08/01/2024

A Cipher of Margret of Austria?

A cipher used in the correspondence of Margaret of Austria, Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands in 1507-1515, 1519-1530, is preserved in Archives départementales du Nord (Un jour, une œuvre : un code secret aux Archives départementales!, 1 June 2022).
I believe the third image posted, if any, belongs to Margaret of Austria. It is a short list of symbols for names. Historians will be able to date it from entries such as
Soliciteur
de Zorn
de Bure
de fiennes
de Sempy
de Silstein
Brossart de fauquemont
Paule de Lichtein

The first image shows a simple substitution cipher alphabet which assigns numbers to the letters A-Z plus J at the end, with homophones for A, E, I, O, S, V. The syllable section assigns number to some (fa is enciphered as 35, fe is 36, etc.), but substitutes syllables for others (da is enciphered as fa, de is fe, etc.). Such mixed ciphers are known from Spanish ciphers in the 17th century (e.g., Cp.59, Cp.64, for which see my article).

The second image is part of a nomenclature, assigning numbers 266 to 614 to letters, syllables, words, names, and some functions. The entry of Queen Christina clearly shows it is no earlier than 1632. The following shows some entries of interest, from which I guess this is from 1682-1689.

269,313,357 chifre nul
270,314,358 annulle le chifre qui suit
271 Mr le Dauphin
276 Mr De Croissy *Colbert de Croissy, who assumed the title in 1662 and died in 1696
280 le Roy de Hongrie
299 Elect^r Palatin
300 la maison de B[r]aunswic et Lunebourg
303 la Reyne de Dannemark
328 Ill.[?] de Sreues[?]
365 La P^cesse d'Orange *Mary, Princess Royal (holding the title 1647-1650, died 1660)? or Amalia of Solms-Braunfels (holding the title 1625-1647, died in 1675 as dowager) or Mary of York (holding the title 1677-1694)
371 lEl^r de Mayences
373 le Card^l de furstenbourg
392 le Roy de Suede *Queen Christina (see below), not King, reigned 1632-1654.
396 Versailles *Court of Louis XIV from 1682.
411 Mr de Benting *William Bentinck (1649-1709, created Earl of Portland in 1689)
434 Republique
436 lEvesq. de Munster
439 le Mar^al d'humieres *Marechal d'Humieres, created in 1668 and died in 1694
440 le Card^l Cibo *Innocenzo Cybo was cardinal 1513-1550. Alderano Cibo was cardinal 1645-1700
443 M-r de Lauardin[?]
445 ce chifre est nul
455 M^r Diekvelt *Everard van Weede van Dijkvelt (1626 - 1702)?
484 le Car^dl D'Estree *Cesar d'Estrees (1628-1714)?
487 le Pro^ce de Groninge
489 chifre nul
495 M^r le Peletier
528 Les Provinces unies *1581-1795
530 La Reyne christine *reigned 1632-1654, died in 1689
533 annule le precedent
586 M^r Heinsius *Daniel Heinsius (1580-1655)?? or Anthonie Heinsius (1641-1720)
589 Le Con^el de Vienne

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