Estei Hippolit püspök hagyatéka Giuliano Caprili magyarországi leveleinek tükrében

From 1508 onward, Giuliano Caprili, the procurator of Ferrara, made several visits to Hungary. Initially, he represented the House of the Duke of Ferrara in Buda, later serving Bishop Hippolytus I of Eger as his secretary and even receiving a prebend in Eger. After the bishop’s death on September 3, 1520, Prince Alfonso I of Ferrara entrusted Caprili with administering the bishop’s economic legacy. Letters detailing Caprili’s activities in Hungary are preserved in the State Archives of Modena, with most of the remaining documents, written in Italian, dating from after Hippolytus’ death, specifically between November 18, 1520, and September 5, 1521.

By examining this correspondence between Prince Alfonso and his agent, we gain insight into the scope and history of Bishop Hippolytus of Eger’s economic legacy. Although the letters reflect the perspective and interests of the Ferrara court, they nonetheless provide a relatively accurate picture of the bishop’s bequest and its administration.