Aquileian Patriarch Berthold V of Andechs and his nephew Count Maynard III of Gorizia settle their dispute regarding transit rights over the Kreuzberg Pass (Monte Croce) and the customs duties at Chiusaforte, agreeing that Maynard would provide safe conduct to Bavarians and those from north of Niederwölz coming via the Tauern passes, while the patriarch would collect two-thirds of the usual Chiusaforte tolls from travelers from Austria, Styria, and Carinthia who chose the Kreuzberg route.
Bertholdus Dei gratia sancte Aquilegensis ecclesie patriarcha.
Notum facimus universis ad quos presens pagina devenerit, quod, cum quedam discordia verteretur inter nos ex una parte et dilectum nepotem et fidelem nostrum Meinhardum comitem Goricie ex altera super strata que ducit per montem Crucis, de qua idem comes asserebat quod ad eum pertinebat dare conductum omnibus transeuntibus per ipsam et nos quoslibet inde venientes aut redeuntes nec per mutam nec alio modo deberemus aliquatenus inpedire; nos vero vice versa de iure nostro proposuimus taliter, quod revera nepos noster conductum habebat in eadem strata et habere debuit de personis ad hoc specialiter deputatis, videlicet a Bawaris qui per montes nomine Tower veniunt et ab illis qui Niderwelz supra sunt constituti, de aliis vero infra constitutis et qui veniunt de Austria et Stiria et Karintia, qui a longis retro temporibus per Canales et per Clusam consueverunt venire, nichil ad nepotem nostrum diximus pertinere, immo eo quod mutam de Clusa effugere vellent per montem Crucis transeundo, nos eandem mutam quam illic evitare volebant ab ipsis hic decrevimus accipiendam.
Super hac autem causa multis hinc inde propositis de communi consensu, tam nostri quam nepotis nostri, fuit tandem ad arbitros devoluta. Constitutis igitur ex parte nostra duobus, scilicet Wͦlrico de Cucanna et Iohanne de Portis et ex parte altera similiter duobus Cholone de Flachsperch et Heinrico de Lunz, pro bono pacis et concordie promisimus ex utraque parte ratum habere quidquid super dicta controversia forent hii quatuor arbitrati.
Audito itaque et examinato iure partis utriusque, dicti arbitri talem de voluntate nostri et nepotis nostri sentenciam protulerunt, quod dictus nepos noster conductu illo de personis determinatis, sicut superius est expressum, libere debeat gaudere; de aliis vero, qui de Austria et Stiria et Karintia per Clusam transire consueverant, si per montem Crucis vellent aliqua de causa transire, ne nos muta nostra fraudaremur quam in Clusa dare debebant tertiam partem eiudem mute, sicut in Clusa dari consuevit, relaxari constituerunt, duas autem partes talis mute possumus accipere ubicumque volumus in nostro territorio, ita tamen quod mercatores qui nobis hanc mutam persolvunt, tam nostra quam nepotis nostri gaudeant protectione et nec a nobis nec a nostris nec a nepote nostro neque suis deinceps quacumque ire voluerint usque ad mare eundo sive redeundo, aliquod habeanta impedimentum.
Hanc autem sentenciam vel arbitrium tam nos quam nepos noster approbantes et per successores nostros et heredes nepotis nostri volentes inviolabilem observari, presentem paginam inde iussimus conscribi et tam nostri quam nepotis nostri sigilli munimine roborari.
Actum Civitate Austria in caminata, anno Domini millesimo CCXXXIIIIo, quarto die exeunte novembri, presentibus Wͦlrico venerabile Tergestino electo, Ottone preposito Sancti Wͦldalrici, Heinrico de Villalta et Ludewico filio eiusdem, Rudolfo de Cibriano, Hertwico de Werde, Chunrado de Kastelir, Leonardo de Sconenberch, Bertholdo et Wͦlrico fratribus de Tricano, Duringo de Mels, Hermanno de Portis, Heinrico de Valchensteine, Wͦlrico de Rifenberch, Folkero de Flachsperch, Hertwico de Punsenico et aliis multis.
(SP) (SP)
a) aliquod habeant] ex nullum habent corr. sup. l. A.
This charter documents a significant commercial agreement that aimed to resolve jurisdictional conflicts between the patriarch of Aquileia and his advocate, the count of Gorizia, over important Alpine transit routes. The dispute centered on the strategically valuable road over the Kreuzberg Pass (Monte Croce), which connected the Friulian plains with Carinthia through the But valley. The economic stakes were considerable, as the agreement effectively divided the collection of customs duties from merchants based on their geographic origin.
As Paschini (cited above) notes, the patriarch acknowledged Count Maynard's right to provide safe conduct and collect duties from Bavarian merchants who traveled through the Tauern passes from regions north of Niederwölz. However, the patriarch maintained his jurisdiction over travelers from Austria, Styria, and Carinthia—areas to the east of the line running from Pontebba through Villach, St. Veit, and Leoben.
The arbitration panel, consisting of two representatives from each party, crafted a compromise solution: merchants from these eastern territories who normally used the Pontebba-Chiusaforte route (through the Fella valley) but chose to travel via Kreuzberg would pay the patriarch two-thirds of the usual Chiusaforte toll at any location within his territory. This arrangement protected the patriarch's revenue while acknowledging the count's authority over certain routes. In return, both rulers promised protection to merchants throughout their territories to the Adriatic.