10th
Today, 655 years ago, the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV of Luxembourg, issued a decree that would be the de facto constitution for the Holy Roman Empire. The Golden Bull of 1356 was a kind of declaration of independence from the Pope. It also established the system of Prince-Electors that structured the politics of Late Medieval Europe.
Take a look at one of our photos from Trier to get an idea of what it would mean to be an Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. Also, for our visitors who’ve seen the castles on the Moselle — they’re there because the Archbishop of Trier was an Elector.
By the way, it’s called the Golden Bull because it was sealed with Chuck’s fancy golden seal. (Also BTW, his half-brother Wenceslaus I, Duke of Luxembourg, also signed a momentous document that determined the distribution of power just west of the HRE — in the very same month of the same year.)
The decree was in force until 1806 — so this bit of law lasted almost 450 years. It ended only when the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, dissolved the Empire by treaty, in the face of Napoleon’s armies.
