The founder, Florian Waldauf

Florian Waldauf (originally Baldauf) was born at Anras in the Pustertal, probably in the 1440s. Several colourful legends have become attached to his name, but most are either improbable or impossible to verify given the documentary evidence. In any case, the agricultural character of his family as presented in the older literature is an exaggeration; the high-quality stone monument to his father († 1493) on the outer wall of the church in Asch indicates that both of his parents had the right to bear heraldic arms. Waldauf’s literacy in German and Latin suggests that he attended a Latin school, probably at Innichen or Brixen. Despite the later legend that he studied at the University of Vienna, he does not appear in the matriculation lists there. On the other hand, there is good reason to suppose that he saw some military service.

Waldauf’s successful rise to prominence at court was aided by family connections. His uncle Hans Wieser von Rheinfelden, secretary to Archduke Sigmund of the Tyrol, significantly advanced Florian’s career. Another relative through marriage, Blasius Hölzl, an important official at the court at Innsbruck, may likewise have promoted him at court. Similar examples of social advancement through kinship networks are well attested at this time. An improvement of Waldauf’s heraldic arms (Wappenbesserung) in 1483 suggests that Sigmund appreciated his capable service.[1] However, he crossed soon afterwards into Maximilian’s service, perhaps encouraged by Dr Johannes Fuchsmagen, who had recently left a position as secretary and advisor to the politically marginalised Sigmund to enter the service of Friedrich III.[2] In May 1487, Maximilian rewarded Waldauf for his service to Sigmund and himself by appointing him to a position in the salt-works (Pfannhaus) at Hall. (The attendant administrative tasks were carried out by a proxy.)

In early 1488, Maximilian was imprisoned by the city council of Bruges. Waldauf participated in the expedition to rescue him, and in the ensuing struggles against the rebellious Flemish cities. In July 1488, Maximilian ennobled Waldauf in thanks for his efforts in “destroying the disorderly government by risking his bodily safety and his life,” and bestowed upon him the title “von Waldenstein” after a castle in Württemberg.[3]

On 6 January 1489, Maximilian and his entourage, including Waldauf, were traveling by boat from Amsterdam to “Sperdam” (Spaarndam, near Haarlem), when their boat, enshrouded by mist, hit drift ice and began to sink. While Maximilian ordered the holes to be plugged with clothing, Waldauf prayed for delivery, promising that he would establish a votive foundation if they reached their destination safely. In fulfilment of this vow, Waldauf established his foundation at Hall in Tirol, about ten kilometres east of Innsbruck.

In early 1490, Archduke Sigmund abdicated his territories to Maximilian. In the process of negotiation and transfer, Waldauf acted as intermediary between Maximilian and Sigmund, who rewarded him in 1491 with a suit of armour. Waldauf also participated in Maximilian’s campaigns in Hungary. On 17 November 1490, during the conquest of Székesfehérvár (Stuhlweißenburg), Maximilian knighted Waldauf for his bravery and appointed him as protonotary. (More troublingly, Maximilian also granted Waldauf possession of a synagogue in Stuhlweißenburg and the property of Jews living there.) Waldauf accompanied Maximilian to the imperial diets at Nuremberg (1491), Koblenz (1492) and Worms (1495), and on military campaign against France (1492/1493). He also acted as emissary to Saxony, Cologne and Hungary, where he discussed potential marriage plans and a defensive league against the Turks. His successful embassy resulted in his elevation to the Order of the Golden Spur. He was also responsible for negotiating the Spanish-Habsburg double marriage of Philip the Fair and Juana of Spain at Mechelen in 1495.

Like Maximilian, Waldauf was excited by the possibilities offered by the printing press. Waldauf was involved in the publication of the Missale Brixinense (» Augsburg: Erhard Ratdolt, 1493 [GW M24292]), and at least one of the editions of the territorial ordinance for the Tyrol (» Augsburg: [Erhard Oeglin and Hans Pirlin], 1506 [VD16 1354]).[4] He was a member of the order of Bridget of Sweden, and financed the publication of several editions of her prophecies: two Latin editions (» Nuremberg: Koberger, 1500 [GW 4392]; » Nuremberg: Peypus, 1517 [VD16 B 5594]); a German translation containing a woodcut that resembles the image of Bridget on the altar panel in Hall (» VD16 B 5596 / 5593); an abbreviated version of the German translation (» VD16 B 5595); and a broadsheet (now lost) containing fifteen prayers of St Bridget, which were to be prayed daily by the junior chaplain of the Waldauf foundation. Waldauf also wrote the text for a catalogue and description of his foundation, the Haller Heiltumbuch (A-HALn o. Sign.), which was illustrated with woodcuts by Hans Burgkmair the Elder. The Hall Heiltumbuch was probably inspired by the descriptive collection of the collection of relics at Nuremberg, printed by Peter Vischer in 1487.[5] Although the text and woodcuts for the Hall Heiltumbuch were complete and ready to go to press, Waldauf died before it could be printed. However, the autograph manuscript (with the woodcuts stuck in at the appropriate points) is still preserved in the parish archive in Hall. The volume now has 186 leaves, though a further four at the end have been lost.[6] The Heiltumbuch also refers to an earlier, smaller catalogue of the foundation’s relics, sold at the market at Hall, but no copy of this work is known to have survived.

In 1496, Maximilian appointed Waldauf as one of four counsellors to the imperial treasury (Schatzkammer, renamed Raitkammer in 1499) in Innsbruck, at the astounding salary of 461 Gulden a year. Waldauf thus played an important role in one of Maximilian’s reforms: the transformation of the Hofkammer at Innsbruck into the central accounting facility for Austria. Even if this new arrangement failed in 1500, to be replaced by the Nuremberg Regiment, Waldauf’s appointment to this office signals Maximilian’s esteem for his counsellor, and also accounts for the financial resources behind the foundation. In 1500 he was entrusted with oversight of Maximilian’s armoury, and in 1506 of all salt-works in Austria. A final sign of Maximilian’s confidence in Waldauf was his appointment as superintendent over the preparations for his grandiose funeral monument on 8 December 1509. However, Waldauf died on 13 January 1510, before the Heiltumbuch could be printed, nine years before Maximilian’s death, and decades before the emperor’s ostentatious cenotaph could be completed.[7]