1232_FB | Fontes Istrie medievalis

Era

Vol. 4: A 1209 usque ad 1300

Series

Diplomata

Acta publica

Acta imperatorum et regum Romanorum

Date

February 1232

Place

Ravenna

Regestum

Answering the pleas of Aquileian Patriarch Berthold, Emperor Frederick II proclaims and ratifies the verdict of the imperial princes gathered at the Diet of Ravenna, confirming the secular rights and prerogatives of Aquileian patriarchs and forbidding the election of rectors and the exercise of regalian rights to the subjected urban communities, especially to the Istrian cities of Koper, Poreč, and Pula.

Subjects

Fridericus II, rex Siciliae (1198-1250), rex Romanorum (1212-1250), imperator Imperii Romanorum (1220-1250)

Bertholdus V, de domo Andechs, patriarcha Aquileiensis et marchio Istriae (1218-1251)

Iustinopolis alias Capras vocatur, commune (Koper / Kopar / Capodistria)

Parentium, commune (Poreč / Parenzo)

Pola, commune et civitas (Pula / Pola)

Source

The original is lost as it was pawned by Aquileian Patriarch Ottobono in 1303; the text survives in three later copies:

Venice, Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Miscellanea atti diplomatici e privati, busta 2, doc. 97b; a vidimus from November 28, 1252, based on the original and with the following heading: In nomine Domini. Exemplum cuiusdam privilegii ex autentico;

and the following attestation: (SN) Ego Guidoctus de Murolta civitatis Brixie notarius et scriptor domini Gregorii de Montelongo sancte sedis Aquilegensis electi, predictum privilegium eiusdem domini electi mandato a bullato autentico bulla aurea exemplavi, nil addens vel minuens quod sensum vel sententiam mutet, currente M CC LII, indictione X, die tercio exeunte novembris, in Civitate Austria, et me subscripsi, presentibus testibus dominis .. episcopo Tervisino, .. electo Çenetensi, .. Delatora archipresbitero Paduano, magistro Belingerio preposito Sancti Odorici et Al(berto) de Collice vicedomino dicti domini electi.. The parchment is damaged on several places and the ink is very faded, making a large portion of the text almost illegible.

C = Venice, Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Miscellanea atti diplomatici e privati, busta 2, doc. 97; a vidimus (or a simple copy of a vidimus) made by Walter of Cividale on January 31, 1262, with the following heading: In Christi nomine, exemplum ex autentico relevatum and the following attestations: Ego Walterus Civitatensis auctoritate domini Gregorii Aquilegensis patriarche notarius prescriptum privilegium vidi, legi, tenui et fideliter ascultavi et de mandato dicti domini patriarche michi facto sub anno millesimo ducentesimo LXII, indictione quinta, die ultimo ianuarii, in Austria Civitate in patriarchali camera me subscripsi et in publicam formam redegi, nichil addens vel minuens quod ipsius privilegii sententiam variet sive sensum.

Ego Iohannes de Lupico Sacri Imperii publicus notarius suprascriptum privilegium vidi, legi, tenui, ascultavi et de mandato predicti domini G. patriarche Aquilegensis me subscribens signum meum apposui anno, die, loco et indictione prescriptis.

Ego Conradus imperiali auctoritate notarius; this attestation is left unfinished. Since everything is written by the same hand and since there are no notarial signs, this is probably either a concept or a subsequent simple copy of the vidimus.

D = Venice, Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Miscellanea atti diplomatici e privati, busta 10, doc. 333; a vidimus from April 25, 1303 with the following heading: Item quodam privilegium domini Friderici secundi cum bulla eius auera bullatum, cuius tenor talis est.

Previous Editions

Vincenzo Joppi, Aggiunte inedite al codice diplomatico istro-tergestino del secolo XIII (Udine 1878), doc. 6, pp. 19-23; based on D.

Eduard Winkelmann (ed.), Acta Imperii inedita, vol. 1 (Innsbruck 1880), doc. 320, pp. 286–287; based on CD.

FIM Edition

Collated edition based on BCD, favoring B, the oldest copy based on the original.

Transcription

In nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis.^a

Fridericus secundus divina favente clemencia Romanorum imperator semper augustus, Ierusalem et Sicilie^b rex.

Digna perhibetur maiestate regnantis sequela iustitie quam debitus iuris ordo poposcit^c, competens Romani principis equitati ut, sicut ex commisso^d publice fastigio dignitatis tenetur passim et indiferenter^e universorum rationibus providere, ita in iudicio et iustitia principum suorum iura promoveat et que contra eas^f in preiudicium maxime iuris Imperii temera sunt attemptata^g decidat et que decisa fuerint, prout ius et ratio exigunt, sanctiat^h observari.

Hinc est itaque quod presentis scripti serie volumus esse notum fidelibus Imperii, tam modernis quam posteris universis, quod dum assistentibus nobis Imperii principibus, tam ecclesiasticis quam mundanis, sollempnemⁱ Ravenne curiam regeremus, dilectus princeps noster^j Bertoldus^k venerabilis Aquilegensis patriarcha^l proposuit in eadem curia coram^m nobis multa per insolentiam et abusum per civitates, castella, villas et oppidaⁿ Patriarchatus sui – et precipue in Istria^o a^p Polensibus, Iustinopolitanis et Parentinis et alibi per iurisdictionem suam – in iniuriam Imperii et sui preiudicium nequiter attemptari^q, videlicet in creando de novo potestatibus^r, consulibus^s, rectoribus, iudicibus; exigendis collectis; moneta cudenda; theloneis statuendis; manutenendis debitalibus et feudis^t ministerii; et rebus aliis spectantibus^u ad regalia illicite alienandis; et insuper de appellationibus in quibus sue iurisdictioni derogatur pariter et honori, de quorum^v omnium revocationem et cassationem debitam faciendam nostre constitutionis edictum et providentiam principum postulavit.

Nos igitur, qui tenemur singulis sua iura ex equitatis moderamine conservare, deliberantes cum principibus nostris, eorumdem principum dictante et approbante sententia, duximus statuendum presenti edictali^w constitutione nostra in irritum revocantes et cassantes omnino potestates, consules, rectores et iudices civitatum, villarum, oppidorum per totam iurisdictionem patriarche Aquilegensis, dilecti principis nostri, et per totam terram Istrie – nominatim Polensium^x, Iustinopolitanorum et Parentinorum –, exactiones insuper collectarum, statuta theloneorum^y et cudende monete ac omnes alias constitutiones, coniurationes seu conspirationes, alienationes quoque terrarum pertinentium ad Comitatum que per herimannos aut nobiles qui vocantur edelingen^z facte fuerunt.

Revocamus preterea in irritum et^a' cassamus manumissiones debitalium, venditiones etiam rerum spectantium ad regalia factas quondam^b' per gastaldiones seu alios officiales, que predicta omnia in preiudicium Imperii et eiusdem patriarche absque voluntate sua fuerunt temere attemptata ac^c' ammodo^d' presentis scripti auctoritate hec et hiis similia fieri modis omnibus prohibemus.

Ad hec sententie principum^e' inherentes decrevimus ut, quia iurisdictio per totam Istriam ad eumdem^f' patriarcham pro Imperio spectare dignoscitur, appellationes que in eadem terra Istrie emergunt fiant ad eum et ab eo ad nostre audientiam maiestatis. Et quia malefactores per appellationem subterfugiebant iudicium in terra sua et per eorum impunitatem audacia crescit, ad petitionem ipsius pronuntiatum extitit et sanctitum^g' super furtis, latrociniis^h' et rapinis in terris eiusdem patriarche die noctuque commissis quod, si quis inde conventus^i' fuerit, non possit nec debeat^j' a suo iudice^k' nec a principali vel a sententia aliquatenus^l' appellare, sed^m' coram eo parere in iudicio teneatur. Super causa vero pecuniaria in eadem curia est provisum quod a principali vel a^n' sententia reus non poterit appellare, sed coram suo iudice iuris equitati parebit.

Preterea petiit in eadem curia dictus^o' patriarcha quod, si quis habens terras vel possessiones ad suum ministerium deputatas, eas sine consensu eiusdem patriarche vendiderit vel alienaverit et emptor allegaverit possessiones ipsas liberas esse et ad suum ministerium nequamque spectare, utrum^p' probationes patriarche in hoc casu sint admittende vel probationes emptoris, ad quod sententialiter obtinuit^q' quod onus^r' probationis spectet ad patriarcham per homines eiusdem conditionis vel alios^s' legitimos^t' et ydoneos viros et quod non admitti debeat^u' probatio emptoris in contrarium probare volentis.

Statuimus itaque firmiter et mandamus quatenus^v' nulla persona sublimis vel humilis, ecclesiastica vel secularis, nulla quoque civitas, villa vel oppidum, herimannus^w' seu edelingus, gastaldio^x' aut officialis quilibet contra presentem constitutionem nostram et sententiam principum venire presumat.

Quod qui^y' presumpserit noviter se quingentarum marcharum^z' argenti pena mulctandum, quarum medietatem fisco nostro persolvat et reliquam iniuriam patienti.

Ut autem hec constitutio nostra^a'' rata et inconvulsa permaneat ac robur obtineat^b'' perpetue firmitatis, presentem^c'' divinalem paginam fieri fecimus et bulla aurea typario nostre maiestatis impressa iussimus insigniri.

Huius rei testes sunt: ..^d'' Madeburgensis archiepiscopus et ..^e'' Panormitanus archiepiscopus^f'', E. Babinbergensis^g'', S. Ratisponensis imperialis aule cancellarum, H. Wormaciensis^h'' episcopus, .. Curiensis, N. Reginensis et G. Brixiensis episcopi, A. dux Saxonie, O. dux Meranie, B. dux Karinthie, F. lantgravius^i'' Turingie^j'', comes Henricus de Ortemburgh^k'', comes H.^l'' de Naxowe^m'', comites de Spanaim^n'', comes ..^o'' de Hostaden^p'', comes de Digen^q'', Gunçelinus^r'', Wernerus^s'' de Bollandia^t'', Marqualdus^u'' de Roffingen^v'', Ricardus^w'' camerarius et alii quam plures.

Signum domini Friderici secundi Dei gratia invictissimi Romanorum imperatoris semper augusti, Ierusalem et Sicilie regis. (SM)^x''

Acta sunt hec anno Dominice incarnationis millesimo ducentesimo^y'' tricesimo^z'' primo, mense februarii^aa, quinte indictionis, imperante domino nostro Friderico Dei gratia invictissimo Romanorum imperatore semper augusto, Ierusalem et Sicilie rege, anno imperii eius duodecimo^bb, regni Ierusalem septimo^cc, regni vero Sicilie tricesimo quarto^dd.

Feliciter, amen.

Data in civitate Ravenne^ee anno, mense et indictione prescriptis.

Apparato critico

a) In nomine—Trinitatis] om. D. b) Sycilie et saepe sic CD. c) poposscit D. d) comisso D. e) indifferenter D. f) contra eas] om. D. g) attentata C. h) santiat C. i) solemnem D. j) princeps noster] CD; inv. B. k) Bertholdus et undique sic CD. l) CD; patriarca et saepe sic B. m) om. D. n) opida et saepe sic CD. o) Ystria et saepe sic CD. p) et D. q) attentari C. r) creando de novo potestatibus] potestatibus creandis de novo D. s) consilibus D. t) pheudis C. u) spectatibus D. v) de quorum] CD; a quo B. w) editali D. x) CD; Pollensium B. y) thelonearum C. z) edelingen cum sign. abbr. B; edeligen D. a') iter. D. b') condam C. c') et CD. d') amodo CD. e') om. D. f') eundem D. g') sactitum C. h') latrocinis D. i') inde conventus] inconventus D. j') om. D. k') iure D. l') aliqualiter D. m') set et saepe sic C. n') om. C. o') predictus D. p') ut C; et D. q') optinuit C. r') honus C; omnis D. s') add. sup. l. C. t') legiptimos D. u') admitti debeat] inv. D. v') quod C. w') hermannus D. x') castaldio C. y') si D. z') CD; marcarum B. a'') constitutio nostra] inv. CD. b'') optineat C. c'') presente D. d'') D; spatium vacuum BC. e'') D; om. BC. f'') om. D. g'') sic BC; Babembergensis D. h'') Vormaciensis CD. i'') D; langravius BC. j'') D; Thuringius BC. k'') Ortoburch C; Ortemburch D. l'') CD; A. B. m'') D; Naslanie B; Nasolie C. n'') Spanaym C; Spanayim D. o'') om. D. p'') Ostaden D. q'') Dyege CD. r'') Gonzelirius D. s'') Vernerus CD. t'') Bolandia C. u'') CD; Marcoadus B. v'') D; Rofingen B; Boffingen C. w'') Riccardus C. x'') C; om. BD. y'') ducentessimo C. z'') tricessimo C. aa) seq. spatium vacuum rel. B, fort. pro SM. bb) XII CD. cc) VII C. dd) tricesimo quarto] XXXIIII CD. ee) C; Ravene BD.

Selected Bibliography

Pier Silverio Leicht, Studi e frammenti (Udine 1903), pp. 53–55.

Walter Lenel, Venezianisch-Istrische Studien (Strasbourg 1911), pp. 141–145.

Pio Paschini, “Bertoldo di Merania patriarca d'Aquileia (1218-1251),” Memorie storiche forogiuliesi 16 (1920): pp. 9–10.

Giovanni de Vergottini, Lineamenti storici della costituzione politica dell'Istria durante il Medio Evo, 2nd ed. (Trieste 1974), pp. 82–85.

Heinrich Schmidinger, Patriarch und Landesherr: Die weltliche Herrschaft der Patriarchen von Aquileia bis zum Ende der Staufer (Graz-Cologne 1954), pp. 93–94.

Francesco Semi, Capris, Iustinopolis, Capodistria: La storia, la cultura e l'arte (Trieste 1975), p. 77.

Heinrich Schmidinger, “Federico II e il Friuli,” in Il Friuli dagli Ottoni agli Hohenstaufen, ed. Giuseppe Fornasir (Udine 1984), pp. 312–314.

Editor's Notes

At the very beginning of the imperial Diet at Ravenna (December 1231–March 1232), Emperor Frederick II promulgated a decree in favor of ecclesiastical princes and against civic autonomies, the famous Edictum contra communia civium et societates artificium (see it edited here). However, the edict only concerned the German part of the Empire, the partes Alemannie. Being an Italian ecclesiastical prince (cf. doc. 1206_PW), the patriarch of Aquileia, who featured prominently as the first signee of the edict, endeavored to procure a similar privilege for his Church – the result of this successful endeavor is the hereby edited privilege (dated according to the indiction to 1232).

Patriarch Berthold primarily lamented over the communal self-government of Istrian cities, namely Koper, Poreč, and Pula. The emperor heeded the pleas of his faithful ally and issued a privilege revoking the principal communal autonomies of Istrian towns and cities – the elections of rectors and other communal officials. Moreover, all the regalian rights in Istria were confirmed to the patriarch of Aquileia – the margrave of Istria on behalf of the Empire, the emperor’s court remaining the supreme appellate jurisdiction.

The charter marks the absolute height of patriarchs’ authority as margraves of Istria and the lowest point of Istrian communal freedoms in the 13^th century. The privilege, however, could not reverse the historical development that had engulfed Istrian civic communities. Already in 1238 Patriarch Berthold lamented over the exercise of merum et mixtum imperium by his vassals in Friuli and Istria (doc. 1238_FB); in the same year, the very Emperor Frederick II officially recognized the right to the election of podestàs in Koper, but only from among the patriarch’s subjects and only following the patriarch’s confirmation (doc. 1238_FBI). In 1239, however, the patriarch had to concede even broader freedoms in the election of rectors to the Commune of Koper (doc. 1239_MBI).

Nevertheless, the 1232 charter presents a major victory for Patriarch Berthold V of Andechs who sought to impose his margravial authority over Istrian communes.

How to Cite

First citation: Josip Banic (ed.), Fontes Istrie medievalis, vol. 4: A 1209 usque ad 1300, doc. 1232_FB, fontesistrie.eu/1232_FB (last access: date).

Subsequent citations: FIM, 4: doc. 1232_FB.

Facsimile

Image Source and Info

The publication of the facsimile of B (Venice, Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Miscellanea atti diplomatici e privati, busta 2, document number 97bis) 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).

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