Melchior Lussy

Melchior Lussy, also known as Melchior Lussi (1529 – 14 November 1606), was a Swiss political leader, mercenary and diplomat who represented the Catholic cantons of Switzerland at the Council of Trento.^[1] He was the most powerful Swiss statesman of the second half of the 16th century, along with Ludwig Pfyffer von Altishofen, and a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation in Switzerland.^[2]

Anonymous portrait, 1583

Biography

Lussy was born in 1529 in Stans, in the canton of Nidwalden, the son of Johann Lussy, Vogt of the Engelberg valley.^[2] He belonged to a family of magistrates, originally from Beckenried, that had moved to Stans around 1500.^[3] After studying at the convent school of Engelberg, Lussy leard Italian with his uncle Peter Lussy, Landvogt of Bellinzona, and became an interpreter to the Landvogt of Locarno.^[2] He served as the head clerk of Nidwalden from 1551 to 1555.^[2] In 1554, Lussy entered French service as chief field clerk, and later commanded Swiss mercenaries in the pope's service that were defeated near Paliano in 1557, during the Italian War of 1551–1559.^[2]

Lussy returned to Switzerland in 1558 and was appointed Landvogt of Bellinzona the same year.^[2][4] His friendship with Carlo Borromeo, future Archbishop of Milan, gave him access to influential circles in Northern Italy and led, in 1560, to the conclusion of a treaty with the Republic of Venice for the recruitment of Swiss mercenaries.^[2] Lussy gained prestige and wealth from his pension as a Swiss colonel in Venetian service.^[2] He bought Winkelriedhaus [de] in Stans, which he turned into an impressive Renaissance residence, as well as other properties in Stans and Obbürgen.^[2] Lussy would also built in 1586 a manorial residence in Wolfenschiessen, called the "High House" (Hechhuis).^[2]

In 1561, Lussy was elected Landamman of Nidwalden; he went on to serve eleven terms in this office until 1595.^[2] From 1562 to 1563, he was the envoy of the Catholic cantons to the Council of Trento.^[2] Lussy went on diplomatic missions to Paris in 1582, where he signed a Swiss alliance with France, Madrid in 1589, Savoy and Florence, and met several popes.^[2] He supported the Counter-Reformation by inviting Capuchins to Nidwalden and founding a convent in Stans in 1582.^[2] In his later years, Lussy considered leaving his functions and becoming a hermit, but was dissuaded by his wife and relatives.^[2] He went on pilgrimages to Jerusalem in 1583, where he was made a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, and to Santiago de Compostela in 1590.^[2]

Lussy married four times: first Katharina Amlehn from Lucerne; second, Marie Cleopha zu Käs, also from Lucerne; third, Anna Auf der Maur from Schwyz; and fourth, Agatha Wingartner from Stans.^[2] He became the first Landeshauptmann of Obwalden and Nidwalden in 1593, but was forced to retire from politics in 1596 due to apoplexy.^[2] Lussy died in Stans on 14 November 1606.^[2]