Last Will of Charles IV Lore Books

Description

The last will of Emperor Charles bound in covers, to be preserved for posterity.

Text

Testament
Tangermünde, 13 October 1377
We, Charles, by the grace of God, Emperor of Rome, for ever expander of the Empire and King of Bohemia, confess publicly that on account of the health difficulties we are experiencing, we feel the need, with God’s help, to establish, in the name of peace, such an arrangement that our trust shall be proportionately divided among all the heirs. With deliberation and knowledge of the arrangements, as well as after hearing the voices of counsel, we hereby make our last will and testament, to be followed and observed.

Firstly
the most noble Prince Wenceslas, King of the Romans, for ever the propagator of the Empire and King of Bohemia, shall receive all the estates which fall under the Bohemian Crown, including the territories in Poland and Silesia, Vratislav, Hlohov, Frankenstein in Schlesien, Stínava and Hory, as well as Budyšínsko and all other principalities, lands, landsmen and their subjects belonging thereto. In memory of our father, the most illustrious King John, he shall administer all the other territories and estates which the latter annexed to our Kingdom, as well as the land from Svídnice to Javor, the inheritance of his mother.

Furthermore
the most noble Sigismund, Margrave of Brandenburg, Archduke and Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, our dear son, shall receive the Brandenburg Mark, the territory old and new, including the lands which fall under the administration of the Roman Crown, that is to say, the estates, fortresses and fields lying on the Oder as far as the town of Oderberg, with all the bridges of the Oder, and with it the inseparable right for life to rule over all the landsmen and their estates in that territory.

Furthermore
the most noble John, Duke of Zhořelec, our son, shall acquire and hold the Duchy of Zhořelec with the town of Zhořelec, whose territory shall be extended for ever to the lands of Lusatia and Budyšín, and on towards Poland to the Margraviate of Brandenburg. Together with this, he and his successors will be entitled to the Brandenburg inheritance between the Oder and Würz rivers, with the right to incorporate these under the Duchy of Zhořelec.