Geheimschrift gebruikt door Margaretha van Parma, 1567 1840 - 1842

This is a handwritten cipher used by Margaretha van Parma in 1567. It is an example of early cryptography designed to protect sensitive communications. Created in the Netherlands, this document speaks to the political and religious turmoil of the time. Margaretha van Parma was the Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, a region embroiled in conflict between Catholics and Protestants. The use of a cipher suggests the need to secretly communicate strategies and troop movements while suppressing dissent during the emerging Dutch Revolt. This revolt challenged the authority of the Habsburgs and the Catholic Church, questioning the very social structures of the time. To fully understand the context of this cipher, historians would look at the vast correspondence between the noble families of Europe and the Habsburg Court Archives in Brussels. The cipher is a small but revealing window into a world of political intrigue and religious conflict.