Privilegium Maius

A nearly perfect forgery?

In the Golden Bull of 1356, Emperor Charles IV sets down the procedures for the election and coronation of kings by electors of the Holy Roman Empire. It also defines who can and cannot become elector. Austria doesn’t get a look in. But Rudolf IV has a trick up his sleeve. In order to substantiate his claim he has the Privilegium Maius submitted to his father-in-law, none other than Emperor Charles himself.

This is actually a forged document from 1358-59. It declares Austria to be a duchy equipped with similar rights to those of the German electors: inseparability of the territory, automatic inheritance of power by the first-born son, independent jurisdiction and the authority to use insignia. In addition Rudolf invents his own coronet which combines the common ducal hat with a pointed crown.

After extensive scrutiny however, Charles IV refuses to acknowledge the Privilegium Maius. Indeed the outbreak of war is only avoided by the skilful intervention of Catherine of Luxembourg, Rudolf’s wife and Charles’ daughter. Nevertheless in 1361 Charles sees to it that Rudolf is stripped of the title of archduke.

The forged document is later validated by Hapsburg Frederick III, first as king in 1441 and then as emperor in 1453. But it is ultimately exposed as a forgery in the 19th century by the German historian Wilhelm Wattenbach.