Patent of Tolerance
The Patent of Tolerance by Emperor Joseph II paved the way for laws protecting religious freedom, putting Protestants on a mostly equal footing with Catholics. In another patent of tolerance at the beginning of 1782 this was also applied to Jews in Vienna and Lower Austria. Fundamental rights of religious practise were granted. The idea was to make both groups more useful to the State and to promote the economic development of the Monarchy.
Patent of Tolerance, front page, October 13, 1781
© Public domain
