The Golden Bull of Charles 4 from 1356. Legislative Act of the Holy Roman Empire

The Czech Republic blossomed with the arrival of King Charles IV. Of course, the Golden Bull is a very important act, but it is not the only one.

He was a brilliantly educated man. He loved poetry, was close friends with Petrarch, he was fluent in five European languages. That is why Charles the Fourth helped establish the archbishopric chair in Prague and open the first university in this part of Europe.

Mark on history

The Czech Republic is full of historical sites connected with the activities of Charles IV, the King of Bohemia, who became the emperor of the Holy Empire of Rome. This is the most famous resort of Karlovy Vary, and the castle in Hradcany, and the Charles Bridge across the Vltava, and Karlštejn Castle.

Military campaigns were almost unnecessary, and it was not for them to become famous for the emperor, since enlightenment and construction attracted him much more. The name of this patron of sciences and arts the adoption of the Golden Bull is truly a golden letter inscribed in the history of the world.

Start

Karl was born into a royal family in Prague. His father - John Blind - left the Luxembourg royal house, and his mother - Eliska - the daughter of the King of Bohemia Vaclav II. He grew up in an atmosphere of love, moving, intelligent, curious.

Charles was lucky to study in France at the court of Philip VI at the future of Pope Clement VI, a man of great education, a great adherent of history, sciences and arts. At the age of fifteen, Karl had already begun to administer the state: first his father entrusted him with Luxemburg, then Moravia, and after his death left the whole Czech Republic to his son.

Even before the coronation, Charles discussed and approved the creation of a new crown, known as St. Wenceslas. In the same way, a new ceremony was instituted - it began in Vyšehrad, then the procession solemnly moved along the Old Town Square to the Prague Castle across the Vltava. The whole nation participated in the festival, who deservedly loved the new king, subsequently calling him the father of the Motherland. Not only the Czech Republic, but all of Europe felt the goodness of the reign of Charles IV.

Creation

During the reign of Karl, it was possible to extinguish all military conflicts literally in the bud, so the war did not prevent this king from taking power in his hands. Peace time is beneficial for the development of cities, the founding of the university, the construction of houses and roads, a rise to a high level of agriculture (French grapes and Lotharing plum in the Czech Republic - this is entirely the merit of Karl).

In addition, he made Vltava navigable, arranged water reservoirs for fish farming. Everything that Karl has created is even difficult to enumerate. Together with this he read very much, wrote an autobiography for historians.

The Emperor

Among European monarchs, Karl enjoyed high authority as a business and honest ruler, not a warrior. And do not make him emperor? The Holy Roman Empire did not mind. Moreover, this very idea certainly came to his teacher's head - the Pope Clement of Rome, who was already sitting on the throne in Avignon. Such a disciple does not support sin.

Acting in a purely peaceful way, Charles steadily expanded his possessions. Acquiring estates in Silesia, Thuringia, Saxony, he strengthened the supreme power by joining the neighboring lands. Thus, to him departed Luzas and Brandenburg Margrave. Everything went into action, except for quarrels: purchases, contracts, marriages.

The country experienced an economic upsurge of unprecedented strength. Wine-making, forestry and fisheries, trade, and crafts grew up and flourished. The royal power was strengthened, and this was unswerving. However, Karl did not want to let things happen either.

The Golden Bull

The main task of the Czech king was to strengthen power by creating new legislation. The Golden Bull of 1356 and became the document, which until the New Time operated on the territory of the country.

In particular, the order of the succession to the throne was described: the throne always goes to the eldest son of the king, ladies can inherit power only for the absence of representatives of the genus of the male. If the clan is terminated for any reason, the seyman elect chooses the crown. It is very sensible and pragmatic. The voting right for the Seimas was also confirmed and described in detail by the Golden Bull of 1356.

The new constitution before the adoption was discussed and ruled long and carefully in the Reichstag of Nuremberg and Metz. The finalized document was decorated with a gold seal and a gold case. Hence the name - the Golden Bull. Over the years it became clear that the content of this document is precious. He served until the very end of the glorious German Empire (until 1918!) The basic law of the organization and structure of this central European country. This once again proves how much the Golden Bull is brilliant.

Benefits of the new law

Papal participation in the choice of the ruler of the country was completely eliminated. Earlier, no ruler took such a decisive step to divide the church power and the secular. It was the Golden Bull. The general characteristic of its laws shows that there are a lot of innovations brought into the life of the subjects. This affected all lands and all strata of the population of the medieval empire.

The adoption of the Golden Bulla confirmed the already established custom of electing the emperor. At first, seven Elector Princes took part in elections (three church and four secular).

The golden bull of Charles 4 asserted the inviolability of the rights of the princes to the supreme court. The princes could individually develop mountain bowels, mint coins, take customs duties and even legally fight with their neighbors. And only the vassals had no right to oppose their lord. With all this, cities were strictly forbidden to conclude alliances. Thus, the state prevented conspiracies.

Electors also restricted the rights to the territorial division of the Electors, and this was legislated by the Golden Bull. The general characteristic of the document in question shows that most of all Charles IV took care of the native Bohemia, that is, the Czech Kingdom: the greatest privileges concerned specifically these lands and their owners.

Place of occurrence of the Golden Bull

As the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, Rome was only nominally, and the emperor was more fond of living in his small homeland - in Prague, Karl chose the city of Nuremberg, where he held his main imperial seym - the meeting of the highest nobility of all Central Europe.

It was there in 1356 that the Golden Bull was approved. In Germany, it did not lose its power even after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806. Nuremberg became the central city in the Roman Empire: Charles IV visited it fifty-two times, and it was always a national holiday. The entrance ceremony was more interesting and colorful than the scenery of any performance, and the very stay of the emperor and his court in the city fantastically transformed the life of the townsfolk.

That there is only one attraction, associated with such an event as the newly adopted Golden Bull. This is Männleinlaufen - "Running Men" - a delightful clock in Frauenkirche, opening every day at noon. A herald, musicians, emperor and seven famous Electors appear from the door, three times round the emperor with bowing. The ruler shakes his staff, two figures of watchmakers beat off midday, and the entire procession for a day hides inside the clock. There are a lot of similar sights since Charles IV in Nuremberg.

Feudal fragmentation by law

Borders, fixed once and for all, the Holy Roman Empire in the XIV-XV centuries had not, because they were changed by wars, then dynastic marriages, and the vassal ties themselves were distinguished by changeability. But it was these centuries that were the best time for the flourishing of German cities, for the growth and prosperity of all crafts and trade.

Cities produced products purely for their own, local markets. However, gradually there were such centers, whose products were sold not only in the whole country, but also abroad. Under Charles IV, artisans formed more than fifty branches of production, including manufactory and book printing. Viticulture and animal husbandry gained their share in the flourishing agriculture everywhere.

Assignments

The political development of the empire in the Middle Ages was hampered by the princes who distrusted the strengthening of the imperial power, and the goal of their lusts was not unity, but centralization within small territories.

Carl, introducing the first legislative acts for discussion, of course, this desire of subjects was taken into account. He held the empire in his hands firmly, but cautiously, in alliance with the popes and the higher aristocracy. And he cared, above all, about the economic and cultural prosperity of the territories entrusted to him. First - the Czech Republic, and then the rest. Therefore, the Golden Bull was very convenient for the German Electors. A general characteristic of this period: political and territorial fragmentation has been enshrined in rights.

Dissatisfied with the political state of the empire, of course, there were. Unhappy German power, for example, called the Golden Bull FK. Schlosser. But in conservative circles with the same piety they explained what the Golden Bull was. The definition was clear and clear: this is the basic law of the empire, which allowed it to flourish. Some even said that this is the first constitution of Germany.