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«No great glory in chasing a pirate». The manipulation of news during the 1535 437

Barbarossa had escaped with 10,000 Turks and renegades and had
such a powerful force he did not fear Charles V 108 .
Chapuys was ignorant of all this. As of 10 August the latest credible
news he had were the emperor’s letters of 13 and 28 June 109 . He may
have received William Lok’s letter from Antwerp of 20 July reporting
that news of the emperor’s victory at Tunis and Barbarossa’s escape
had been proved false 110 . It was not until 14 August that Chapuys learnt
of what he called the glorious and most important victory in La Goleta
from the imperial ambassador in France, and sent a courier to Henry
VIII with the news. There was no public audience where it could be
publicised. Henry VIII gave the envoy some money as customary, and
sent a deer he had hunted to the ambassador, which was interpreted
as a sign of his great pleasure. Later Chapuys found out that Henry VIII
had already known of the emperor’s success and had neither celebrated
it or shared the information. In fact, the king distanced himself as far
as possible without breaching protocol. He instructed Cromwell to relay
his «pleasure» at the emperor’s success and Cromwell did so in writing
rather than in person. By contrast, when they heard that the French
ambassador had news of the meeting between Mary of Hungary and
Leonor, he was summoned to speak with the king and taken hunting 111 .
Among the news he transmitted was false information that suggested
Süleyman had been victorious in Persia and was free to retaliate 112 .
In an effort to make an impact, Chapuys sent Cromwell details of
the campaign as he received them. His servant arrived at the king’s
residence to deliver one such letter at the same time as a courier from
the English ambassador in France, who brought news that Charles V
had taken the city of Tunis. As the news had originated in Rome Henry
VIII dismissed it as false. Aware of the offence this would cause if the
news were true, Cromwell wrote to Chapuys assuring him that he
thought the news credible, and that Henry VIII would accept it once
the ambassador provided confirmation 113 . The emperor’s letters dated
23 July with the «happy news of the miraculous and immortal victory
of your Majesty against Barbarossa, and the capture of Tunis» arrived
some time after. The dispatch included letters from Charles V to Henry

108 LP, ix, n. 33, J. Batcok to Cromwell, 5 August 1535.
109 LP, ix, n. 58, Chapuys to Charles V, 10 August 1535.
110 LP, viii, n. 1071, William Lok to Henry VIII, 20 July 1535.
111 LP, ix, n. 178, Chapuys to Charles V, 25 August 1535. He received Hannart’s
letters on 14 August and acknowledged receipt of the emperor’s letters with news of La
Goleta (dated 13 July) on 28 August, as he commented in LP, ix, n. 287, to Charles V,
6 September 1535.
112 LP, ix, n. 178, Chapuys to Charles V, 25 August 1535.
113 Ivi, n. 287, Chapuys to Charles V, 6 September 1535.

Mediterranea - ricerche storiche - Anno XVII - Agosto 2020
ISSN 1824-3010 (stampa) ISSN 1828-230X (online)