Supplex Libellus / Aller vnderthenigiste Supplication

Abstract

Abstract After the Battle of White Mountain (November 8, 1620), a series of satirical propaganda writings were published against Frederick V of the Palatinate, who had triggered the Thirty Years’ War with his thoughtless takeover of the Bohemian crown. Several of these writings presented themselves as parodic letters of complaint from the ‘Winter King’ to opponents of the war or to (former) allies. In each case, the aim was to ridicule the young monarch’s military inexperience, political ignorance and grotesque hubris. There is a fictitious letter published in both a Latin (Supplex libellus) and German version (Aller vnderthenigiste Supplication) at the beginning of 1621, which was addressed to Emperor Ferdinand II. In complete misjudgment of the military and political situation, Frederick V strives for far-reaching compensation for the defeat he has suffered and has absurd visions in which he even sees himself as a future Roman King. This study first outlines the historical and publicistic context of the letters, then gives a brief summary and finally offers a comparative analysis of the two texts. It pursues a literary approach and investigates the extent to which the satirical intention of the anonymous authors is supported by the choice of letter fiction.