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Rh lence the ambassadors that Ferdinand had sent to demand the restoration of Belgrade, and in a new invasion on Hungary had made such progress, that his advances became more and more alarming for the house of Austria. After having plundered and burnt Buda, and again proclaimed John Zapolski king, he advanced at the head of an immense army, now become habituated to victory and plunder, towards the states of Austria. It consequently became more and more necessary for Ferdinand to avail himself of the friendship of Sigismund of Poland. Herberstein was employed upon this errand. In short, during the remainder of Herberstein’s life, the Hungarian question underwent so many fluctuations, that it would be tedious to the reader to lead him even cursorily through their details.

From the year 1527 to the year 1533, Ferdinand was kept in suspense as to his claim to the throne of Hungary, a suspense occasioned mainly by the interference of the sultan Solyman, whose invasion of Hungary met with fluctuating success; and during this period Herberstein was engaged in the most harassing political expeditions from Ferdinand, both to the court of Poland and the various congresses which were held in different places from time to time in Hungary. From 1533 to 1541, with the exception of the year 1535, he was repeatedly employed in diplomatic missions to Bohemia and various parts of Germany, as well as to Hungary and Poland, and so unremitting was the labour of this portion of his life, that during the intervals of these embassies he had to