Sie sind hier

Interlude at Friedrich III’s Court

Markus Grassl

Augustin Schubinger ended his tenure as an Augsburg city piper on March 31, 1487, and entered the service of Emperor Friedrich III for two years.[17] The (currently) only known source from the Habsburg court that presumably refers to this phase of Schubinger’s career dates from the time of Friedrich’s son and successor, Maximilian I. In 1500, Maximilian promised an “Augustin pfeyffer” (Augustin piper) an increase in the allowances that had been granted by Friedrich III from the revenues of the Vienna tollhouse.

Abb. Erhöhung des Bezugs von Augustin „pfeyffer“ 1500

Abb. Erhöhung des Bezugs von Augustin „pfeyffer“ 1500

Augustin pfeyffern geschefft an die Raiter / in Osterreich als das Original anzaigt / […]

Edler vnnd lieber getreuer. Wir haben aus sondern gnaden / vnnserem getreuen Augustin Pfeiffer noch zwen Schilling / zu dem halben phunndt pfennig das Im abermals durch weilandt / vnseren hern vnd vatter kaiser Fridrichen loblicher gedächtnus / aus vnnserm mauthaus zu wien zugeben verschriben worden ist / zuraichen bewilligt vnnd zugesagt. Demnach Emphelhen / Wir euch mit ernst das Ir demselben Augustin Pfeiffer hinfur / sollich zwen schilling mit obangezaigten halben pfunnt jarlich / ab gemelten vnnserm mauthaus laut vorberüter seiner verschrey-/bung so er desshalben hat zugeben verordnet daran thuet. Geben / zu Augspurg den fünnfften tag des monats july anno d xvc.

Finanz- und Hofkammerarchiv Wien, Alte Hofkammer, Gedenkbücher 05, fol. 113v (128v); Digitalisat: https://www.archivinformationssystem.at/bild.aspx?VEID=231767&DEID=10&SQ Wiedergabe des Texts bereits bei Wessely 1956, 88.

 

It is quite likely that “Augustin pfeyffer” (Augustin the piper) can be identified as Schubinger. Around the year 1500, the musician is indeed frequently mentioned in Augsburg sources under this designation.[18]

The allocation of revenues from the Vienna tollhouse represents a type of provision often practiced at the Habsburg court, which served as the secular counterpart to the endowment of clerical members of the court. It involved granting lay servants, in addition to their salary, income from a position in the financial administration.[19] How long Augustin (Schubinger) held this benefit cannot be precisely determined. By 1530, it had already been transferred for some time (“yetz nun langher”) to “N. Herwartt von Augspurg”, possibly a member of the well-known Augsburg patrician family Herwart.[20]

[17] Schubinger, whose annual salary (totaling 36 fl.) was paid in four tranches on Ember Days, received his last payment on March 31, 1487, proportionally for the three-week period between Ember Day before Reminiscere (March 7) and the end of the month; see D-Asa Baumeisterbücher, vol. 80 [1487], fol. 65r: “Augustin Schubinger busauner […] Rt. ij v ß für 3 wochen antzal der quattember vnd ist daruff abgeschiden zu vnnserm Herren dem Ro. Kaÿser vnd vff seiner Kayserlichen gnaden schreiben seins dinsts erlassen. Samstag vor Iudica [March 31].” In 1488, Schubinger is already documented as “Emperor’s Trombonist” in the Augsburg accounting books, under the category “varende levte” (travelling persons) where payments to outsiders were recorded; see Baumeisterbücher, vol. 81 [1488], fol. 16r: “Item ij fl Augustin kayserlicher busaner Samstag vor Reminiscere.” Polk 1989a, 501, mistakenly refers to “Emperor” as Maximilian I, who was not crowned Roman-German Emperor until 1508.

[18] Among others, D-Asa Steuerbuch 1504, fol. 17v (category d); Baumeisterbücher, vol. 93 (1499), fol. 22v; vol. 97 (1503), fol. 28v. The identity of this “Augustin pfeiffer” with Schubinger is shown in the following entry concerning Schubinger’s wife in the tax book 1509, fol. 16r (category a): “magdalena schubingerin Augustein pfeiffers weib”.

[20] Wessely 1958, 174, according to: Finance and Court Treasury Archives Vienna, Lower Austrian Treasury, files 14, no. 113.