Privilegium Caroli Imperatoris Despotae collatum

          

Carol Quintul gave a privilege to Heraclide Jacob Basilic Despot on 22 october 1555. Copies of the document are kept in the State Archives of Vienna and Hungary as mentioned by Andrei Veress. He published this document for the first tine in 1929 and mentioned that the act was given by Carol Quintul on his own initiative (motu proprio), which happened rarely at that time. The privilege is written in Latin and has seven pages. The best and most complete translation of this act was made by Traian Diaconescu and published by Valentin Talpalaru in 2010. 

           The Privilege in protocol contains in the first ten rows the intitulation of Emperor Carol V and the eschatocol (place and date) is Bruxelles – Ducatus Brabantiae, 22 mensis octobris anno MDLV. Carol Quintul praises Despot’s erudition reminds of Heraclide’s predecessors (especially his uncle) and then appreciates the unusual bravery proved in 1554. He is then given the title of a knight and count palatine, and is also given the right to do, elect and render the function of notary public (notarios publico), secretary (tabelliones) and judge (iudices ordinarios). In return they provided the oath of faithfulness towards the Empire. There’s an ironic right : Carol Quintul offers him the privilege and the power to legalise bastards and legitimize them only in the absence of natural children or only with their acceptance if they are alive. The legalization of bastards can not be done if the parents have expressed their disagreement. Another right mentioned was to be able to adopt children but also to intercede in families for the well-being of adolescents and even servants. He had the right to free his parents from parental power or tutors and curators of their rights. Every year he had the right to make: … unum quolibet anno Doctorem, Licentiatum, Magistrum, Baccalaureum artium nec non poetam Laureatum …  The privilege also contains the descriptions of Despot’s noble signs and permission to use them anytime and anywhere at will. Last but not least, there is a sanction for those who will not recognize the privilege. 
          Iacob Heraclide Basilicus Despot used his full privilege both by visiting the Courts of the Empire and Courts of Europe (Brussels, Mansfeld, Wittenberg, Lubeck, Copenhagen, Rostock and Konigsberg, Vilna, Krakow, Brașov, Alba Iulia, Suceava, Kezmark, Kosice/Cassovia) and by crowned poets (Zacharias Pratarius of Mansfeld, Zacharias Orthus of Stralsund and Franz Raphael of Helbdet) but he also adopted in his family Cyprian Basilic Sieradz in Vilna. The use of the rights received through this privilege can be seen in the way he entitles himself in the documents, but also by the noble marks printed on the coins from 1562.
          

The origin of idea and the attempts of Iacob Heraclide Despot of conquering the power in Moldavia

             The origin of idea’s Despot to acquire the power in Moldavia is controversy as many aspects in his life. One of his colleague (Charles de L'Ecluse) said that Despot thought since Wittenberg to conquer the throne of Moldavia. Antonio Maria Graziani said that Despot planned to acquire the power since Vilna-Polonia and Johann Sommer affirmed that Despot as in time he lived at Suceava he wished the throne or just after Lăpușneanu defaimed he in front of his friends from Brașov. For each theory corresponds a motivation: for first theory corresponds the thirst of power, for second theory the motivation is compassion for people led by tyrant and for last theory – revenge. 

          The three attempts of Iacob Heraclide Despot to conquer the throne of Moldavia was with poisoning helped by a medic Blandrada, after that he tried with the army power but he fails because the palatin of Russia, Dimitrie Wisniewiecki attacked him because he also wanted the throne for himself. Finaly, the thrird time Despot was again supported by his friend Albert Lasky and he is casting death to demobilize Alexandru Lăpușneanu, which he had learned in the meantime of his plans. This time, Despot managed to win the throne for two years. From these attempts we notice three ways by which the people conquered the power: 1. by poisen, 2. by army power and 3. by casting death.

The education of Iacob Heraclide Despot (I)

The education of Despot was very distinguished. In first his years he was instructed by Hermodor Lestarchus, at Chios, Greece. This information is found in Mellanchton’s letters addressed to the king of Danemark. Legrand Emile kept these letters for us. Also Sommer provides information about Despot and his professor. Hermodor was a good teacher, doctor and speaker, he was also very popular. Prince Despot of Moldavia invited him as a professor at the Academy from Cotnari or Suceava and sent him 200 gold for his travel but he went back in Grerce when he arrived at Danube, because the city of Suceava was surrounded. The controversy about Hermodor Lestarchus: ”if that person was his teacher or Despot’s colleague” was solutioned by Ștefan Bârsănescu. He argued that Hermodor was his professor not Janus Lascaris because last person died in 1518 and Despot was born in 1520. Anyway the years in Chios were very productive for  the development of Greek and Latin Jacob’s language and other disciplines like Maths.

            Antonio Maria Graziani wrote about Despot’s work as a scribe for the library of Vatican. Ion Neculce and Nicolae Costin speak about the death of the real Despot in Rome or in Venice. Filip Lucian Iorga deduces that Iacob was educated in Venice. Nicolae Iorga describes Eraclide like a calligraphist from the manuscript. In these years Jacob Eraclide Despot learned the art of being a scribe, drawer (see the draws of military manuscript) and languages. Here he became very interested in documents and when the real Despot died, he had to make a choice, he chose the documents instead of gold. Of course! This interpretation belongs to the authors who believed in his ignoble. Despot was known like a polyglot but the sources regarding this are various. All authors who write about the languages that Despot spoke mention Greek, Latin and French but L’Ecluse renders Italian, Gratiani – Italian and Spanish and Grigore Ureche – German.

The great genealogical tree.

       Despot's  genealogical tree was defined by researchers like a great, famous, imposing, genealogical tree, Of course! It is considered a fake genealogical tree. It is famous because it was admitted by Carol V in 1555 and Ferdinand I accepted this document as authentic in 1560. Prince Despot prints this family tree at Brașov in 1558. It was reprinted by Johannes Sommer in 1587, by Bogdan Petriceiu Hasdeu in 1865, by Gheorghe Punga in 1995 and by Valentin Talpalaru in 2010.  The original document is gone but Sommer keeps it for us. 

           This genealogical tree has twenty-one generations and it is aligned to its age. In those days the family tree advanced up to greek gods. This is the reason of theophoric Heraclide, the name of demigog Heracle. The first fifteen generations are considered fake. According to this family tree Despot belongs to Basileus and Despot's family. 

          Yes, the birthplace and birthday, the father and mother, the real name are quite controversial. Also the name of adoptive nobleman and the achievement of these documents and how Carol Quintul was so easily cheated that he and his chancellery admitted the genealogical tree represent a debatable subject.