CHARLES V: (1500-1558) Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria 1519-56, King of Spain ...

CHARLES V: (1500-1558) Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria 1519-56, King of Spain (Castile and Aragon) 1516-56, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy 1506-55. A rare L.S., `Yo El Rey´, a large signature, three pages, folio, Valladolid, 11th April 1527, in old Spanish. The lengthy and cleanly written letter refers to the funds which were aproved to pay for the woks of the ramparts of the city, considering the timing and the possibility of a siege, stating in part `Primeramente, ya sabeis como maestre Lope Cantero tomó a destajo la obra de los muros de la villa de Fuenterrabía en cierto precio… cuatro mil ducados para la citada obra. La cual es mi voluntad, que se continue con la cantera conforme al asiento, en caso que este verano no se espere necesidad de cerco en la dicha villa, y en caso que se esperase el dicho cerco… con los cuatro mil ducados, o con los que de ellos fuesen menester. Se repare la dicha villa de tierra y madera en las partes que hubiere necesidad de ello como pareciere a Sancho Martinez de Leyva, nuestro Capitan de la dicha villa…´ (Translation: “First of all, you already know that Master Lope Cantero took on the work of the walls of the town of Fuenterrabía at a fixed price… four thousand ducats for the aforementioned work. It is my will that the Stone quarry works continue as agreed, in case this summer there is no expectation of a need for a defense wall in the said town, and in case the said fence is expected… with the four thousand ducats, or with whatever of them are necessary. The said town should be repaired with wood in the parts that need it as it will seem to Sancho Martinez de Leyva, our Captain of the said town…”) Bearing at the base and beneath the Emperor´s signature, a bold ink countersignature. Overall age wear, mostly to edges, with clipped bottom corner, only affecting some words, but not affecting the signatures. Very small repair to the verso of the last page and few extremely small holes to the folds. F

Fuenterrabia is a town situated in the north of Spain, in the Basque Country. Also called in Basque Hondarribia.

Only three weeks after the present letter was signed by the Emperor, occured one of the most important and unexpected events during Charles´ V reign, The Sack of Rome on 6th May 1527. The capture of the city by the mutinous troops of Charles V, who only intended to threaten Pope Clement VII with military action if he did not come to his terms, ended with looting and killing. Despite the Emperor´s orders not to storm the city, the 14000 men of Imperial army, largely unpaid and mostly with German and Spanish soldiers, ended with holding citizens for ransom without any restraint. Pope Clement VII took refuge in Castel Sant´Angelo after the Swiss Guard were annihilated. He remained there until a ransom was paid to the pillagers.