Stefan von Haschenperg

Stefan von Haschenperg was a military engineer employed by Henry VIII of England in the 1540s.

Very little is known of Stefan's career, however he was mentioned as a gentleman of Moravia, and subject of Bohemia, in a letter from the Regent of the Netherlands to Henry VIII in 1544. He spoke in Polish to sailors of a fleet of Charles V in 1539. He seems to have first offered his services as armourer and architect to Henry VIII in 1535; giving a note to the Duke of Suffolk to pass to Thomas Cromwell and the King. Stefan was part of the design team for the Device Forts at Sandgate and Camber Castles, and the gun emplacements made of earth on the Downs. In November 1540 he went to the Pale of Calais. The French ambassador in London, Charles de Marillac, heard of this and reported to Francis I of France that the 'German' engineer had gone to design new bulwarks. Stefan 'the Almain' crossed the border into Ardres for a day to spy out the French fortification there for Henry VIII. However, "Stefan the Almain" was not completely trusted by the Privy Council, who instructed Henry FitzAlan, the Deputy of Calais, that "in no wise they should suffer him to view the town of Calais or to see the secrets of the same."

In 1541, Stefan was directing work on new fortifications at Carlisle, and after a dispute with Thomas Gower, he was promoted to sole surveyor of the works. He was sacked by the Privy Council two years later for having, "lewdlye behaved himself," and spent a great treasure to no purpose. Stefan may have been the military engineer mentioned by Eustace Chapuys as returning to the Scottish border in January 1542 after having planned and commenced a line of defences. On 17 July 1543 Stefan came before the Privy Council at Oatlands Palace and was reminded of his promise to make recompense for any faults.

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