Author: Heidenstein Reinhold, 1553 - 1620
Title: I. Warhaffte, gründtliche und eigendtliche Beschreibung, des Krieges, welchen der nechstgewesene König zu Polen Stephan Batori, &c. etliche Jahr nach einander, wider den Grossfürsten in der Moschkaw, Iwan Wasilowitzen, geführet: Dadurch er das hochbedrengete Lifflandt, von des Mosch-kowiters vieljähriger hefftiger Verfolgung erlediget, etc.
Bound with Paul Oderborn (1556-1604): II. Wunderbare, Erschreckliche, Unerhörte Geschichte, und warhaffte Historien: Nemlich, Des nechst gewesenen Großfürsten in der Moschkaw, Joan Basilides (auff ire Sprach Iwan Basilowitz genant) Leben. Jn Drey Bücher verfast, und aus dem Latein verdeutscht, Durch Heinrich Räteln zu Sagan.
Title in English: A True and Extensive First Description of the War Fought by Stephen Bathory for Several Years after Having Become King of Poland with the Great Duke of Moscow Ivan Vasilyevich and His Rescue of the Oppressed Livonia from the Long and Terrible Persecution of the Muscovite Etc.
Bound with Unusual, Terrifying, Extraordinary Story and Realistic Tales: Namely, the Life of Recently Deceased Grand Duke of Moscow Joan Basilidis (Called Ivan Vasilyevich in Their Language). Three Books, Translated from Latin into German by Heinrich Räteln Zu Sagan.
Published: I. Görlitz, Ambrosius Fritsch, 1590; II. Görlitz, Rambau, 1596.
Format: I. [6] leaves. Title and preface (last leaf blank), [160] leaves. Title in red and black with woodcut portrait of Batoris and his coat-of-arms (short cut in lower margin); II. [6] leaves. Title and preface (last leaf blank), [160] leaves. Title in red and black with woodcut portrait of Batoris and his coat-of-arms (short cut [4] leaves. Title and preface, [112] leaves. Title in red and black with wignette (Ivan with vasalls in the throne room). 2 works in one volume. Small 4to (18 x 15 cm).n lower margin).
Binding: 18th century marbled calf, spine on five raised bands with label on gilt spine.
Sammelband with two rare tracts on the Livonian War (1558-1583) and its protagonists Stephan Báthory, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Ivan IV Vasilyevich, the Terrible, Tsar of Russia. Both works in German translation by Heinrich Rätel (1529-1594), mayor of Sagan, historian and playwrighter.
The Latin original of the first writing was published in 1584 in Krakow under the Titel De bello Moscovitico commentariorum and is present here in its first German edition. Heidenstein was a Prussian diplomat, jurist and historian, 1583-1611 in the service of Ducal Prussia as an agent (representative) to the Polish crown. The work bound at the end is the third German translation of Joannis Basilidis, magni Moscoviae Ducis, vita (Wittenberg, 1585), a biography written by the Protestant theologian and writer Paul Oderborn from Pomerania. He was preacher in Riga since 1587, and at last chaplain and superintendent.
Provenance: Hermann Diedrichs Bienemann (Liepaja 1751-Riga 1821) merchant and local politician, purchase entry on endpaper: "From Bergmann's Auction in Riga 1789" - E Museo Curon[ensis] (stamp on both titles), and stamp of the library of the Institute of Latvian history on the back of the first title.
Reference: VD 16, H-1353 and VD 16, ZV 27295.
A True, Extensive and Only Description of the War Fought by Stephen Bathory by Prussian historian and secretary to the King of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania Stephen Bathory, Reinholt Heydenstein (~1556–1620), tells the story of Bathory’s battles in the Livonian war of 1558–1583. The war chronicle in Latin was first published in Krakow in 1584. This is the German edition of 1590. The book is bound with Paul Orderborn’s biographical work Life of the Grand Duke of Muscovy Ivan Vasilyevich (Wunderbare, erschreckliche, unerhörte Geschichte und wahrhaffte Historien: Nemlich des nechst gewesenen Großfürsten in der Moschkaw, Joan Basilidis... Leben), which was published in Görlitz in 1596.
Reference: "The Collection of Lawyer Jaunius Gumbis: the Past Preserved in Books". Museum and Collector - 7. Vilnius: National Museum of Lithuania, 2018, p. 245.
Published: "The Collection of Lawyer Jaunius Gumbis: the Past Preserved in Books". Museum and Collector - 7. Vilnius: National Museum of Lithuania, 2018, p. 244-247.
Exhibitions: "The Collection of Lawyer
Jaunius Gumbis: the Past Preserved in Books", September 3, 2018 – October
21, 2018.