1538

1538.

„Ferdinand, by the grace of God always his highness king of Rome and king of Germany, Hungary, Chechia, Dalmatia, Croatia and Slavonia etc...

By this document We proclaim and announce to all concerned that Our beloved nobleman Nikola Jurišić, baron of Kisek, Our head officer in charge has informed Us that some Serbian or Rascian captains and dukes have decided to arrive together with their soldiers and others ruled by their honorable ducal names, to come into Our service and to always loyally and irretrievably stay and stand their ground in Our service. That is why We want, for these Serbian or Rascian captains and dukes, their soldiers and men under their command and their dependents, to be given and to be awarded an abundant and merciful gift of royal sympathy and kindness.

So that they can confirm their pledge strongly with their deed, We will, because of their faithful intentions and attitudes towards Us and the Christianity, give, procure, allow, award and pledge this later presented privilege of exemption from certain obligations, of assignation of certain rights and of awarding the freedom which should, in Our opinion, be promised, given and procured to consist of these things:

When these Serbian or Rascian captains and dukes, soldiers and aforementioned men under their command pledge an oath to Our loyal service, each family that will have lived in one household, under one roof and on one estate*, must, can and is allowed to live freely on Our lands in place of residence that Our aforementioned head officer in charge designates, and for twenty years without interruption shall without any tax of fee farm the land or have it leased, gather all crops and income from that land, without any limitation or argument. Also, We will order for each captain or duke of these Serbians or Rascians who has under his leadership or command 200 soldiers, an award each year to be received and be given, to be paid and counted in money of 50 aranyforints*, for as long as he serves Us well and faithfully. Besides that, whatever they take away from the hands of nonbelievers and sworn enemies of the Christian faith, the Ottomans, whatever they win into their governance and possession, all of that is to belong to these Rascians except towns, market places, fortresses, watchtowers, captains and dignitaries, all of which We will keep to rule of Our own accord.

With this a condition is also added: when in Our paid service, and when having captured something from the nonbelievers while in this paid service, they are obliged to as well as above mentioned limits, to turn to Our treasurer a third of any such gain or goods, for We shall not denounce the profit or income of this one third of gains.

We are prepared to, when and if the need arises, issue a new privilege or modify it to the advantage of the very Serbs or Rascians, like paying the ransom for captured men, if any of them fall prisoner or under the rule of Our enemy, or to reward and show special gratitude to those who prove themselves beyond others, by some extraordinary and praiseworthy deed, performed in the name of Christian community against its sworn enemies, and when We witness that the aforementioned dukes, their soldiers and men in their service are working for Our own benefit and when they show that they deserve to be given not only this one privilege that is awarded, but a far greater gratitude and mercy on behalf of Us and on the behalf of the entire Christianity.

We pledge and promise that We shall honor this privilege, and We demand and request that all pledge to do the same. We confirm this with Our own signature. In Our city of Linz, on September the 5th 1538."

Ferdinand.