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 6
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There appears to have been considerable negotia- tion between the Spanish HIERONYM, FUGGER Faro of Comes Com Impery Indian office and the Ger- man merchants in refer- ence to the particulars and emoluments. A personal
112 Zeitschrift der Geselschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin. Vol. xxvii, p. 407.
113 The concession mentions the stretch of coast extending 200 leguas from the west cape of the straits of Magalhen, to the District of Chincha,
.
80
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
appeal to the Emperor by one of the German mer- chants, however, settled the dispute in their favor. One of the conditions of the grant was that the Fug- gers were to send out three expeditions, with no less than 500 men, to take possession and explore the country. The same powers vested in the Welsers were conferred upon them. The German firm had the right of appointment of all officers from Captain- General downward. The governorship of the colony was to be hereditary for three generations, counting Anton Fugger as the first one. This grant also se- cured to the Fuggers the monopoly of all trade within the bounds of the Province.
It appears that the Fuggers were very exacting in their demands upon the Emperor as to the particu- lars of the colonial Government. A demand which was imperatively insisted upon was one that should forever redound to the honor of the noble German house who refused to accept the charter unless it con- tained a provision against the system of enslaving the natives, known as encomiendas.
The Fuggers not only demanded that Charles V.
which was the southernmost point of the grant made to Pizarro. Ibid p. 408. See also "Die Fugger and der Spanische Gewürzhandel." Augs- burg 1892.
114 In the Spanish documents, this factor appears as Guido Herl, Hezerle or Horrelo. According to the "Personal Repertorium " of the family archives of the noble Fugger family, the correct name is Veit Hörl. Here is also preserved his last will and testament, together with a document wherein Hörl endowed a charitable institution in the year 1546. See also K. Heabler. Zeitschrift, vol xxvii. Berlin, 1892. 115 Ibid, pp. 111-112.
81
The Earliest Protest against Slavery.
should abstain from granting any encomienda 116 privileges within the bounds of their province, but also undertook, so far as they were concerned, to ac- cept the provision against this form of slavery in its fullest sense. They were evidently satisfied as to the iniquity of the institution, and that in their opinion other and more humane means would be found to further the colo- nization of the colony and the civilization of the Indians far more rapidly than could be done by means of servitude.I17 We have here a German pro- test against human slavery which antedates the cele- brated Germantown one by fully a century and a half.118 It was well toward ANTONTUAS FUGGER ' Comes et Consilier: Col. the end of 1531 ere the negotiations were ended, and the document signed by the Spaniards upon one part, and Veit Hörl, as agent for his principals, upon the other.
116 Weyland (Berlin, 1808,) who endorsed this system of slavery, (p. 43) gives the following description of the system known in Spanish annals as Encomiendas. He states that the object of the system was to bring all Indians within a certain district under the supervision of some intelli- gent Spaniard, without, however, conferring upon him any absolute right of possession ( Eigenthumsrecht.) He was required : I. To pro-
82
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
Another interesting feature of the concession granted to the Fugger company by Charles V. was the right and privilege to mint and coin both gold and silver money, for circulation at home as well as in the provinces granted them.
Thus far no accounts have been published as to the expeditions sent out to Chili, or what efforts, if
tect them from all imposition and oppression. to which they were liable by reason of their ignorance of the requirements of the civil laws. 2 To unite them in one village, without, however, being permitted to live among them. 3. To cause them to be instructed in the Christian religion. 4. To regulate their social economy, and obtain the respect for the heads of families due them, a condition entirely unknown to the Indians 5. To observe the relationship in the various families, and to introduce such customs as would bring about civilized order. 6. To instruct them in agriculture, and such trades as would be of benefit to them. 7. To eradicate all desires or customs of their former savage mode of life.
For the above endeavors in their behalf, these Encomiendas, as the Indians were now called, were required to pay their Master or Enco- menderos, a yearly tribute, either in manual labor, in the products of the ground, or in money. (Weyland, pp. 43-5. See, also Mitchell's translation of Depons Voyage to Terra Firma.) The tribute, perhaps in most cases, required not only the labor of the head of the family, but of every man, woman and child as well. It was merely a cloak for the worst kind of slavery. The Indians were parcelled out by thousands by the Court of Spain to the various favorites, both male and female. There were Encomenderos who never came to America, but collected their tribute by proxy through resident agents, who, if their demands were not paid, simply sold the Indians into absolute slavery in adjoin- ing colonies. The law permitting this terrible abuse of the American natives was abrogated in 1568. See also Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin, Band XXVII, 1892, pp. 405-419 117 Haebler, Kolonial Unternehmungen der Fugger, ( Berlin, 1892) p. 417.
118 Done at Germantown, Pennsylvania: "Ye 18 of the 2 month 1688." For text in full see Pennypacker's Historical and Biographical sketches. Philadelphia 1883, pp. 42-45.
Germans in Paraguay. 83
any, were made by the Germans at colonization on the western coast of America.
Before passing the subject of German activity in the development of South America, we will state that the Germans did not confine their attention alone to the north and west coast of the new hemi- sphere, but were equally active in the exploration of Brazil and the countries adjacent to the Rio de la Platte. Here again the name and enterprise of the Welsers and other German merchants are met with, more or less prominently. Two printed accounts have come down to us of the exploration and settle- ment of the countries now known as Paraguay and Buenos Ayres, which show how the Germans shared in the vicissitudes of their early settlement.
The most prominent of these books is the Narra- tive of Ulrich Schmidt von Straubingen,119 a native of Bavaria, and covers the period from 1534-1554. It gives an account of how he went upon an expedi- tion to America in one of the Welser vessels. This was published at Frankfort-by.Sebastian Franck and Sigismund Feyerabend, in a collection of Voy- ages, under the following title :120
" Warhafftige und liebliche Beschreibung etlicher fürnemen Indianischen Landschafften und Insulen, die vormals in keiner Chronicken gedacht, und erstlich in der Schiffart Vlrici Schmidts von Straubingen, mit
119 Known in Spanish records as "Schmidel" and "Uldericus Faber." 120 An English translation of this book has lately been published by the Hakluyt Society. "The conquest of the River Platte, 1535-1555." London 1891.
-
84
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
grosser gefahr erkundigt, und von ihm selber auffs fleissigst beschrieben und dargethan. MDLXVII.
The other work is the narrative of Hans Stade and covers the period 1547-1554. 120a
Warachti | ge Historie ende be | schrivinge eens landts in America ghelegen, wiens inwoonders wilt, | naeckt, seer godloos, ende Wreede | Menschen eters sijn. Beschreuen door Hans Staden van Homborch ut lant van | Hessen, die welcke seluer in Persoone | het landt America besocht heeft. | Vt den Hooch- duysch-overgheset. | Tantwerpen | By Christoffel Plantyn, unde gulden Eenhooren. 1558 Met privilgif. |
RAZÓN
LA
ARMS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHILI.
120a Copies of both the above rare volumes are in the Carter Brown Library, Providence, R. I.
RELIGIOUS CAUSES INDUCIVE TO GERMAN EMIGRATION.
fanslang /Meticfel/orns ginftruction / fofungens men io: Senfin vonn ellen Bottennonind bauffender Dauren/ fo fiolefamen verpflichthaben ::: xxv:
FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE PAGE OF BROADSIDE CORT- UNY, THE FRUEHN ARTICLE OF THE PEASANTS,I A. D., 1525.
ETURN- ing once more to the per- iod of the Refor- mation, two other historical episodes are re- called, which in the course of a century and a half were des- tined to exercise considerable in- fluence upon the exodus of the Germans from the Fatherland, and the future complexion of our Common- wealth. The
86
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
first of these movements, the so-called Peasants' War (1524-26) was an uprising of the masses in central and southern Germany in the interests of a univer- sal democracy. It ended in their defeat and an in- crease of the burdens of the peasantry, and we may say their further enslavement.
The other episode, a religious movement, under
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TITLE PAGE OF THE TWELVE ARTICLES OF 1525.
the leadership of Knipperdolling and Johann von Leydere, called by various names, most generally " Anabaptist " 120% (1519-1534) though small at first and accompanied by the wildest excesses of lawless fanaticism,121 in the course of years, under the teach-
120b The Anabaptist movement in Germany was in reality an out- come of the Peasants' war. The chief seat of this agitation was at Münster in Westphalen, where under the leadership of Knipperdolling and his son-in-law John of Leyden, both the religious and civil govern- ment was assumed by the adherents of the new sect.
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The Peasants' Broadside.
Hin Bermon gepicoiget poml Pareren så Werdt/bey fürmberg/am Sontag sor Safnacht/von dem freyen wilken Desmenfchen /auch von antůf. fung der heiligen.
TITLE PAGE OF BROADSIDE CIRCULATED AMONG THE PEASANTRY.
..
88
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
ings of Menno Simon, who gathered up the scattered Baptists, resolved itself into the denominations known as Mennonites, Dunkers and similar congre- gations, who are now among our most peaceful and harmless Christians. Their haven of rest was event- ual y found in the fertile valleys of our own Penn- sylvania,12 and their descendants are to-day among our most thrifty and respected citizens.
mente&auto
TITLE OF THE FIRST GERMAN BIBLE. (Reduced Fac-Simile.)
121 The main cause for these excesses was a certain Johannes Bockhold, a tailor of Leyden, who came to Münster in 1533. Assuming the name of John of Leyden, he excited a portion of the populace, and had him- self declared as king of New Zion. From this period 1534, Münster became the theatre of all the excesses of fanaticism, lust and cruelty. The city was captured June 24, 1535, by the forces under the Bishop of Münster, and the kingdom of the Anabaptists was destroyed by the execution of the chief men.
89
Council of Trent.
In the year 1520, while the emperor Charles V. was sojourning in Germany, a letter was handed to him from America. This missive, dated July 16, 1519, and now in the archives of the Imperial Library at Vienna, was from Hernando Cortez, and told of the capture of a country rich in precious ore. This was welcome news to that impecunious ruler. The returns for the next decade, however, failed to make any great impression upon the finances of Spain, and it was not until the stream of blood- stained gold from Peru reached Spain in 1534, that the emperor of Germany and king of Spain felt him- self free from the power of the German merchants, and in a position to curtail the privileges of these wealthy commercial corporations, the chief among which was the powerful Hanseatic League, whose in- fluence had so long excited the jealousy of the German emperor and his electors.
This improvement in Spain's finances and their consequent independence of German merchants, was followed by a cloud of Latin bigotry and intolerance, which again darkened the horizon of the Fatherland and threatened to sweep away the last vestige of religious liberty obtained after so severe a struggle at the Peace of Nürnberg in 1532.
The Council of Trent (1545) had become a matter of history. Charles V, being then free from foreign complications and acting under the impulses of the
122 See Mennonite Emigration to Pennsylvania, by Dr. J. G. DeHoop Scheffer, Amsterdam, in Penna. Magazine of History. Vol. ii. p. 117.
90
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
Council, with the flood of silver at his disposal, which was now coming in by the cargo, being the output of the mines of Potosi, determined to make a mighty effort to crush the independence of the estates of the empire in Germany and the Protestant religion at the same time. He was urged on by the Pope, Paul III, who sent a contingent of 12,000 foot and 1,000 horse. Charles V, in his ambition, how- ever, was opposed by the so-called Schinalkaldic League,123 a confederation of the Protestant princes and imperial cities under the leadership of John Frederick, of Saxony. A two-years' war was the re- sult, and ended disastrously for the Protestants.124
These troubles did not come to an end until Sep- tember 25, 1555, when the religious peace of Augs- burg 125 was consummated. But this only granted religious freedom to such as adhered to the Augsburg Confession. It secured no privileges whatever to the Reformed (Geneva) religion.
123 The Smalcaldic League was concluded February, 27, 1531, by 7 Princes, 2 Counts and 11 free cities for mutual defence of their religious and political independence against Charles V. and the Catholic States.
124 The victory of the Imperial forces over Philip von Hessen, at Mühlberg, April 24, 1547.
125 The territorial princes and the free cities, who, at this date, ac- knowledged the confession of Augsburg, received freedom of worship, the right to introduce the reformation within their territories (jus reformandi), and equal rights with the Catholic estates. No agreement reached as regarded the Ecclesiastical Reservation ( Reservatum ecclesi- asticum) that the spiritual estates (bishops and abbots) who became Protestant should lose their offices and incomes. This peace secured no privileges for the Reformed (Geneva) religion.
91
A Huguenot Colony.
This state of religious intolerance and unrest in both Germany and France culminated during the memorable year of 1555 in an attempt being made to establish a distinctively Protestant settlement in America. It was made under the patronage of Ad- miral de Coligny, but failed through the defection of the leader.126 In 1562 and 1564 a second and third attempt were made under the same auspices. These latter ventures were within the bounds of the United States, and among the emigrants were a number of Alsatians and Hessians who had served under the Admiral's brother.
The settlement in 1562 was made near Port Royal in South Carolina, and was soon abandoned. Two years later Coligny sent out an expedition under René Laudonniere to carry aid and reinforcements to Ribault's colony. Finding the settlement abandoned, they sailed up the St. John's river in Florida, and there built Fort Carolina. Ribault arrived the fol- lowing year, August 28, 1565. Three weeks later the settlement was captured by Spaniards under Mendez de Aviles, who had all the settlers brutally tortured and murdered; after which he set up a placard : " I do this not as to Frenchmen, but as to Lutherans." Ribault, with a number of settlers, escaped to sea, but his vessel was wrecked, and the crew and company shared the same fate as their fel- lows at Fort Carolina.
In Germany the era of religious tranquillity proved
126 Chevalier Nicolaus Durand de Villegegannon.
92
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
of but short duration. The abdication of Emperor Charles V, January 15,1556, at Brussels ; the election of his younger brother (Ferdinand I, 1556-1564) and the reign of the latter's son, Maximilian II, 1564- 1576, and grandson, Rudolph II, 1576-1612, (a learned man who fostered the occult sciences, and was an adept in astrology, alchemy and astronomy) all happened within a quarter of a century. Then came a reaction against Protestantism, which led to the formation of a Protestant Union (1608) under Frederick IV, elector Palatine; and a Catholic Union a year later, led by Maximilian, duke of Bavaria. 127 To further complicate matters, Rudolph II was succeeded by his childless brother, Matthias (1612-1619.) The latter having obtained the renun- ciation of his brothers, secured the imperial succes- sion for his cousin Ferdinand, duke of Styria, (Ferd- inand II, 1619-1637) who had been educated by the Jesuits in strict Catholicism. The outcome of these various complications was the great struggle known in history as the Thirty Years' War.128
This struggle is generally divided into four periods, which were really as many different wars. The first two, known as the Bohemian and Danish, had a pre- dominant religious character; they developed from
127 Both of the above leaders were princes of the house of Wittelsbach. 128 The various rulers of Europe at the outbreak of this celebrated struggle were: Emperor, Matthias; Pope, Paul V; Sultan, Osman; Spain, Naples and Sicily, Philip III; France, Louis XIII; England, James I; Poland, Sigismundus III; Denmark and Norway, Christian IV; Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus; Bohemia, Ferdinand II; Hungary, Ferdinand.
Beitung auf Coln / Dom 18. Junij. 2Inno 1609.
AB dem Dage wirbe ante den luften Drieffen anders nidie gefahrleben / dann daß die Frangofifche unnd Englifthe Befanden Dafibft nunmehr beretefchaffe machenverfes tages wider nach Daug sustehen. Gonfi bett fo mo! der Erabernog als de herrn Graben ein gute anzahl Kriegsvold abgedand'ti ond fie vollends begabten taffen. Es (@reiben die von Ambfierdam/daß die Kauffhandlung ond Dabrung cafelbf und ander rien morgen diefes anffands taglich abnemen vornemlidir coeli fich jent fo viel Meerrauber uff dem Meer erstigen toeldre immer die Rauffahrende Soffi plundernonnd theils gar su idi nemen / wie donn aud wegen des jenigen Kriegswefen greifeben Semeden/ Polen und Doftaro die handlung aus Doll : und Geeland nach ben ortten auch nit Dann mit greffer ges ahr gefchthen tonne. Brieff auf Londen melden / Daf die Flora mit 8 Schiffen / mit viel Danns onnd QBelbaperfohnen fampt anderer provifion, vmb das Land Virginia Bolcfreids no wohnhaft sumachen/babin abgefegelt fein mit groffem miffall der Gpannier. Bende Surften von Brandenburg ond Demburg/ haben fico tu Dortmund onder einander / curdy nittet Landgraf Wfortyen Debin pergliden Das fie gegen alle andere anmafungen zu erbal- ungond defenfion Der Bulifchen Eanbe sufamen femen ond timerhalb 4 Monaten ficaflere Ings dahin vergleichen folleniter ber rechte Erb diefer Janben fein motto/unnd follen ihn tite nitelf von ben Grenben etliche zugeordnet werben / omb die Regierung / bif su befferer bee llung gu continuiren, auch mit def Surften Begrabnuf fort fabreni ennd fooften mecitters u verordnen/was der fachen sum beffe diefer Landen erfordern wird/darauf obgedachte bee. e Surften zu Duffeldorff angelangt fein/ wolemol fico bie geworfene Bulifthe Rabie noch bar- jegen gefegt / aber durch Die Burger gleidmol eingelaffen worten / ond auffs Galop sieben affen was nun tettere folgen potro gibt gett.
Wuf Kom/vom 30. Man.
Demnach der Pater Spinola cin Sefilter / fo Beg Cardinals Spinola Sruber in / auf den Orientalifaren noten alba er fetther Bapfte Gregory be813 lebieten ben 30. Jahren geneti ilher fommensbarer Gontags beom Barf Audienz gehabt/in welcher er bemfeiben referirt, mote die Romifebe SEeligion der orten flere sunehmerauch viel tounderliche faden præfentirt. Dit Malthefifthe one Neapolitanifde Balleren finbmiteinander in Compagnia anggefab. ten/ Dit reveriren daß Ronigreide Deapolt ombjufdiffen see if auch der Dritten ben rafigen befehl gutommen/fich mit der Landfebafft bøfagung in beretefchafft finden sulaffen damit auff 24. Junii jede Compagnia an beftimpten ort fich einffelen mnoge. "Bell man Arifo, daß die Zurdifde Baleren ond Bafellen von Thunis aufgefahrenralfo moirdr beforgt jie mochten in Romagna einfallen/defroegen foldbes suverbåten . har man etlich 100. Golbaren sur Quardia enfin gefeldt / aud bem Signor loan del fale Dberfen vber diefelbe Provinz vom General Fran-
Fac-simile page from the oldest known German newspaper. It contains a notice of an expedition to Virginia.
93
Revolt in Bohemia.
the revolt in Bohemia to a general attack by Catholic Europe upon Protestant Europe. The last two wars, the Swedish and Swedish-French were political wars ; wars against the power of the house of Hapsburg, and wars of conquest on the part of Sweden and France upon German soil.
THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR.
EVER IN THE HIS- tory of Germany, since it occupied a place among civilized nations, did the Fatherland present so lament- able and helpless a condition as was the case during the second half of the XVIIth century, after the terrors of the great war were over.
The actual damage entailed A HELMET OF THE PERIOD. by the extended struggle known as the Thirty Years' War is hard to estimate. Perhaps the greatest real harm done to the nation was the breaking down of almost every barrier of moral or religious restraint ; a condition which led, more or less, to the abandonment of all the ties of domestic life.129
The actual losses of Germany during this period of devastation can only be approximated by consult-
1450-THE FATHERLAND-1700.
MEDAL COMMEMORATING THE PEACE OF WESTPHALIA.
DISK OF SILVER,
THIRTY-EIGHT SIXTEENTHS OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER.
(ORIGINAL IN POSSESSION OF MR. HARRY ROGERS, PHILADELPHIA. )
95
Devastation of Germany.
. ing the statistics of individual states or communities. Thus in Würtemberg, from 1634-41 over 345,000 human beings perished by sword, famine and pesti- lence, and at the close of the war the Duchy had but 48,000 inhabitants, impoverished and disheartened. Eight cities, 45 villages, 65 churches, and 158 school and parochial houses had been burned. Before the war the Palatinate was credited with a population of half a million souls; at the close of the struggle, a census showed less than one-tenth of the original number.
Perhaps the most drastic and yet not overdrawn description of Germany's condition is given by Scherr in his Cultur und Sittengeschichte, wherein he states : " The scum of Europe's mercenary hirelings spread over Germany's fertile plains, and there perpetrated the most terrible martial tragedy which has ever been recorded upon pages in the history of nations."
To the nameless licentiousness of the military cus- toms of that day must be added a repulsive senti- mentality combined with inhumanity, and an insane desire to kill for the mere pleasure of murdering.
The countless cases of arson, robbery and homi- cide, the slaughter of innocent children, the rape of maiden and matron, often in view of the help- less parent or father, who had been previously bound, maimed or mutilated; the massacre of the population of entire towns which had been captured ; the drenching of the populace with a villainous
129 Ursprung und wesen des Pietismus. Sachsse, Wiesbaden, 1884.
96
The Fatherland 1450-1700.
SPERA. 2
A CAMP SCENE DURING THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR. (The Portable Prison in the Left Corner.)
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