Letter from King Béla IV of Hungary Addressed to Pope Innocent IV on November 11, 1247
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69567/3007-0236.2024.4.426.448Keywords:
Medieval Hungary, Apostolic See, Mongol Empire, Latin sources, Vatican Apostolic LibraryAbstract
The article contains the original Latin text and an annotated translation into Russian of a letter from king Béla IV of Hungary, which he addressed to pope Innocent IV after he received confirmation of rumors about Güyük Khan’s intention to organize a large-scale military campaign in Europe. Although Güyük’s plans ultimately failed to materialize due to the khan’s sudden death in April 1248 in what is now Xinjiang, the Hungarian monarch perceived the threat of a renewed Mongol attack with heightened concern and hastened to seek help from the Apostolic See. Since Béla IV’s letter contains only the date November 11, but does not specify the year of its composition, the author of this article has considered it appropriate to precede the original text of the letter with a relatively lengthy preface in order to substantiate the assumption that Béla IV most likely ordered this letter to be written and sent to pope Innocent IV in Lyon on November 11, 1247. The edition of the Latin letter that follows the preface is based on a photocopy in the Hungarian National Archives in Budapest of the original letter in the Apostolic Archives in the Vatican. The Russian translation of the letter that follows is accompanied by appropriate comments that clarify a number of Béla IV’s instructions that might otherwise be unclear.
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