Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa confirms the rights and jurisdictions of the Patriarchate of Aquileia and assumes this church under imperial protection, confirming all the previous donations issued to the patriarchs by his predecessors kings and empires, by the popes, and by other laymen.
In nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis.a
Fridericusb divina favente clemencia Romanorum imperator et semper augustus.
Quoniam ad Imperii nostric exaltationemd nostreque salutis non dubitamus pertinere profectum, quicquid imperiali clementia ad ecclesiarum Dei commodume impertimurf et augmentumg, inde est, quod preces dilecti principis nostri Wolricih Aquilegensisi patriarche, Apostolice Sedis legati, quas maiestatij nostre pro ecclesia sua humiliter obtulit, tumk eterne retributionis intuitu, tum sue devotionis respectu, ad interventum etiam dilectorum fidelium nostroruml Arnoldi Treverensis archiepiscopi, Conradim Wormatiensisn episcopi, Bertrami Metensis electi, Gotofredio cancellarii nostri, Ortwinip protonotariiq nostri, Ottonisr palatini maioris de Witelinsbachs, comitis Artimanit de Chirperch, comitis Manegoldiu de Veringenv admittendasw duximus et exaudiendas.
Perspectis sane et intellectis privilegiis quibus dive memorie antecessores nostri reges et imperatores eandem ecclesiam muniveruntx et benigna liberalitate complexi sunt, nos quoquey ad immitationemz ipsoruma' eandem ecclesiam Imperio nostro semper devotissimamb' sub imperialis celsitudinis nostre protectionem et tutelamc' suscipimusd' et presentis scripti privilegio communimus.
Ad hec omnes possessiones, quecumque bona, quecumque iura, districta, thelonea, ripatica quee' prefata ecclesia inpresentiarumf' possidetg' vel in futurum largitione nostra vel successorumh' nostrorum regum seu imperatorum, concessione pontificum, liberalitate principum, oblatione fidelium seu aliis iustis modis propicio Deo adipiscii' poterit, ei confirmantes imperiali auctoritate nostra statuimusj', ut iam dicto patriarche suisque successoribus firma et illibata permaneant.
De hiis autem que prescripte ecclesie confirmamus, quedam annotandak' duximus, que et inter alia communiterl' et specialiter per hanc nostre confirmationis paginam ei corroboramusm', silicetn':
[1] Ducatum et Comitatum Foriiuliio' et villam * de Luncenigop' * cum omnibus ad regalia et * ducatum pertinentibus – hoc est placitisq', collectisr', fodro, districtionibus universis omnique utilitate que iuste ullo modos' inde provenire poterit;
[2] preterea regaliat' omnium episcopatuum Hystrieu' – Tergestini, Polensisv', Parentini, Petenensisw', Iustinopolitanix', Civitatis Nove –, regalia Concordiensis Episcopatus, regalia Bellunensisy' Episcopatus, regalia trium abbatiarumz' – de Sexto, sancte Marie in Organo et de Valle – cum curtibus * , castellis, portubusa'', villis, mansisb'', * venationibus, piscationibus, * placitis, theloneisc'', nemoribus, molendinisd'' et * omnibus aliise'' * mobilibus et immobilibus, erbaticof'', capulisg'', pascuis;
[3] insulam Gradensemh'' cum omnibus suis pertinenciis et terrami'' * inter * Plavimj'' et Liquenciamk'' iacentem, villas Sancti Pauli et Sancti Gregoriil'', et omnia que antecessor nosterm'' auguste memorien'' Cuonraduso'' imperator Aquilegensi ecclesie ibidem contulit, cum omnibusp'' * appendiciis et utilitatibus, agrisq'', pratis, campis, pascuisr'', terris cultis et incultis, molendinis, aquis aquarumque decursibus, venationibus, piscationibus, exitibuss'' et redditibust'', nemoribus, mobilibus et immobilibusu'';
[4] castrum de Treven cum omnibus suis pertinenciis et utilitatibusv'', ministerialibus, famulis, terris cultis et incultisw'', nemoribus in integrum, secundum quod prefatus patriarcha unacum patre suo comitex'' Wolveradoy'' et matre sua ecclesie suez'' contradidit;
[5] castrum de Atensa''' cum omnibus suis pertinenciis, ministerialibus etb''' famulisc''', mansis, villis, nemoribus; prediumd''' de Hagee''' cum universis pertinenciis suis in integrum cum ministerialibus et famulisf'''/g''', secundum quod nobilis vir Vulricush''' marchio quondami''' Tuscie, sicut in publico instrumento inde confecto continetur, Aquilegensi ecclesie contulitj'''.
Decernimusk''' ergo, ut nulli omnino hominuml''' liceat prefatam ecclesiam temere perturbare vel eius possessiones auferrem''', ablatas retinere, minueren''' vel aliquibus vexationibus fatigare, sed omnia integreo''' conserventur et illesap''' voluntati et dispositioni prefati patriarche suorumque successorum usibus omnimodis profutura. Necq''' generet eidem patriarche suisque successoribus et Aquilegensi ecclesie aliquo in tempore preiudicium, si quid contra huius privilegii nostri tenorem et Aquilegensis ecclesie iusticiam quod dampnumr''' ei pareres''' aut aliquid detrimentum possitt''' ab aliquibus per subreptionemu''' obtentum essev'''.
Volumus igitur, ut sepedicta Aquilegensis ecclesiaw''' hoc nostre maiestatisx''' privilegio adeo munita et defensa existat ut, si forte casu aliquo omnia instrumenta et privilegia sua perderety''', nihilz''' iacture vel diminutionisaa sustineat hancque paginam loco omnium privilegiorum et instrumentorum habeat.
Si qua igitur in futurum Imperii nostri persona contra hanc nostre institutionis et confirmationis paginam temere venire presumpserit et commonita non resipueritbb, noveritcc se iram et indignationem maiestatis nostre incursuram et composituramdd auri purissimi mille libras medietatemqueee camere nostre et medietatem patriarche Aquilegensi, qui proff tempore fuerit, persolvetgg et nostra nichilominus institutio et confirmatio firma permaneathh et inconvulsa.
Testes horum sunt: prefati principes et fideles nostri et comes Henricus de Dietseii, comes Diepoldusjj de Lechsmundekk, Rubertus de Durne, Henricus dell Papinheimmm et alii multi.
Ego Gotefridusnn cancellariusoo vice Christianipp Maguntine sedis archiepiscopi et Germanie archicancellariiqq recognovi.
Signum domini Friderici Romanorum imperatoris invictissimi (SM)rr.
Acta sunt hec annoss Dominice incarnationis MoCLXXXtt, indictione XIII, regnante gloriosissimo domino Fridericouu Romanorum imperatore, anno regni eius XXVIII, imperii vero XXVI.
Data Virceburchvv, VIII kalendas februarii.
Feliciter, amen.
a) In nomine—Trinitatis] om. CD. b) Fredericus D et undique sic; Federicus E et undique sic. c) om. C. d) sic BCD; exultationem ed. Appelt. e) comodum CE. f) impartimur D. g) CD; aucmentum B; augumentum E. h) sic B; Wodalrici C; Udalrici DE et ed. Appelt. i) Aquileiensis D et undique sic; Acquilegiensis E et undique sic. j) CDE; magestati B. k) cum C. l) fidelium nostrorum] CDE; inv. B. m) Chunradi C; Corradi D. n) Vermetiensis D; Verinatiensis E. o) Gothefridi cum sign. abbr. supra primam syllabam C; Gottifredi D; Cotefredi E. p) Ortuwini D; Ortuvini E. q) prothonotarii DE. r) Octonis D; Otonis E. s) Wetelinsbach C; Wtelinsbach DE. t) Hermanni C; Harremani D; Hartemanni E. u) Menegoldi C. v) Venungen C. w) CDE; ad mittedas B. x) munierunt C. y) quos C. z) imitationem C. a') eandem ecclesiam—immitationem ipsorum] om. DE. b') devotissima DE. c') tutellam CE. d') CDE; suscepimus B et Appelt. e') C; om. BDE et Appelt. f') impresentiarum E. g') obtinet C. h') futurorum D. i') adhipisci E. j') statutum E. k') adnotanda D; annotandam E. l') comuniter E. m') C; ex corroboratam corr. D; coroboramus B; corroboratam E. n') sic BCE; .s. et seq. com canc. D; scilicet ed. Appelt. o') Foroiulii D. p') Lunçenigo C; Lunçenige E. q') CDE; placidis B. r') CDE; colectis B. s') ullo modo] CDE; ulomodo B. t') om. C. u') Ystrie C; Istrie E. v') Pollensis D. w') Pectenensis DE. x') C; om. BDE et Appelt. y') CD; Belunensis BE et ed. Appelt. z') CDE; abatiarum B et ed. Appelt. a'') portibus C. b'') mansibus DE. c'') teloneis D; telloneis E. d'') theloneis, nemoribus, molendinis] nemoribus, molendinis, theloneis C. e'') om. C. f'') herbatico CDE. g'') campulis DE. h'') insulam Gradensem] insula Gradensis DE. i'') CDE; tera B; terra ed. Appelt. j'') Plavum E. k'') CD; Liguenciam B et ed. Appelt. l'') Georgii C; Georii D. m'') antecessor noster] inv. C. n'') auguste memorie] augustus D; auguste E. o'') Chuonradus C; Conradus DE. p'') seq. quod canc. B. q'') om. C; pro DE. r'') campis, pascuis] inv. D. s'') exittibus C. t'') D; reditibus BE; reddittibus C. u'') inmobilibus C. v'') pertinenciis et utilitatibus] inv. D. w'') inclitis C. x'') suo comite] DE; suo comitte B; om. C. y'') Vlurado C; Wol DE. z'') om. DE. a''') Artens E. b''') om. CDE. c''') CD; familiis B et ed. Appelt. d''') prediis DE et ed. Appelt. e''') DE; Hagen C. f''') familiis E et ed. Appelt. g''') mansis—famulis] CD; om. B. h''') Ulricus CDE; Vlricus ed. Appelt. i''') marchio quondam] inv. C. j''') C; contullit B. k''') inhibemus CDE. l''') homini DE. m''') aufere E. n''') minime E. o''') integra D. p''') illexa E. q''') iter. E. r''') damnum D. s''') quod dampnum ei parere] om. et spatium vacuum rel. C ; om. E. t''') seq. afferre add. supra l. D. u''') surreptionem C. v''') obtentum esse] est obtentum CE; est obtemptum D. w''') Aquilegensis ecclesia] inv. C. x''') CDE; magestatis B. y''') perderentur C; perd et spatium vacuum rel. E. z''') nichil C; om. DE. aa) iacture vel diminutionis] iactura vel diminituonem non D. bb) om. E. cc) post maiestatis nostre transposuit C. dd) incursuram et composituram] incursuram et nichilominus pro pena C; incursurum et compositurum D; incursurum E. ee) medietatem CDE. ff) om. C. gg) om. E. hh) permaneant D. ii) Ytse C; Dieose DE. jj) Liupoldus C; Diepeldus D. kk) Lechmunde C; Bersmunde D. ll) seq. Papien canc. B. mm) Papilheim C; Papiheim DE. nn) Gottefredus D; Gotifredus E. oo) cancelarius C. pp) Chrispiani C. qq) archicancelarii C; cancelarii DE. rr) om. CDE. ss) seq. nativitate canc. D. tt) millesimo centesimo LXXX C. uu) F. D. vv) sic BC; Wircemburch D; Wiceburch E; Virzeburch ed. Appelt.
Emperor Henry VI’s confirmation charter issued to Patriarch Gottfried on December 10, 1193 – soon to be edited here.
Emperor Frederick II’s confirmation charter issued to Patriarch Wolfger on February 22, 1214 – soon to be edited here.
Emperor Frederick II’s confirmation charter issued to Patriarch Berthold V in November of 1220 – soon to be edited here.
Emperor Charles IV’s confirmation issued to Patriarch Nicholas della Torre between 1351 and 1354 – soon to be edited here.
Emperor Charles IV’s confirmation issued to Patriarch Marquard of Randeck on September 7, 1366 – soon to be edited here.
“Privilegia data in depositum et servamentum Pagnino de Florentia de societate Caponorum: [om.] Item privilegium de ducatu et Comitatu Foriiulii concessum per Federicum imperatorem in MCLXXX cum bulla aurea.” – Thesauri claritas, opus saec. XIV, ed. Giuseppe Bianchi, Thesaurus ecclesiae Aquileiensis (Udine 1847), p. 339, n. 1160.
The imperial confirmatio confirmationum to the Patriarchate of Aquileia, the hereby edited charted would become the model for all the subsequent confirmation charters issued by the Holy Roman kings and emperors to the incumbent patriarchs of Aquileia.
The charter was drawn up outside of imperial chancery, most probably by Patriarch Ulrich’s scribes (see Herkenrath, cited above). The reason for this most probably lies in Ulrich’s wish, as Härtel (cited above) put it, “to have his attitude [towards the Empire during the schism with the papacy of Alexander III] well rewarded, not so much by imperial “gifts” as by imperial backing for claims against third parties.” This would explain the confirmation of the secular possession of the castle of Treffen with its dependencies, directed, it would seem, against the possible pretensions of the duke of Carinthia; the possessions in Friuli donated by the former margrave of Tuscia Ulrich were directed against the possible pretensions of the emperor (as the Empire had confiscated Ulrich’s jurisdictions in Tuscia). The confirmation of the “island of Grado” and the lands between the rivers Piave and Livenza, directed against Venice, were purely theoretical rights, but it nonetheless showed that the Aquileian Patriarchate enjoys imperial support in their centennial dispute against the Church of Grado. Finally, even the confirmation of the regalian rights over Istrian bishoprics was at this point theoretical as the Patriarchate of Grado formally and officially renounced its claims over the metropolitan authority in Istria only in July of 1180 (see doc. 1180_GA), even though the dispute had been de facto ended in Aquileian favor already in 1132 by Pope Innocent II’s confirmation issued to Patriarch Peregrine I (doc. 1132_PI).
The charter does not survive in the original which was pawned in 1303 to a Pagnin of the Florentine Capponi society by Patriarch Ottobono (see Banić, Barmecidal Margraviate, pp. 91–93). The text of the charter survives in essentially three manuscript traditions: the vidimus, based on the original, made and authenticated by Meglioranza of Thiene in 1303 (hereby dubbed C); a simple copy made sometime in late 14th, early 15th century by an unknown scribe and based on an unknown source (hereby dubbed B); and two simple copies included in the Venetian registers documenting the rights and prerogatives of the Church of Aquileia composed in late 15th century, also based on unknown sources (hereby dubbed D and E). The MGH edition, curated by Heinrich Appelt, was based solely on BDE as ms. C was unknown to him. However, the ms. C is the only copy that can be officially recognized as based entirely on the nowadays lost original, even though it features a number of scribal errors and “emendations”. The problem lies in the fact that only ms. C includes the Bishopric of Koper in the enumeration of the regalian rights enjoyed by the patriarchs of Aquileia, just as featured in all the subsequent reissues of the charter (see Medieval Recollections above). As ms. C had been unknown to Appelt, the regalia over Koper was omitted and Henry VI’s reissue of this charter in 1193 was seen as the first mention of the regalian rights over the Bishopric of Koper. However, as ms. C shows, it was already Frederick I who confirmed the regalian rights over the Bishopric of Koper to the Patriarchate of Aquileia. This inference is further confirmed by the fact that the Bishopric of Koper was (re)instituted in 1177 by Pope Alexander III and placed under the metropolitan jurisdiction of Aquileian patriarchs (see doc. 1177_PA and the relevant editor’s comments).
The publication of the facsimile of B (Venice, Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Miscellanea atti diplomatici e privati, busta 1, document number 45a) is granted free of charge by Archivio di Stato di Venezia by way of the “simplified procedure” of publishing archival facsimiles (La circolare della Direzione generale archivi n. 39 del 29 settembre 2017: procedura semplificata: pubblicazioni online che perseguano finalità scientifiche o pedagogiche, non beneficino di inserzioni pubblicitarie o commerciali e non siano soggette ad accesso a pagamento).
Photo by the editor.
The digital facsimile remains under the exclusive copyright of Archivio di Stato di Venezia.