Michael Weiß (politician)

Michael Weiß (also spelled Michael Weiss, born in 1569, in Mediasch, deceased 16 October 1612, in Marienburg) was a Transylvanian Saxon politician and historian. He is mostly known for being the mayor of Kronstadt (modern-day Braşov, Romania).

He was born in Mediasch (current-day Mediaş, Romania) as the son of mayor Johannes Weiß and his wife, Gertrude Wolf (whom would both die of the plague in 1586). He went to the local elementary school, then, in 1583, aged 14, attended the courses of the Jesuit school of Klausenburg. During the two years spent there, he learned Hungarian, and progressed enough as to be able to write poems in this language.

Shortly, he began his political career, as secretary of Count Ferdinand von Hardek, and then by working for the Hungarian chancellor office in Prague. He was noticed by Emperor Rudolf II, who ennobled him in 1589, at the age of only 20.

In 1590, he returned to Transylvania. He was chosen in the Assembly of the one hundred in 1591, then in 1594, as representative of Kronstadt in the Transylvanian Diet (the political and constitutional organ of the principality) and in the Senate, in 1600. As representative and senator of Kronstadt, the voivodes István Bocskay, Sigismund Rákóczi and those of the Báthory family sent Weiß in several diplomatic missions, including to domnitor Radu Şerban of Wallachia.

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