite number of horses, left for Coro. This expedition is of especial
HE Welser ex- pedition under Nicolaus Feder- mann, a native of Ulm, left San Lu- car Barameda in Andalusia, on October 2, 1529, in a vessel supplied by Welser's agent, Ulrich Ehinger. The party con - sisted of 123 sol- diers and twenty- four German min- ers 932 (Bergknap-
66
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
importance to us, as Federmann kept a careful ac- count of his travels. This was published after his death by his kinsman, Hans Kifthaber of Ulm, in the year 1557. The only known copy of this book is in the Royal library at Stuttgart. It is a quarto of 122 pages ; following is the unique title and colophon :
" Indianische Historia. | Ein schöne kurtz | weilige Historia Nicolaus Fe | dermanns des Jüngern von Ulm | erster raise so er von Hispania und | Andolosia auss in Indias des occea\ nischen Mors gethan hat, und | was ihm | allda ist begegnet biss auff sein widder-
938 The contracts for this second contingent of German miners was made by Ulrich Ehinger, in the name of Bartholomaeus Welser, Ulrich Ehinger and their co-partners. The party was sent by Hieronymus Walther, of Leipzig, to Hamburg and Antwerp, whence they were transported by Welser's factors to Seville. Papers relating to this con- tract are still in existence. (Kgl. Hauptstaatsarchiv. Dresden .- Loc. 10428.) From which it appears that the party consisted of the following: Hans Trumpolt from Johannisthal; Velten (Valentin) Landhans (Land- thans) from Zigenhals; Sigmunt Geppert (Gebhartt) from Wennsen; George Vnglaub (Jerg Vnglob) from Schwatz; Sixt Enderlin from Patmos; Wolf Dittrich (Wolff Dietrich) Freiberg; Merten Hoffmann from Altenberk; Wolf Gehe (Welff Gehe) from Kirchberg; Melcher Reuss from sant Annaberg: [st. Annaberg]; Niekel Teig (Nickell Legk) from Kempis; Critof Richter (Cristoff Richter) from the Neustadt; [Dresden ?] Vrban Behm ( Vrban Bohem) from Santa Annaberg; Moritz Putz ( Putzlere ) from Sneberg; Hanns Kestell. Burckhardt Ansorg. Hanns Weis, Hans Schick, Tomas Vogell, Hans Schenkel. two boys (names not given). The wite of Sigmunt Enderlein accompanied the party as a cook and washerwoman. She was presumably the first Ger- man woman who put her foot upon American soil. A number of these German miners not finding the new country to their liking, claimed they had been deceived and returned to their native country, where they arrived impoverished and disheartened. After their arrival in Saxony, they commenced judicial proceedings against all the parties connected with their enlistment. Many of the documents relating to this law suit are still preserved in the Royal Archives at Dresden.
67
Federmann's Diary.
kunfft inn Hispaniam, auffs | kürtzete beschrieben, gantz | lustig zu lesen. | MDLVII. Getruckt zu Hagenaw bei Sigmund Bund."
On April 18, 1530, the colony was reinforced by
Indianijcie Bifforia,
Ju PiBone furt-
wetlige Giftoria Sticlaussfe Sermanna Dee Equinaern bon Dunerfter raife Der Bon Gifpaniaon Ainsolofia auffin AS notas des Sccca- nifden noire qethan har / ono was ihm allda iftbegegnet bis auf fein widestunfrinatifpaniam/aufs Turnoff beforben/ gang UBLI luftig su'efento
ST
BIBLE UTTG
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TITLE PAGE OF FEDERMANN'S JOURNAL. (Furnished by Prof. Th. Schott, Royal Librarian at Stuttgart.)
68
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
the arrival of three more vessels with colonists under command of Hans Seissenhoffer and George Ehinger.
The next important expedition to leave Europe was under the command of George Hohemuth von Speir, which left Spain on October 18, 1534, and ar- rived at Coro, February 5, 1535. This party con- sisted of over 600 adventurers. Among the officers were Philip von Hutten, a nobleman from Birken- feld ; Hieronymus Köller from Nürnberg ; Majordomus Andreas Gundelfinger, Paymaster Franz Lebzelter from Ulm ; Nicolaus Federmann and Hans Vöhlin from Augsburg, the last a nephew of the Welsers.95
Among the adventurers sent out there was a band of eighteen musicians, together with a number of artisans. Special mention is made of a printer $52 (Buchdrucker), evidently bringing with him a print- ing press and type. This is the earliest record of any printer having been sent to America. Unfor- tunately, beyond the mere mention in the official list, that a printer was sent out among the craftsmen who went in this expedition, there is nothing to show, either in the way of an imprint or documentary evidence, that he ever did any printing in America, or that a press was even established at Coro.
Should, however, any imprint of this hitherto un- known printer ever come to light, it may prove to be a German one printed with German type: it could
94 In Spanish records Philip de Urre, Uten, Utre, Urra, etc.
95 See foot-note, p. 71 supra.
95ª Geschichte der Welser-Züge, p. 94.
69
Founding of Bogota.
but antedate by a few years the known imprints of Jakob Cromberger of 1540 without in the least affect- ing the fact that to the German nation is due the honor of establishing the printing press in the west- ern world.
It is not within the scope of this paper to follow up the various expeditions undertaken during the next quarter of a century by the Germans, which extended hundreds of miles into the interior of South America, to relate how the city of Bogota was founded early in 1539, by Nicolaus Federmann during his second ex- pedition, a city which is now the capital of the United States of Colombia. Nor will we recite the sufferings of these brave adventurers, or chronicle their deeds ; how brave Ambrose Dalfinger died the death of a hero,9% or the lamented George von Speir fell a victim to the tropical fever.97 It would fill several volumes to do justice to this epoch in Ąmeri- can history. Suffice it to say that the successive expeditions under Dalfinger, Sailer,9% Federmann, Ehinger, Sarmiento, Alemann,9 Seissenhoffer, Hohe- muth, Heinrich Rembold and Hutten, 100 tended to
96 According to Weyland, Dalfinger was wounded by the natives in 1531, in a valley about six hours from Pampelona. This spot still bears the name Vale de Micer ( Mister or Herr) Ambrosio. He died about a week later at the deserted village of Chinacota where he was buried. See Geschichte der Welser-Züge, p. 84-5.
97 Also called George Spirra. His various expeditions into the in- terior extended over a period of five years. He returned to San Domin- go in 1539, where he shortly afterwards died.
98 After the death of Dalfinger, Lieutenant Bartholomaeus Sailer suc- ceeded to the command of the Colony. He, however, also died in 1532, a short time after his superior.
70
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
settle and develop the unknown wilds of tropi ca America, even if they did fail to bring their projec- tors the coveted golden reward.
The Germans in America, however, had a worse enemy to contend with than tropical fever, poisoned arrows or treacherous elements. This was the jealousy of the Spaniard, to whom, after the religious peace of Nürnberg, all Germans appeared as Luther- ans and heretics. No opportunity was left pass, when anything detrimental could be done to the Germans : at Court, in Spain, as well as in America, it was al- ways the same story.
Unfortunately the history of this first attempt at German colonization in America closes with a double tragedy-the brutal murder of the chivalrous Philip von Hutten,1 Captain General of Welserland, and
99 Juan Aleman, Johannes der Teutsche, John, the German. The identity of this German adventurer is shrouded in more or less mystery. Weyland, in his history of Venezuela, wherein he follows Depons and Oviedo, states that Johannes, a German, was sent out by the Welser Company to seize the government of the colony in the event of Alfinger's death. The account goes on to state that, either on account of the devastation wrought by Dalfinger in his expeditions, or else through lack of courage, Joha' nes is said never to have left Coro.
100 The names of Melchior Grübel (arms on page 75) and Meister Hans Kistler aus Geldern also occupy a prominent place in the history of German enterprise in South America.
101 Philip von Hutten ( Philip von de Urre) spent over fifteen years in Venezuela, most of the time in exploring and developing the country and its resources. He was also a firm believer in the existence of an El-Dorado in the interior, and led several expeditions with the object of finding and conquering that mythical land of gold. His greatest feat was when he, together with 39 German soldiers. fought and defeated over 15,000 Omegas. See Weyland, Reise in Terra Firma, ( Berlin, 1808,) pp. 282, et seq.
1450-THE FATHERLAND-1700.
73
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CONTEMPORARY MAP SHOWING POSSESSIONS OF THE WELSER COMPANY IN SOUTH AMERICA.
(ORIGINAL IN THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AT BOLOGNA. )
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71
Murder of the German Commanders.
Bartolomaeus Welser, eldest son of the senior mem- ber of the great Augsburg firm, who, in 1541, had been sent to Welserland as Governor. The Spanish records call him "Don Bartolomeo Belzar, Gober- nador de su Majestad, Ade- lantado del Reino de Ven- ezuela."1018
PHILIP VON HUTTEN.
The two German com- manders were murdered on April 18, 1546, by order of the Spaniard, Carava- jal. 102 When the news of this tragedy reached Ger- many it caused great indig- nation, which even the summary execution of Car- avajal failed to assuage.
The Welsers, from now onward, took less interest
1018 Hutten, in his diary, writes under date of March 10, 1541: "Vor kurzen Tagen ist Herrn Bartolma Welser's Sohn hier angekommen, ein verständiger junger Gesell, über dessen Ankunft alle grosse Freude ge- habt haben ; ich habe keinen Zweifel dass ihn die Herrn Welser zum Gubernator machen werden, da Gott ihn zu solcher Zeit geschickt hat."
102 Juan de Caravajal accompanied as notary the first Welser expedi- tion to America, which was sent out under Dalfinger. He afterwards returned to San Domingo, where it appears he remained until 1542. After the death of Heinrich Rembold (1542), he was sent to Coro to take charge of the Government in the absence of Philip von Hutten, Imperial Captain-General, and young Welser, who were upon an ex- tended expedition in the interior. Caravajal at once assumed charge of affairs at Coro, and upon learning that the Germans had experienced great hardships and were returning in a shattered condition, and that the troops were weakened from wounds and disease, he, at the instiga-
72
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
in the development of their possessions in South America. 1020 They still, however, held the title and a dominating influence in its affairs for another de- cade, as it was not until the year 1555 that they were finally debarred from their concessions for some un- explained reason, after an exasperating law-suit which was decided against them.103 Thus ended the first organized scheme of German colonization in America, 104
tion of Pedro de Limpias, attempted to secure control of the govern- ment and combine the colony with that of New Granada. Caravajal, with a number of Spaniards, rode out to meet the returning Germans. Hutten and Welser, who suspected no treachery, were seized while their men were out foraging, and at once executed under an old tree, which still stands in the plaza of Tocuyo. The two Germans were be- headed by a negro with a dull hunting-knife. Some of the German troops escaped to Coro, where in the meantime Juan Perez de Tolosa had arrived, bearing special concessions from the Crown. As soon as he was informed of Caravajal's treachery, he ordered him to be taken to the spot and executed in a similar manner.
102b From the Welser Codex in the British Museum, it appears that the attempts to dispossess the Germans of their possessions in America commenced as early as May 11, 1535, with an instruction sent out by the Queen regent to Bishop Bastidas, wherein she implores him to keep a watchful eye upon the German colonists in his Province, (Venezuela) as it has been stated that a number of persons emigrated to the new country without complying with the published statutes, not only to the prejudice of the Spanish character of the country, but above all en- dangering the unity and purity of the faith. All such cases were to be reported direct to Seville at once without delay, and such persons [evidently who professed the Lutheran faith] were to be banished forthwith
103 Antheil der Deutschen an der EntdeckungAmerikas. (Stuttgart, 1857.)
104 There are still a number of families in Venezuela who trace their ancestry to some of the German adventurers of Welserland. In many cases it is a source of pride, not even surpassed by that of the Spanish grandees.
73
Hispanicized Names.
The question will undoubtedly arise in the minds of many persons, why this epoch in German and American history has not been brought out with the prominence which it deserves? The answer is that most of the accounts bearing upon the subject are stored in the archives at Seville, wherein the long- forgotten actors are lost under Hispanicized and foreign names ;105 and such poets as sung the Ger- mans' praises in their epic poems 106 have long been cast aside as strains that grate harshly upon the jealous Spanish ear.107
The usually accepted account of the German regime in America is that of the Dominican monk las Casas,10 who in his work on the Indies, " Tyran-
105 In Spanish and Portuguese records, the German name of Welser is variously changed to Velseri, Berzer, Berzares, Belzares, Belzaras, Bersyrs, Belsyres, etc., while the Fuggers appear as Fucares, Folkyres Fouchers, etc. Amerkungen zur Geschichte der Welser-Züge, p. 297.
106 Poems of Juan de Castellanos. Primera parte de las Elegias de varones ilustres de Indias, compuestas por Juan de Castellanos, etc. (Madrid, 1589. ) See Ticknor, History of Spanish Literature (London, 1863, ) ii, p. 472. Volume ii, of Castellanos contains the Welser episode. 107 Hermann A. Schumacher, in Hamburger Fest-schrift, vol. ii, p. 227.
108 Bartholomew de las Casas, a Spanish prelate, was born at Seville 1474, and in his nineteenth year accompanied his father, who sailed with Columbus to the West Indies. Five years afterward he returned to Spain, and pursuing his studies, entered the ecclesiastical order. He again accompanied Columbus in his second voyage to Hispaniola, and on the conquest of Cuba settled there, and distinguished himself by his humane conduct toward the oppressed natives, of whom he became in a manner the patron saint. In 1516 he returned to Europe to state the case of the Indians before the Crown. The regent Ximenes appointed a commission to investigate the charges. The outcome of this investi- gation not meeting with his approbation, he again went to Spain to lay the case of the Indians before the new King and Emperor Charles V.
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The Fatherland 1450-1700.
nies et cruautéz des Espagnols, commises es Indes Occidentales, qu' on dit le Noveau Monde," in the chapter on Venezuela accuses the Germans (whom he called Flemings) 10% of the greatest barbarities and cruelty, beside which even the tortures of the Inqui- sition sink into insignificance.
There is, however, a twofold explanation of this unjust criticism of the German pioneers. The first is to be found in the national jealousy that was then so strong between the two nations. The other one, the religious feature, arose from the fact that the Germans were accused of introducing the Lutheran religion into the colony. It is difficult to say just what proof there is of this charge. According to v. Klöden the entire German contingent in South America as early as 1532 had accepted the Lutheran faith.109b
Certain it is, however, that the brave Philip von
Las Casas, by a singular inconsistency, in his zeal for the Indians, be- came the author of the slave-trade, by proposing to purchase negroes from the Portuguese in Africa to supply the planters with laborers, of the want of whom they complained ; a proposition which was unfortu- nately put into execution. His famous Brevissima Relacion de la Destruccion des Indies is well known. So far as the charges of cruelty against the Germans are concerned, they seem to have been inspired mainly by the fact that von Hutten and others refused to attend mass. In short he calls the Germans heretics and Lutherans. Las Casas after- wards became Bishop of Chiapa. He eventually fell into disfavor with his superiors, lost his bishopric, and died in comparative obscurity in Madrid in 1556, in the 92nd year of his age. To such as know nothing of his inconsistency in regard to the negro, he generally appears as a benevolent character, whose chief aim in life was the relief of the op- pressed aborigines in the West Indies.
109 Spanish Edition Paris MDCXCVII pp. 115 et seq.
75
Charges against the Germans.
Hutten refused to attend mass, even if he was not an avowed Lutheran. Las Casas further states: The Flemish General [v. Hutten] is nothing but a heretic; he never attends mass himself, nor suffers others to go, and he further shows plain evidences of Lutheranism, whereby one may know him.109℃
Then again there are three arguments, which con- trovert the trustworthiness of the Las Casas ac- count :110
I. He fails to name any one of the German Gov- ernors whom he accuses of gross cruelty toward the natives.
2. The accounts are evidently aimed at Ambrose Dalfinger, who was charged with every type of bar- barity actually committed by native Spaniards in the adjoining provinces.
3. No charge of cruelty whatsoever can be brought against either Johann the German (Johann Alemann), or Philip v. Hutten. George von Speir was only ex- ceptionally harsh when occasion required it, and even Federmann, the soldier of fortune, ever inclined toward mercy and humanity.111
It certainly seems somewhat anomalous for a
109b ,If this be so then we may claim that date as the introduction of the Lutheran faith into the western world. (Die Welser in Augsburg als besitzer von Venezuela, p. 440. )
109c Las Casas : Die Verheerung West Indiens. German edition (Ber- lin, 1790) pp. 146-7. Also, Relacion de la destruccion de las Indias Occidentalis. Presentado a' Felipe ii. (Philadelphia, 1821,) Chap. Reyno de Venezuela, pp. 109-117.
110 These charges of Las Casas were publicly contradicted at the time by Sepulveda, of Cordova, who was the official historiographer of the Emperor Charles V. Rome 15 -.
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The Fatherland 1450-1700.
bishop of the order that introduced the Tribunal of the Inquisition into the world, and who was the original instigator of negro slavery in America, to charge the Germans in America with any such in- humanity.
Further, according to the lately discovered Welser- Codex in the British Museum, the fact is proven beyond any doubt, that the treatment of the Indians in Venezuela by the Germans, was no more cruel there than elsewhere. On the contrary, all indica- tions point to a policy of friendly intercourse between the Germans and the Indians. Consequently, not- withstanding the implied permission enjoyed by the Germans for maintaining a slave-trade, the condition of the Venezuela Indians was by no means so bad as
LIBERTAD
AbdUSO
ARMS OF THE REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA.
77
Refutation of Las Casas.
to justify the charges made against the Germans by Las Casas. This fact is fully set forth in the above original document.1118
111 Karl Klunzinger, Antheil der Deutschen an der Entdeckung Sud Americas. (Stuttgart, 1857, ) p. III.
111a Der Welser-Codex, see foot note 77a supra.
Cum
Vbertate
VV100:
THE GRANTS TO ANTON AND HIERONYMUS FUGGER.
HE ACCOUNTS of the grant made by Charles V. to Anton and Hierony- mus Raimond Fug- ger, merchants and bankers at Augs- burg, are not quite so clear, as the docu- ments bearing upon the transaction were stored in the archives at Seville, and during the past centuries, THE FUGGER ARMS. like many similar ones, have long since been forgotten.
Lately, however, a number of these papers, bear- ing upon the exploration and settlement of the west coast of South America, were resurrected, examined
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THE MURAL PAINTINGS UPON THE FRONT ILLUSTRATE THE HISTORY OF THE FAMILY DURING REIGN OF CHARLES V. THE "FUCCER" HOUSE AT AUGSBURG.
1450 THP FATHERLAND 1700.
F
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The Grant to the Fuggers.
and published by Senor J. T. Medina.112 Coleccion de documentas ineditos para la historia de Chili, Tom. III.
From these records it appears that the grant to the Fugger firm embraced the whole lower end of the southern hemisphere, between the straits of Magellan and the southern boundary of Peru ;113 in fact, that Chili, the most progressive of the modern republics of South America, was originally a German colony. From these documents as published it appears that the original grant was made on July 25, 1529, to one Simon de Aleazaba. It was not long, however, before we find the conces- sion transferred to the Germans; Veit Hör1,114 the resident factor of the Fuggers at Seville, having negotiated the transfer.115
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