Vadászsólymok a Német Lovagrend szolgálatában a 14–15. század fordulóján

Falconry was amongst the most popular noble activities in the Middle Ages. Hunting with falcons was not only a sport but also had a very important role in the social interactions of aristocracy since it offered the possibility of a loose and informal meeting between influential persons. Because the upkeep of these hunting animals was costly due to their acquisition, training, and feeding, falcons rapidly became symbols of prestige. European monarchs, princes, and noblemen wishing to impress their distinguished visitors thus made serious efforts to acquire the best possible falcons. The Teutonic Order – having close connections to regions where the best falcons were to be found – made a good profit from this general demand for hunting birds and sought to exploit the diplomatic advantages of being the most important broker of falcons in Europe. The present paper demonstrates how Teutonic Knights used falcons as diplomatic gifts to achieve certain goals in politics and discusses a number of further aspects and details of the sending of these animals. By analysing the lists of addressees who received these gifts from the Order, it will be possible not only to get an excellent overview of those supporting the Teutonic Knights but also to determine the relative importance of these persons for the Order itself. The research uses the diplomatic correspondence of the Order by exploiting materials of the Ordensbriefarchiv (OBA) found in the Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin, and especially focuses on a register of dispatched falcons composed in 1397.