Hieronymus Makofsky or Makowsky (c. 1565–1630) was a Bohemian knight and a

gentleman of the privy chamber A privy chamber was the private apartment of a royal residence in England. The Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber were noble-born servants to the Crown who would wait and attend on the King in private, as well as during various court activities, f ...

Emperor Rudolph II Rudolf II (18 July 1552 – 20 January 1612) was Holy Roman Emperor (1576–1612), King of Hungary and Croatia (as Rudolf I, 1572–1608), King of Bohemia (1575–1608/1611) and Archduke of Austria (1576–1608). He was a member of the Hous ...

. He is thought to have had a

homoerotic Homoeroticism is sexual attraction between members of the same sex, either male–male or female–female. The concept differs from the concept of homosexuality: it refers specifically to the desire itself, which can be temporary, whereas "homose ...

(although not necessarily sexual) relationship with the emperor. In 1598 he sat in the Bohemian Estates as a member of the knighthood. As a Calvinist, he was thought to have fed the emperor's mistrust of the

Capuchins Capuchin can refer to: *Order of Friars Minor Capuchin The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (; postnominal abbr. O.F.M. Cap.) is a religious order of Franciscan friars within the Catholic Church, one of Three " First Orders" that reformed from t ...

brought to Prague under the leadership of

Lawrence of Brindisi Lawrence of Brindisi (22 July 1559 – 22 July 1619), born Giulio Cesare Russo, was a Roman Catholic priest and a theologian as well as a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin. An accomplished linguist, in addition to his native Itali ...

. He also dabbled in the occult, and in 1601 it was rumoured that he had used dark arts to bewitch the emperor. In the same year, Rudolph awarded him the hamlet of Vřesce, in the parish of Ratibořice (now part of

Ratibořské Hory Ratibořské Hory (german: Bergstädtel) is a municipality and village in Tábor District in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 800 inhabitants. Ratibořské Hory lies approximately north-east of Tábor, north of Česk ...

Tábor District Tábor District ( cs, okres Tábor) is a district (''okres'') within South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. Its capital is the town of Tábor. List of municipalities Balkova Lhota - Bechyně - Bečice - Běleč - Borkovice - '' Borotín' ...

), and its associated mining rights. In 1603, when he was 38 years old, his portrait was engraved by

Aegidius Sadeler Aegidius Sadeler or Aegidius Sadeler II (1570–1629) was a Flemish engraver who was principally active at the Prague court of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor and his successors. Life Sadeler was born in Antwerp in the Sadeler family of print deale ...

. In 1604 Makofsky was imprisoned in

Křivoklát Castle Křivoklát Castle is located in Central Bohemia, Czech Republic. History Křivoklát was founded in the 12th century, belonging to the kings of Bohemia. During the reign of Přemysl Otakar II a large, monumental royal castle was built, later r ...

after being accused of neglecting his duties, taking bribes for access to the emperor, intercepting the emperor's letters, betraying the emperor's secrets, and boasting that he held the emperor's life in his hand. Makofsky died in 1630.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Makowsky, Hieronymus Habsburg Bohemian nobility 16th-century Bohemian people 17th-century Bohemian people 1560s births 1630 deaths Year of birth uncertain