Martin Bylica at the Court of Matthias Corvinus: Astrology and Politics in Renaissance Hungary

Abstract

Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary from 1458–1490, recognized an intimate connection between astrology and politics. His rich library contained numerous astrological texts, and he decorated his palaces at Buda and Visegrád with horoscopes. He also provided generous patronage for foreign astrologers. One of the most famous astrologers to spend his career at Corvinus’s court was Martin Bylica. Bylica had been trained in astrology at the University of Krakow before moving, eventually, to Hungary. By 1468, Bylica had attracted Corvinus’s attention and began to benefit from the king’s generous patronage. Bylica provided Corvinus with important political and military advice throughout the king’s reign. Equally important, Bylica’s career in Buda helped to construct the image of Corvinus as a Renaissance monarch who drew on the most sophisticated sciences available in the fifteenth century.

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