Saltzburg

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

THE BISHOPRICKE OF SALTZBVRG. (Book Saltzburg)

THe Bishopricke of Saltzburg is so called from the Metrapolitan Citty Saltzburg.* 1.1 Francis Irenicus maketh this the chiefe of the five Bishopricks of Bavaria. This Territory is enriched with all kinde of Mettals, as Gold, Silver, Brasse, and Iron. Here is also Rozen, Brimstone, Allom, and Antimony. There are also Mines of Marble. The plaine ground is fit for planting of Vines or Tillage. The Mountaines doe afford great store of game for Hawking and Hunting. Munster doth name 58. Bishops of Saltzburg, the last was Ernest Count Palatine of Rhene, Duke of Bavaria, the Sonne of Albert and Kunegundis the Daughter of the Emperour Frederick. Moreover in the time of Arno the tenth Bishop hereof, it was made an Archbishop by Leo the third, and it hath under it these Suffragan Bishops; the Bishop of Trident, of Patavia, of Vienna, of Gorcensa, of Brixen, of Frisingen, of Seccovia, of Lavintinium, and the Chyenensiam. The Metrapolis or Mother Citty is Saltzburgum, or Salisburgum, it is commonly call'd Saltzburg, from the River Saltzach: though some suppose that it is called Saltzburg, from the Salt which is digged neere unto it. There is also Iuvantia, or Iuvavia, or Iuvaviam, which was so called à juvando, from helping, and in the Germane language Helffenberg, because Iulius Caesar built a Castle there, to be a defence and refuge to his Legions against the Germanes whom hee intended to conquer, and subdue. For it is reported that the Romanes slew 3400000. Germanes, and tooke 1500000. Prisoners. Some thinke that Iuvavia was so called from the River Iuvavius, which runneth neere unto it. It is called also the Iuvensian Castle, as Pighius sheweth. Aventinus affirmeth out of ancient writing, and records that it was that which Ptolomy calls Paedicum, and that there is a Village still remaining of that name. But Francis Irenicus writeth that it is Ptolomies Gamanodurum, or Badacum, unto whom Volateranus doth also assent. Antoninus his Itinerary maketh mention of Iuvaria. But Gasper Bruschius doth thinke that the name Helffenberg is more ancient than Iuvavia: and from thence it was called Iuvavia, which signifies the same. Pighius writeth, that he read these Verses in a Church of this Citty:

Tunc Hadriana vetus, quae post Iuvavia dicta,Praesidialis erat Noricis, & Episcopo dignaRuberti sedes, qui fidem contulit illisChristi, quam retinet, Saltzburgum sero vocata.

Then Hadrian, which they did after callIuvavia was a seate PraesidiallOf the Noricians, and a Bishoprick it hath

Where Rubert taught them first the Christian faith,Which since that time the people doe retaine,And now of late they doe it Saltzberg name.

For Rupert, or Rudpert, Bishop of Wormes, being descended of the Royall Line of France, when he was droven out of his seate after the death of King Childerick, about the yeere of Christ, 540. came to Ratisbon to Theodon Duke of Bavaria, whom he instructed, and baptized, and by his perswasions going forward to Noricum, he converted many to the Christian faith. And out of the ruines of the old •uvavia he built a Church in honour of Saint Peter, and a Monastery of the Order of S. Benedict, and he was Bishop here 45. yeere, and dyed in the yeere of our Lord 1123. This Citty is situated on the middle of the Alpes, being strongly walled, and adorned with many faire publike, and private Buildings. It was heretofore a Royall seate, when it was proud of her high Pinacles and Churches. It is now an Archbishops seate, which was first instituted at Laureacum, then transported to Patavium,* 1.2 and lastly hither. This Citty hath Marshes, Plaines, Hills, and Mountaines. The Marshes doe make good Meddowes, and the Mountaines affoord good Hawking and Hunting. In this Citty in an Hospitall neere Saint Sebastians, there is the Monument or Tombe of Theophrastus, a most famous Physician, with this Epitaph. Conditur hic Philippus Theophrastus insignis Medicina Doctor, qui dira illa vnlnera, lepram, podagram, hydropisin, aliaque insanabilia corporis contagia mirifica arte sustulit, ac bona sua in pauperes distribuenda collocandaque ordinavit. Anno 1551. die 24. Septemb. vitam cum morte commutauit. That is, here lyeth Philip Theophrastus a famous Doctor of Physick, who by his wonderfull Art caused these grievous diseases, the Leprosie, the Gout, the Dropsie, and other incurable infirmities of the body, and gave order that his goods should be distributed and devided among the poore. Hee dyed in the yeere 1551. on the 24. day of September. This Country is watered with an innumerable sort of Rivers, and Rivalets, which doe flow out of the Mountaines.* 1.3 The River Anassus doth run Northward, which the Rivers Altzius, Salizius, and Mathicius doe enlarge, by mingling their streames with it. Traunus riseth in the same place out of the Lakes. Hence also Mur and the noble River Dravus doe spring and arise, the latter Pliny. lib. 3. cap. 25. doth mention, and saith, that it riseth out of Noricum. The other lesser Rivers doe runne into those Rivers which I mentioned before. The Countrie is Mountainous,* 1.4 and full of Hills, which the Inhabitants doe call Taurn, as the Mountaines Radstatterthaurn, Felbergthaurn, Kornthaurn, Casteinerthaurn, and many others which are so high, that those who goe to the top of them, doe finde the ayre very cold in the middest of Summer: no Cart or Waggon can passe over them, for the pathes and wayes are narrow, and sometime so steepe, that a Carriers Horse can scarce passe that way, but are in great danger as they ascend the Hill, for sometimes sudden windes doe fling men downe headlong, and great flakes of Snow doe fall downe, and kill Horses, and beate downe Houses neere unto them to the ground. Many Rivers doe flow out of these Mountaines, which we have mentioned before. And besides the aforesaid Alpes, it hath the Alpes on the South, which they call Albis: and have divers names, as Villacher Albin, Swanberger Albin, &c. There are also the Mountaines Creutzberg, and Lettachberg, which have mettall in them in the Vale Oevinus, of which Conradus Celtes. lib. Amorum. 2. Odo. 6. singeth thus.

Qui mihi de celsis nuper fuit Alpibus actusOenus ubi, atque Athesis murmura ranca facit.Argenti aeterno scaturit qua vena MetalloEt ditat totam patriam Alemanicam.Hic halant liquido puro & de fonte SalinaeDitantes Bavaros, Austriacosque Duces.Hic turba est tetrae nigraeque simillima morti,Qui solvunt vastis ignibus aera suis.Haud credas nostris decocta Metalla per ignem,Sed Phlegetontaeis mundificata vadis. Whom I did drive downe from the Alpes so highWhere Oenus, and Athesis runne byWith a hollow murmour, where Silver vaineEnricheth all the Country of Alemaine.Here Salt doth boyle out of the pure spring,Which to the Austrian Dukes much wealth doth bring.And the Bavarians, while a smooty crewDoe melt the Brasse, as blacke as death in shew.You cannot thinke that fire doth make it runne,But that it is refin'd in Phlegeton.

* 1.5This Bishoprick also hath many woods, as the woods Hardio, Hendard, and Weyhard which lye on the North. But let so much suffice concerning the Bishoprick of Saltzburg, it remaineth that we should speake something concerning the Dukedome of Carinthia, which is contained in this Table.