Ludwig van Beethoven, Billet an Johann Baptist von Pasqualati, Wien, November 1815, Autograph

Beethoven asks Pasqualati what he thinks about Prince Lobkowitz' missing annuity payments and asks that his brother in Prague (Joseph Andreas Pasqualati) should get the money from Kinsky's finance office. In March 1809 Beethoven had been given an agreement guaranteeing him a lifelong annuity by Princes Kinsky and Lobkowitz as well as Archduke Rudolph. However only Rudolph paid regularly and more or less reliably; the two princes did not. Prince Kinsky died on 3.11.1812 as a result of a riding accident, making Beethoven's situation even more serious. As the annuity had been guaranteed in writing, Beethoven turned to the heirs for payment. The dispute concerning the annuity was resolved in January 1815 and they agreed on backdated payments at the end of every six months. The first payment was due in October 1815. The money had obviously still not arrived from Prague in November.