Oratio legatorum serenissimi Regis Hungariae et totius Regni coram Seresnissimo Archiduce Ferdinando Vicario et Principibus Imperri Norimbergae XIII. Cal(endas) Decembris habita
„Magnanime Princeps, Reverendissimi in Christo Patres, Illustrissimi Duces, vosque Generosi omnium ordinum Proceres!
Quamquam celeberrimi huius collegii vestri frequentia in primis mihi gratissima est, eam enim nactus sum occasionem clarissimi huius senatus tum notitiam tum favorem mihi conciliandi, ut votis quidem nuncupatis nescio an maior mihi optanda fuit, vellem tamen, ut hoc praeludio honoris a rebus prosperis et foelicibus auspicari mihi liceret, quo maiorem mihi benevolentiam, maiorem vestram attentionem comparare possem. Sed illo me argumento uti oportuit, quod necessitas et temporis conditio obtulit. Neque enim dubito, quod vos, Principes Christianissimi, sicut Christianorum omnium adversa et erumnas gravate fertis, ita avide cognoscitis, ut opportunius illis ope et opera vestra occurri possit, non ignorantes, quod hostis tanta impunitate caedis et rapinae ferocior factus atque occasionem rei gerendae nactus obvia omnia ferro ignique misceret armaque sua undequaqua latissime circumferret. Patriae ita nostrae statum, ne dicam casum, altius repeterem copiosiusque declararem, nisi pro comperto haberem superioribus comitiis cum Wormaciae tum hic Norimbergae ac proxime in Nova Civitate Austriae omnem Hungariae calamitatem, qua multis antehac annorum curriculis vastatur, potissimum vero superioris anni cladem multo maximam capta Belgrado susceptam abunde satis dignitates vestras intellexisse. Quae omnia cum easdem fideli memoria tenere non dubitem, supervacaneum mihi videtur exquisita et lugubri oratione diuturnam nostram afflictionem prosequi, praesertim, cum pro explorato habeam plus apud Amplitudines vestras nudam veritatem, plus fidei Catholicae et sociorum causam patrocinii habituram, quam verborum elegantiam et orationis leporem.
Cum igitur serenissimus et clementissimus Rex et dominus noster Regni sui, Hungariae solitudinem et clades Sacratissimae Caesareae Maiestati Serenissimoque Principi Archiduci Ferdinando et Clarissimo huic Principum Senatui subinde declarasset, tanta Hungariae vastitate, tanta strage permota sacra Caesarea Maiestas, reputans primo tanquam Catholicus Princeps sua maxime omnium mteresse, ut Chnstianitas ex diuturnis erumnis et Paganorum servitute tandem vindicaretur et respiraret, cernens praeterea animo, quod flamma haec Hungariae, nisi mature extingueretur, latissime paulo post serperet magnoque incendio universam remp(ublicam) Christianam correptura esset, non dubitavit Sacra et catholica Maiestas subsidium a principibus et omnibus huius sacri Romani Imperii ordinibus sibi pro suscipienda imperiali corona et recuperandis in Italia amissis oblatum contra perfidos Turcas convertere, non dubitavit publicam Christianorum libertatem privato commodo anteferre. Proinde vos quoque, illustrissimi principes, clarissima Germaniae lumina, intellecta iactura et pene ultima pernitie Hungariae iuxta Maiestatis Caesareae sacrosanctam constitutionem velitis, quaeso, ipsas copias auxiliares Maiestati Caesareae decretas in defensionem Hungariae convertere.
Considerare enim in primis debetis nostram et patriae nostrae conditionem; deinde hostis potentiam et tumorem; tum rei gerendae opportunitatem.
Christiani quippe sumus, socii et amici huius Sacri Romani imperii. Maiores nostri diu ab annis circiter centum et quinquaginta pro sua et communi Christianitatis quiete excubias egerunt. Fines christianos non sine cruentissimo certamine . tutati sunt, saeva profecto mercede. Quoniam in alendis copiis diversis et per continua hostis spolia et caedes tot iam labentibus annis omnes Regni Hungariae ordines defecimus. Nobilissimae praeterea regiones Hungariae vasta solitudine et situ foede horrent, ubi quot agros, quot urbeis, quot templa, quot aras, pietatis loca, sacrilegae manus aut everterunt aut in prophanos usus mutaverunt? Nulla domus Hungariae luctu et moerore vacat. Liberi ante ora parentum, parentes in conspectu natorum, honestissimae matronae et sanctissimae virgines pars (miserabile dictu!) atrocissime caeduntur, pars ad explendam turpissimam insolentissimi hostis libidinem in flebilem servitutem abiguntur. Qui iugibus lachrymis moerent et erectis ad sydera palmis vestram opem implorant. Illa, velim, omnium mentes subeat reputatio, quam longe lateque hodie Machumeti incendium hoc evagetur, immo quam sensim gliscendo iam in proximo ardeat. Cum ipse mecum reputo provincias, quibus spoliati sumus, utramque Misiam, Dardaniam, Dalmaciam, maiorem Illyrici partem, Liburniam, vix tempero lachrymis cum recordatione malorum, quae passi sumus, tum vero ultimi exterminii, quod amissa Belgrado haud dubie nobis propediem impendet. Caeterae nobis provinciae demptae vectigalia et fines minuerant. At capta Belgrado penetravit hostis in ipsa viscera Hungariae, habet namque confluentem Zavi et Danubii, unde nos classe et copiis pro libito impune ferro et igni vastare, fatigare, ad extremum accisis viribus subiugare possit. Potissima enim Hungariae munimenta, claustra et valla erant quatuor celeberrimi fluvii, ut Regni insignia prae se ferunt, quibus potissime post opem divinam salutem Hungariae hactenus acceptam retulimus. At nunc liberum traiectum Danubii et Zavi hostis tenet. Quibus amissis nos sola vestra ope servari possumus. Si Tibiscum et Dravum capere patiemini, nullus — quod equidem sciam — navigabilis fluvius usque ad Renum, inferioris Germaniae fluvium, copias hostis coercebit remorabiturque. At hostis, habito libero fluviorum traiectu caetera omnia munimenta contemnit. Provinciarum enim situs inaccessos, Alpium rupes invias, urbium et castrorum munitiones insuperabiles novit cum multiplici stratagemate et astu tum annonae penuria fatigare, segetem et vineta conterere, villas, agros, urbes exurere, passim urbe egredientes rapere. Sed utinam (deus bone!) minus aestuaremus bellis civilibus, et ferrum, quod tam frequenter intra viscera stringimus et quo Christianum sanguinem (proh facinus indignum!) haurimus, contra infideles verteremus! Certe et victoria nos gloriosior et praeda onustior, quippe nobilissimae et opulentissimae provinciae manerent. Neque mollis illa caterva et sola Christianorum negligentia ferox multas huius imperii socias gentes servitio premeret neque, quod reliquum Christiani orbis est, superba sibi spe polliceri auderet. Germaniam invadere volenti per Hungariam transeundum est. Proinde, Principes Clarissimi, Hungaria vobis in primis bene munienda est. Hungaria praesidiis firmanda: ibi obstruendum iter hosti, si vos et vestra omnia salva esse vultis. Maiores vestri pro Orientalis ecclesiae populis tanquam sociis, etsi illi a vera illa et germana fide Apostolica degenerassent, gravissima tamen bella gesserunt. Vos pro nobis, quibus par religio et fides et fraternae charitatis idem mandatum, dubitabitis nobiscum una hostem communem pellere?
Quare considerate, qualis clypeus, qualis murus fuerit hactenus Hungaria Germaniae, et quantum praestiterint arma Hungarorum cum Orthodoxae fidei tum maxime tranquillitati vestrae, et quid deinceps salva praestare possit. Nolite floccifacere fortunas et quietem vestram, quae tota ex salute Hungariae pendet. Nolite contemnere vici-norum vestrorum conditionem, quae misera, quae caduca ruinam minatur.
Cum impurissimo tyranno et colluvie sua nobis, quin potius nobis et vobis, de salute, ne dicam de imperio colluctatio est. Perruptis hii aliquot antehac seculis ergastulis Scytarum, qui circa mare Hircanum degunt, servitutem misere fugientes usque in Armeniam minorem pervaserunt. Domita inde Asia minore ab Euphrate per ignaviam (heu facinus!) principum eius seculi usque ad angustias Hellesponti et Propontidis oram pene-trarunt. Superato deinde Hellesponto per incuriam Christianorum, quicquid insularum est a Taurica Cherssonesso ad oram Ionii maris, cum universa Graecia, Epyro, Macedonia, Thessalia, Thracia et quas paulo ante a nobis captas memoravi provincias, suo adiecere imperio. Attentius quaeso, vobiscum hic conside-rate: quot provincias desidia et mutuis inter se Christianorum dissidiis Romanum imperium amisit, quarum populos longa iam et teterrima hostis servitute pressos (heu miseram sortem!) quos gemitus, quos planctus et eiulatus tollere putatis, quibus vestram opem implorant? At nos immoderato luxui servientes et ocio dediti longa eos spe frustramur, perpetuo luctu emaciari patimur et, quod his deterius est, tandem desperatos fide se christiana abdicare et in gehennam mergi, cum Christus magister et dominus noster unicam animam totius orbis thesauro praestare docuerit. Moveat, queso, vos illud tremendi iudicis tribunal, ubi vix iustus salvabitur. Reviviscat nunc in vobis illa districti iudicis sententia non minus saevera, quam iusta. Captivus — inquit — eram, non me visitastis; sitiebam, non me potastis; esuribeam, non me pavistis; nudus eram, non me vestistis. Quid, obsecro, illi respondebitis ? Haec enim omnia in membris suis patitur deus, hoc est in populis impiissime illius tyrannidi subiectis, qui capti, nudi, siti et fame laborant. Praeterea qua velocitate Syriam, Phoeniciam, Palestinam, Arabiam cum maxima Aegypti parte et Alexandria paucis ante annis domuit, duobus Soldanis ultimo supplicio affectis, ut non absurde illud memorabile Iulii Caesaris usurpare potuerit: Veni, vidi, vici.
Quo successu elatus victoriae terminum finem terrarum statuit; adeo crevit hostis impudens arrogantia et temeritas ocio et desidia principum Christianorum. Proinde, Clarissimi Principes, si quid ex Romano Imperio, si quid ex regionibus christianis hosti superesse vultis, manus cum eo conseramus necessum est, ut cognoscat esse, cui iactura Christianitatis doleat. Nam nisi illi arma vestra occurrant, nisi signa signis conferantur, nihil actum putetis: adeo munitiones omnes parvi momenti sunt. Capta Nandoralba si (quod procul absit!) potietur et Rodo, maris et terrarum illi patebit aditus. Quod ne fiat, sola Nandoralbae obsidione praestari potest, ut Rodo obsidione soluta, sacrilegus Tyrannus Nandoralbae subvenire cogatur.
Quod si non pietatis studium, non zelus fidei, non humanitatis iura in hanc sanctissimam expeditionem vos armant et movent, movere saltem poterit et debebit necessitas, cui sapientes omnes parent. Malo enim vos considerare, quam fando ominari, qualis Germaniam periclitata Hungaria fortuna maneat. Horret animus admonitu eorum, quae ventura sint, nisi huic incendio mature ibitur obviam. Omnia mala, quae nos passi sumus et patimur, vestris (utinam sim falsus vates!) capitibus et fortunis incident. Turpi servitio adigentur viri promiscue ac foeminae, pueri puellaeque ad stuprum rapientur. Ac, cum parum proderunt lachrymae, tunc dolebitis, dum licuit, non ivisse huic incendio obviam. Non creduntur haec futura; neque Graeci neque Macedones neque Dalmatae neque lllyrici olim credidere, qui nunc omnes miseram servitutem serviunt. Utinam non saepe inanem spem aleremus.
Quam potens sit hostis, videtis, qui altera manu Armeniam, altera contingit Pannoniam conplexus Tauricam et Memphim. Tumor illi et elatio plus quam Barbara. Nunc quanta vobis opportunitas sit etiam exterminandum hostem, nedum arcendum, qualeisque Principes sitis, quos ad iustissimum, saluberrimum et honestissimum bellum solicitamus, considerate, quam opulentissima vobis Regio, quam habitata, quam pacata, quam omne genus aeris et metalli ac machinarum copia refertissima, quam exercitatissimo et instructo milite habundans, artificum omnifariam ingenio et manu clarissimorum ferax. Sed utinam deus gloriosus, qui haec omnia vobis uberrime tribuit, tribuat et voluntatem pro nomine suo et fide arma suscipiendi, quae sola vobis hactenus defuit. Quod si Deus Opt(imus) Max(imus) vobiscum, quis contra vos?
Operentur, obsecro, id milites opesque vestrae, quod Christi preciosus sanguis est operatus: redimant captivos, vindicant a servitute barbara, asserant libertati Christianae, pro tutandis demum ovibus dominicis vitam nullo discrimini exponere dubitent. Rumpite itaque moras, Clarissimi Principes, et sacrosancto caesareo decreto adhaerentes, suae Maiestati promissas copias hoc tempore hyemis contra Turcos expedite, ut primo quoque veris tempore Hungariae laboranti succurrere possint. Ita regiones vestras integras facilius ex longinquo tutari potestis, quam postea ex propinquo laceras reficere, ut dum hostis potentia minor, dum longinquior obsidione Rodi occupatur, dum Hungariae vires minus attritae nosque susperstites socia arma capessere possumus, laetior simul ac certior vobis ex hoste triumphus et uberiora spolia contingant, quam afflictis nobis et periclitata Hungaria solicitudo vos de salute regionum et fortunarum vestrarum corripiat.
Neque audiendi sunt, qui dicunt expectandum esse, quoad Christianitas omnis et animis et armis conveniat, ut uno Christianorum conatu, una voluntate, uno impetu robur Turci non modo finibus Christianis arceri, sed opes omnes et tota eius tyrannis everti extirparique possit. Verum, ut tot Principum et populorum animi inter se pacari possint atque ad suscipiendam expeditionem in hostem persuaderi, aetas una expectanda erit. Turcorum enim grassationem et acerbitatem gentes in ultimum Occidentem repostae vix auditu solo percipiunt. Et interea aliis de nostro periculo securis, impune nobis tanquam pthisi pereundum, et ita pereundum, ut cum vicina omnia concepto igni flagrare videatis flammamque propagari in penates vestros, ne pedem quidem domo proferre velitis, sed ab aliis, ut extinguatur aut residat, expectare, adeo hostis paratior longe est ad rapienda nostra, quam nos ad retinenda.
Vitandi sunt et illi, qui robur, potissimum vero classem hostis in Danubio plus iusto extollunt: longe eos classe superabimus, tum quia maior nobis numerus, tum quia nobis secundo flumine, immo fluminibus labendum erit, ne dicam navigandum; illis contra adverso amni et rapido violenter enitendum acriterque remis incumbendum, adeo, ut non modo annonam omnem, sarcinas et impedimenta, sed ipsas etiam copias pedestres duobus ex Germania fluviis insignibus, Danubio et Dravo in ipsos hostis terminos exponere possimus.
Non minus fugiendi sunt et illi, qui munitionem Nandoralbae et aliorum hostis castrorum, ut Christianos deterreant, plus aequo praedicant. Est quidem munitissima Nandoralba, sed quam mortales manus erexerunt, proinde immortaii deo et suis militibus captu faciliima, si satelles diaboli eam cepisse potuit; et quicquid divina clementia de eventu huiusce expeditionis decreverit, pugilibus autem suis victoriam decrevisse debuit aut mortalem aut immortalem, neutra certa christiano militi repudianda est, quin potius omni conatu adnitendum, ut honestam pro patria mortem generosa propago oppetamus. quam patriam foedissimo tyranno servire degeneres liberi patiamur.
Facessant et illi, qui Hungaros inobedientiae, factionis et mutui dissidii arcessunt, quod tamen proximo commilitio et quotidiana consuetudine luce ipsa clarius Amplitudines vestrae perspicere poterunt. Proinde in hoc potissimum victoria nostra et salus omnis constitit, ne quod Calendis perficere possumus, id postridie Calendas differamus neque in cognatos et vicinos ultimi Occidentis populos reiciamus, sicut agricola ille Auli Gellii, in cuius segete Cassita pullos nutriverat. Quae vos ex divina ista expeditione utilitas manebit? Aeternae in primis beatitudinis possessio. Quae etsi sola suffecisse poterat, non deerit tamen apud mortaleis pacatae Christianitatis immortale decus, cum Germaniae Principes non modo Foroiulium, Carneam, Carynthiam, Styriam hostium armis infesta pacabunt, sed reliquam etiam christianitatem longo iam situ squalidam pristino decori restituent ac immanissima servitute tot annos oppressam in libertatem vendicabunt, immaculatam Christi domini fidem pro execranda Machumeti tabe plantabunt, pacem pro bello, cultum divinum pro armorum cura, iustitiam pro iniuria referent.
Cum itaque vobis copiosissime suppetant omnia, quae victoriam certissimam polliceri possint, videte, quam decorum quamque magnificum sit vos non cessare in tanto cardine nominis et gloriae vestrae propagandae, quam a maioribus vestris claris et victoribus honestissime partam, laboriosissime cumulatam accepistis. Considerate praeterea, Clarissimi Principes, quanta animi alacritate afficietur Sacratissima Caesarea Maiestas, religionis nostrae et Imperator et vindex, cum intellexerit copias, quibus, ut Christianitatem muniret, se spoliaverat, ex constitutione sua iam expeditas ad fines Hungariae ex hoste vindicandos properare. Expendite, num vos amplius dubitare conveniat in hoc auxilio tam sancto, tam necessario, tam salutari praestando, pro quo diu multumque laboramus, ex quo non modo fides Catholica, sed nominis et gloriae vestrae germana celebritas, salus sociorum, fortunae multorum municipum vestrorum cum R(eligione) Christiana defenduntur.
Serenissimus autem Rex noster ac universa nostra patria, quicquid sibi fortunarum, quicquid copiarum ex diuturna hostis vastitate cladibusque superest, ad hanc sacrosanctam expeditionem largiri, vitam insuper et sanguinem pro servanda christiana republica vobiscum una effundere parati sunt.
In: Ladislaus de Macedonia: Orationes, kiadta: Horváth István Károly és Valaczkay László, Szeged, 1964.
The speech of Hungary’s most graceful king and emissary of the whole country, that has been recited for most graceful Archduke Ferdinand and his imperial princes in Nürnberg, 19th November 1522.
Our heroic Archduke, Fathers revered in Christ, majestic Princes, Noblemen of all manners!
Although the great numbers of our meeting fills me with greater joy than anything could, since an opportunity has presented itself for me to draw the attention of this famous meeting, for which I had never dared hope for, but I would have wanted to predict events guided by good fortune as starting this great honour bestowed upon me, so as to win your favour and your attention. However, I have to present what need and the way of time has given me. Because I have no doubt, most Christian Princes, that as you bear the troubles of all Christians on your shoulders, you are just as interested in a way to help them in the best way, not forgetting about the enemy’s eternal wrongdoings going without retribution, become ever more reckless, and if they find the opportunity, with fire and iron they attack our world. So I would have introduced the state of our country by events of the more distant past, but I know without doubt that You have heard about the troubles threatening Hungary on the past meetings, in Worms, Nürnberg, and lastly, in Wiener Neustadt, that have been destroying it for several years, especially in the last year, a devastating loss with the fall of Belgrade. I do not doubt that this has been kept in the faithful memory; therefore I think it is no use presenting our prolonged suffering in a tragic speech. For you, the bare truth, the case of true faith and alliances tells it better than the variety of words or a pleasant speech.
So when the fall of our most revered and graceful King and or King’s kingdom has been revealed to the Holiest Majesty of the Emperor and the Most Graceful Imperial Archduke, and this Most Famed Imperial Council, frightened by this enormous danger, first he considered that as a Catholic monarch, it is of best interest to free Christianity of its old troubles and the slavery of Pagans, and he realized that the flame that is tasting Hungary will soon spread and consume the whole Christian world if not extinguished early enough, so without hesitation he, His Holy Catholic Majesty, turned his army collected by this Holy Roman Empire, its princes and orders, to help him earn his Crown and the lands lost in Italy, against the perfidious Ottomans, and without a doubt he valued the collective freedom of Christianity above his own. So you, majestic princes, ornaments of Germany, realizing the troubles and almost fatal condition of Hungary, decide as His Majesty decided, I plead, that these auxiliary troops you offered to His Majesty, must be commanded to the defence of Hungary.
Above all, you must consider our state, our home’s state and next, the power and arrogance of our enemies, and lastly, the situation appropriate for great deeds.
Because we are Christians, allies and friends of this Holy Roman Empire. Our ancestors have long since been protecting our peace and the collective peace of Christianity. And the battles to protect the Christian borders were bloody, its price cruel. Years are passing with keeping an army and being constantly endangered by pillagers, and thus, we, orders of the Kingdom of Hungary, are waning. And the noblest lands of Hungary stare at us desolated, neglected and ugly, on which, do you know how many meadows, towns, churches and altars were destroyed or transformed for their use? There is no house in Hungary of which sorrow and grief are missing. Children are killed before the eyes of their parents, and parents are killed before them, respectable mothers and pure virgins (it is terrible to even say this) are slaughtered or enslaved for the squalid pleasure of our arrogant enemies. They are crying under the yoke, and with hands raised to the skies are praying for your help. I would like you to all consider how far Mohamed’s fire has spread in this world, and underhand, it sneaked forward, and now our neighbour’s house is burning. If I think of the provinces that had been torn from us, Misia, Dardania, Dalmacia, most of Illirikum and Liburnia, I can barely keep my tears, firstly because of remembering our suffering, secondly because of our final devastation, which, since the loss of Belgrade, threatens to happen every tomorrow. Losing our other provinces has lessened our wealth, but by conquering Belgrade, the enemy has pierced the very heart of Hungary, since they possess the confluence of the Danube and the Sava, and from there, either on boat or by foot, by their will they can destroy with no consequences, and finally, when we have been bled dry, enslave us. Because the greatest bastions of Hungary, as our crest shows, are the four rivers, the Danube, the Tisza, the Drava and the Sava, they are the second most important reason, after the mercy of God, for our survival until today. But now the enemy has free passing over the Danube and the Sava. Because we lost these, only your help can save us. If you let them get the Tisza and the Drava, to my best knowledge, there will be no sailable river in all Lower Germany until the Rhine, to hold the enemy back. But having the rivers, the other fortifications are nothing to our enemies. Because they know how to approach inapproachable provinces, pass the impassable crags of the Alps, weaken the fortified cities by strategy and starvation, ruin the sowing and the grape, burn farms, lands and towns, and kidnap the ones foolish enough to go outside. If only, my merciful God, we would not incite conflicts among ourselves, and we used the iron, which we so often (oh, this evildoing) spill Christian blood with, against the irreligious! Our victory would be more glorious, our prey richer, since our richest provinces would remain ours. This cowardly horde, reckless only because of the apathy of Christians, would not be able to enslave the allied nations of this Empire, and would not dare think of the rest of the Christian world as his with arrogant hope. Those who want to attack Germany first have to get through Hungary. Because of this, Most Christian Princes, you have to fortify Hungary above all, support her with troops; you have to get in the enemy’s way here, if you want to save yourselves and all you have. Your ancestors have fought for the Eastern Church, despite them having left the true and apostolic faith. Us, who are members of your Church, and received the same brotherly love as our duty, why do you hesitate to help oust our enemies?
For this, remember what a shield and bastion of Germany was Hungary, and how much our weapons have achieved for the true faith and your peace, and what will they achieve if we survive. Do not disregard your peace and wealth, for they depend on the survival of Hungary. Do not despise the state of your neighbours, for they demise threaten your survival.
We, but rather you and we, have to fight the filthiest tyrant, for our survival and power. These, a few centuries ago, have escaped the slavery of the Scythians of the Caspian Sea, and have reached Armenia. Then, after conquering Asia Minor, from the Euphrates, because of the cowardice of the monarchs of those times, they have advanced to the Hellespont and the Propontis. And because of the Christians’ negligence, they have conquered the Hellespont, all the isles between Chersonesus and the banks of the Ionian Sea, Greece, Chaonia, Macedonia, Thessaly, Thrace, and the previously mentioned provinces they have all annexed. Now I ask you to think even more thoroughly about all the provinces the Roman Empire has lost because of negligence and inner conflicts, and what do you think, for how long the people of these provinces have to (oh, unfortunate fate!) sigh and cry under the long and hideous rule of their enslavers, to deserve your help? But we, as slaves to our unbridled luxury, only feed them false hopes, we leave them to waste away in continuous grief, and which is even more hideous, we leave them to hopelessly abandon the true Christian faith and go to Hell. But our Master and Lord, Christ has taught as that one soul is worth more than all the treasures of the world. I beg you to be moved by the chair of that frightening judge who barely let the true pass. Let the judgement of this strict judge come to your mind, who is not stricter than just. ‘For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ I ask you, what will you answer? Because all this, God suffers himself, by the people mercilessly thrown to the tyranny of these, who are imprisoned, hungry, thirsty and naked.
And with what a pace they conquered a Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine, Arabia, together with most of Egypt and Alexandria, executing two sultans not long ago, that it is only surprising they did not live with Caesar’s famous words ‘I came, I saw, I conquered’.
Encouraged by this victory, they named the bounds of the universe as their bounds, their insolence and greed has grown this much, solely because of the inattention of Christian monarchs. Because of this, glorious Princes, if you desire that parts of the Roman Empire, the Christian world remain, it is unavoidable that we face this enemy, and let them know that there are those who feel pain for the troubled Christians. For you know, if your weapons do not oppose them, if your flags do not fight against their flags, you have done nothing, fortifications are worth nothing by themselves. After conquering Belgrade, if they conquer Rhodes (God save us!), the road is open both on land and water. To prevent this, we have to siege Beograd to force the treacherous tyrant to dissolve the blockade around Rhodes, and come to the aid of Belgrade.
If the love for Christianity, the desire for faith and the human rights do not call you to arms, then necessity must, what every wise man obeys. For I believe it is better for you to recognize than for me to augur the fate of Germany when Hungary will have fallen. My soul trembles when I warn you about what comes if you do not fight this conflagration. The catastrophe we will suffer (How I wish I were a false prophet!) will all fall upon your homes and heads. Men and women will be enslaved, sons and daughters taken away to be shamed, and it will be no use crying. Then it will pain you that you did not fight this fire when you still had the chance to. Do you not believe that the future will be so tragic? Neither did the Greeks, the Macedonians, the Dalmatians, or the Illyrians, and now they are all slaves to the Ottomans. If only we did not feed our vain hopes!
You can see the greatness of this enemy, with one hand, it holds Armenia, Pannonia with the other, and incorporates Crimea and Memphis. Their bloated arrogance overcomes anything we have seen from barbarians.
And now, look at the opportunity you have not only to keep the enemy at bay, but to persecute them, and how great monarchs you are, you, who we call to the most truthful, holy and just war, how rich your lands are, ordered by the most tranquil peace, how unimaginably rich they are in ores, metals and machines, how many are the excellently trained and equipped soldiers, and how numerous are their sons gifted with outstanding talents and agility. But had God given us, as he gave our riches, the will to take up arms to protect his name and faith, for this was your only deficiency. For if God is with you, who can be against you?
I beg you, let your forces work on what the precious blood of Christ did, exchange the prisoners, free them from the slavery, give them the freedom of true Christians, and finally, let them offer their lives without doubt to protect the lambs of God. Leave procrastination! Glorious Monarchs, join the holy decision of the Emperor, and send the troops you promised Him to Hungary, so that they can help us in the battles. This way, you can protect your lands safely, from a distance, as opposed to letting them close and fixing your losses. While their forces are fewer, and while they are occupied by the siege of Rhodes, while the forces of Hungary are numerous, and we, the remainders can take up arms for our allies, the triumph over your enemies is gayer and safer, your loot will be richer than if Hungary falls and you are threatened to lose your lands and wealth.
There is no need to listen to those that tell us to wait until the Christian world has united in their soul and their arms, and with one will and one offensive the Ottoman threat could not only be contained, but exterminated. In truth, for that we would have to wait a lifetime. The people of the westernmost lands have never heard of this invasion. And while others do not trouble themselves with our perils, we have to waste away unpunished, and while we waste away, you, despite seeing the flames burning your neighbours and spreading, you are unwilling to leave your house, waiting for others to extinguish it, or it may die down, the enemy is this much more willing to take everything from you than you are to defend what you have.
We also have to confute those who overestimate their forces, especially their fleet on the Danube, for our fleet will be significantly stronger than theirs, firstly because ours will have greater numbers, secondly because we sail downriver, whereas they have to battle strong streams, so they have to use all their power to row, so much that we can transfer not only our supplies, but our lands troops, too, from Germany to Hungary, on the Danube and the Drava.
No less you shall keep yourselves from those who overestimate the strength of Belgrade and their other forts to deter Christians. Although Belgrade is indeed strong, it was only build by human hands, so the eternal God and his soldiers can conquer it with ease. If the servant of the devil could take it once, however has God decided about the outcome of this crusade, he must destine a victory for his soldiers, mortal or immortal, it is certain that neither of them are frowned upon by Christian eyes, nay, we even have to try to die for our countries as their noble sons rather than leaving them to serve this disgusting tyrant as degenerate children.
Clear off those from our way that blame disobedience and internal strives on Hungary, for the opposite can be seen by maintaining close friendship and standing together. By the way, the key to our victory is that there’s no time like the present, and also do not leave our troubles to our neighbours and kin, to the people of the faraway West, as the famous ploughman of Aulus Gellius, in whose sowing the lark raised her sons. What is your gain from this crusade? Firstly, eternal joy. Although this should suffice by itself, the glory of restoring Christian peace will be also yours when you bring peace not only for Germany, but restore the former Christian lands, disfigured old squalor, to their former glory. You plant Christ’s immaculate faith in place of Mohamed’s plague, bring back peace instead of war, masses in place of armament, just in place of injustice.
For you have plenty of everything you need to guarantee your victory, realize how glorious and grandiose it is that you did not back away from this turn of events, in order to increase glory, for your famous and victorious ancestors have also earned it with honesty and grew it with diligence.
Also think what joy awaits His Holy Majesty, firstly, ruler, secondly, protector of our faith, if he realizes that the troops, which he rid of himself to protect Christianity, were already commanded to support his decision, and they are in a hurry to take back the borders of Hungary. Evaluate, so you realize you need not hesitate more, for your help is necessary and holy, and together with the wealth of Christians, you protect your own glory and the faith of us all.
Our Most Graceful king and our country are all ready to give everything we have after the invasion, and we are all willing to give our lives in defence of Christianity.