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The Pledge Policy of King Sigismund of Luxembourg in Hungary (1387–1437)

In: Money and Finance in Central Europe during the Later Middle Ages

Author

Listed:
  • János Incze

Abstract

King Sigismund of Luxemburg — Emperor Charles IV’s second son — is known in Hungarian historiography as a ruler who struggled with recurrent financial difficulties and it was only possible to satisfy his financial hunger by complementing the ordinary revenues of the kingdom with extraordinary ones (Engel, 2001, p. 227). His contemporaries observed that he was often short of money. Even his biographer Eberhard Windecke noted down some interesting stories that were related to the king’s financial problems. Windecke claims that once, when Sigismund visited England, his host, Henry V, gave him jewels which Windecke himself pledged shortly afterwards at Sigismund’s order. Sigismund not only pawned the royal gifts, but he was also unwilling to redeem them (Altmann, 1893, pp. 80–81). Moreover, according to the same author, Sigismund was accused of irresponsible spending by his brother, Wenceslaus, King of Bohemia (1378–1419) and the Romans (1376–1400), because he pawned and sold various silver and gold jewels (Altmann, 1893, pp. 57–58). A letter written by an envoy of Mantua in Hungary to his lord in 1395 sheds light on the state of the financial affairs that he experienced at the royal court. According to the letter when wealthy Italian merchants came to Hungary, they were usually directed to the royal court.

Suggested Citation

  • János Incze, 2016. "The Pledge Policy of King Sigismund of Luxembourg in Hungary (1387–1437)," Palgrave Studies in the History of Finance, in: Roman Zaoral (ed.), Money and Finance in Central Europe during the Later Middle Ages, chapter 6, pages 87-109, Palgrave Macmillan.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:psitcp:978-1-137-46023-3_7
    DOI: 10.1057/9781137460233_7
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