Brevia Clementina. The Hungarian-related Breves of Pope Clement VII (1523–1526)

CLASSIS I
vol. 12
Gábor Nemes

Brevia Clementina. The Hungarian-related Breves of Pope Clement VII (1523–1526) (CVH I/12; A Győri Egyházmegyei Levéltár Kiadványai. Források, feldolgozások 23.), explored and published by GÁBOR NEMES, BudapestGyőr–Rome 2015. xxii + 207 p. + 12 suppl. (pictures)

 

Since the opening of the fonds of the Vatican Secret Archives the medieval interest of the Hungarian historical research had turned mostly to the registries of supplications and of bulls and to the fonds of the Apostolic Chamber. The collection, exploration and publication of briefs – that type of documents that were created for the diplomatic correspondence and the confidential instructions in connection with the state administration and were issued by the secretaries of the pope – did not attract much interest.

In the Vatican Secret Archives the briefs that were issued before the organisational reform of the Council of Trent – contrary to the registries of supplications and bulls that are situated coherently – can be found scattered. Most of them are kept by the archaic part of the Vatican Archives, the Armadi. An other part of them, the documents of those who waited the answer for their supplication in form of brief are preserved in the archives of the Apostolic Datary (Brevia Lateranensia). Finally, the original letters of recommendation of the home returned legates of the Holy See are conserved in the Archivum Arcis.

The 150 documents of Pope Clement VII dated between 1523 and 1526 and published in this volume give an insight into one of the most interesting periods of the Hungarian history. We can get acquainted with the operation of the diplomacy of Hungary and the Holy See and how the pope tried to help Hungary being in extreme peril.

 

In accordance with the requirements of the series the usage of the volume is facilitated by rich apparatus (critical and subject notes, bibliography, index of places and names) and an English summary.