Heilkunst und Diplomatie

Abstract

This article examines the life of the brothers Johann (1499-1574) and Caspar Neefe (1514-1579), personal physicians to the Saxon electors. It is based mainly on their family documents, which are kept in the “Neefe-Lade” in the Chemnitz City Archive. The personal physicians to princes had the political responsibility for their undisturbed ability to govern and the dynastic continuity of their families. On a diplomatic mission at the Habsburg court in Vienna, Johann Neefe helped to ensure that the Protestant House of Saxony shone there in a more favourable light after the turmoil of the Schmalkaldic War and the “betrayal” of Emperor Charles V by Elector Moritz of Saxony. A further diplomatic mission was agreed on to bring Caspar Neefe to Konigsberg to the court of Duke Albrecht Friedrich of Prussia, as can be seen in detail in a treatment contract of 1577, which is documented here for the first time.