Zhdan Kvashnin’s mission to the Holy Roman Empire: A study of the Russian-Imperial diplomatic relations

Abstract

Zhdan Ivanovich Kvashnin set out for his diplomatic mission to the Holy Roman Empire in 1577 as a second-rank ambassador with official and secret goals, especially in general to the maintaining of Ivan the Terrible’s peaceful relations with Emperor Rudolph II and to advocate a military alliance with the latter to draw him into the war against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Crossing Europe Zhdan and his comrades, representatives of the Muscovite ruler, also had to hire European artisans for Ivan IV. Secret contacts of the ambassadors with Albrecht Laski and Hans Rueber were aimed at the military alliance with the Emperor to prepare a war against Stefan Batory and the restitution of the Moldavian throne. A wide range of sources led the authors to the conclusion that the mission was for the most part successful. The materials concerning the Muscovite embassy are added as appendices of the present article. These materials found in Vienna Archive and commented consist of Kvashnin’s „speech“, two credentials and Rudolph II’s recommendations letter for Johann Paulus for his travel to Ivan the Terrible. Besides, all available evidence on Zhdan Kvashnin’s biography has been collected and interpreted.