Conradus IV, rex Romanorum, rex Siciliae, rex Ierusalem (1250-1254)

On his way from German lands to Apulia, the new king of the Romans, Conrad IV, travels through Istria (narrative account from the anonymous continuator of Genoese Annals).

Roman king Conrad IV orders Berthold, the margrave of Vohburg-Hohenburg, to explain to the podestà of Koper, Andrea Zeno, and to the Capodistrians under his authority, how the Margraviate of Istria is an imperial land bestowed unto the late Aquileian Patriarch Berthold V of Andechs by the king’s father (Emperor Frederick II), but now, with the patriarch’s death, the Empire can again freely dispose with the Margraviate and therefore, the citizens of Koper should not swear any fealty to the newly elected Aquileian Patriarch Gregory of Montelongo, but persevere in their allegiance to the Empire.

Roman King Conrad IV accords privileges of the free elections of podestàs to the Commune of Koper, as long as they are elected from among those faithful to the Empire.

Roman King Conrad IV issued a privilege to the Commune of Poreč, granting it the right of free election of their podestas, recognizing the city’s regalian rights and the jurisdictions over its district, allowing the imperial notaries to freely exercise their trade in the city and its district, granting it the right to retain the incomes from tolls levied on commercial goods entering the city by land, and giving it the permission to lawfully and securely trade with the Kingdom of Sicily.