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Radical Protestant Propaganda of the Thirty Years' War

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Playing on general fears <strong>of</strong> Turkish invasion, it is a rallying call for Christendom to unite<br />

against <strong>the</strong> Prince and his Turkish allies. This <strong>the</strong>me is echoed in Ein Spiel fengt sich gar<br />

leichtlich ann (1621), 98 a broadsheet which is thought to reflect general concerns about a<br />

Turkish invasion <strong>of</strong> Europe which surfaced due to Bethlen Gabor’s political ties to <strong>the</strong><br />

Ottomans and his anti-Habsburg <strong>of</strong>fensives. 99<br />

The same campaign presented Bethlen Gabor’s defiance <strong>of</strong> Habsburg authority as an act<br />

that had angered God. This is evident in <strong>the</strong> Mißgeburt broadsheets (1620) by Ioannes<br />

Bocatius 100 and Peter Isselburg. 101 Despite some differences between <strong>the</strong> sheets, including<br />

<strong>the</strong> size <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> graphic and whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> text was exclusively in German or divided into<br />

German and Latin halves, <strong>the</strong>ir message is <strong>the</strong> same: Bethlen’s election as protector <strong>of</strong><br />

Hungary in 1620 has led God to send a sign <strong>of</strong> his displeasure. This has come in <strong>the</strong> form <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> birth <strong>of</strong> a two-headed boy, one <strong>of</strong> whose heads has died and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r has been<br />

baptized according to Christian tradition. Although it caters to <strong>the</strong> seventeenth-century<br />

1986-2010), III (1991), p. 375. Henceforth Paas followed by volume number. The first reference to a<br />

volume will also include year <strong>of</strong> publication.<br />

98<br />

Ein Spiel fengt sich gar leichtlich ann (1621). HAB: IH96.<br />

99<br />

Harms, p. 294.<br />

100<br />

Ioannes Bocatius, Den 24. Augusti 1620. ist dise Mißgeburt/ in dem Dorff Garck/ eine halbe meil<br />

von der Leutsch in Zips/ oder Ober Hungern/ geboren worden/ der ober Kopff ist Todt/ der under<br />

aber Lebendig gewest/ und getaufft worden (Augsburg: Wolfgang Kilian, 1620). Bavarian State<br />

Library, Munich: Einbl. VIII, 20 i.<br />

101<br />

Peter Isselburg, Icon, Sive Vera Repraesentatio Bicipitis Monstrosi Partus, Qui XXIV. Mensis<br />

Augusti, Stilo Gregor. Die, Anni Gratiae MDCXX. Garckii in Regno Ungariae, in Scepusio, Sic dicta<br />

provincia, in hunc mundum editus fuit (Nuremberg, 1620). Universitätsbiblio<strong>the</strong>k Erlangen-Nürnberg:<br />

in H61/2 TREW.316. Title <strong>of</strong> accompanying German text: <strong>War</strong>haffte unnd eigentliche Contrafactur<br />

einer seltzamen Zweyköpffigen Wunder-Mißgeburt/ so Montags den 14(24) Augusti dieses 1620.<br />

Jahrs/ zu Garck/ im Königreich Ungarn (ein halbe Meil wegs von Leuterh<strong>of</strong>en/ im Zisper Ländlein<br />

gelegen) eben auff den Tag/ da Bethlen Gaber zum Ungarischen König Erwehlet worden/ auff diese<br />

Welt geborn ist. See Isselburg’s variant on this sheet: Peter Isselburg, Anno, quo GabrIeL BethLeM,<br />

DeI GratIa fIt ReX HVngarIae: DIE XXIV. AUGUSTI LUNAE, STILO GREGOR. NATUS EST QUI INFRA<br />

EXPRIMITUR, MONSTROSUS PARTUS IN PAGO GARK, medio militari Leu<strong>the</strong>hovia, in Scepusio sito: qui<br />

superiore mortuo, inferiore vivo capite, baptizatus est (1620). Stadtbiblio<strong>the</strong>k, Ulm: Einblattdruck<br />

982. Title <strong>of</strong> accompanying German text: Montags den 24. Augusti newes Calenders 1620. ward ein<br />

solche Geburt in dem Dorf Garck ein halbe Meil von Leu<strong>the</strong>h<strong>of</strong>en / in Lepusi gelegen / zur Welt<br />

bracht: ist getaufft worden / nach dem das Oberhaupt verstorben / das ander aber noch bey Leben<br />

gewest.<br />

46

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