Bartholomew May
Bartholomäus May (* 1446 ; † before April 18, 1531 in Bern ) was a Bernese military leader and statesman.
By trading in iron, leather, cloth, but above all salt, May became the wealthiest merchant in Bern. International trade connections predestined him for embassies to Milan , France and Savoy. From 1474 he sat in the Bernese Grand Council, in 1485 he was mayor of Thun and from 1494 he was a member of the Small Council. As a military leader he took part in the campaigns against the Swabian League in 1499 and against the French to Novara in 1513 . In the course of his life he acquired Amsoldingen Castle , the gentlemen Toffen , Strättligen , Wattenwil and Blumenstein . He achieved great fame by buying the diamond from the sword of Charles the Bold from the Confederates and selling it at the Lyon fair . The diamond later adorned the tiara of Pope Julius II. May brought home a bear for the bear pit from the battle of Novara as spoils of war in 1513 .
literature
- Emil Blösch: May, Bartholomäus . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 21, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1885, pp. 80-83.
- Amadé von May: Bartholomeus May and his family. A picture of life from the time of the Reformation. In: Berner Taschenbuch on the year 1874. pp. 1–178 ( online ).
- Pierre von May: May Bartholomäus, from. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 16, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1990, ISBN 3-428-00197-4 , p. 517 f. ( Digitized version ).
See also
Web links
- Hans Braun: May, Bartholomäus. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
- Bartholomäus May, wholesale merchant , on the website of the Middle Lions Society
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | May, Bartholomew |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | May, Bartlome |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Bernese military leader and statesman |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1446 |
| DATE OF DEATH | before April 18, 1531 |
| Place of death | Bern |