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Charter of the Charles University of Prague, April 7, 1348


Charles, by the grace of God, King of the Romans, ever emperor, and King of Bohemia. To eternal memory of that thing.

Between the longings of our heart and what is still occupying our royal mind with its weight, its attention, care and attention are always turned to the fact that our Czech kingdom, which above all other dignities and possessions, whether hereditary or happily acquired, will be distinguished by the affection of our mind we love, whose elevation we care for with all possible zeal, and whose honor and well-being we seek with all our endeavors, that, as by the direction of God it rejoices in the natural abundance of the earth's crops, according to the command of our prudence and our contrivances in our times it may be adorned with a multitude of learned men .

And so that our faithful inhabitants of the kingdom, who hunger unceasingly for the fruits of knowledge, may not have to beg for alms in foreign countries, but that they may find in the kingdom a table set for feasting, and that those who are distinguished by innate insight and above it, may become the knowledge of the sciences educated, and they were no longer forced and could consider it unnecessary to go around the world in order to search for sciences, to turn to foreign nations, or to satisfy their longing, to beg in foreign regions, but to consider it their glory that they can to invite strangers to you and make them partakers of that delicious fragrance and of such great gratitude.

Therefore, in order that such a beneficial and praiseworthy intention of our mind may give birth to worthy fruits, and that the nobility of this kingdom may be multiplied by the comforted firstfruits of newness, we have decided, after previous mature consideration, to establish, exalt and anew create a general teaching in our metropolitan and especially charming city of Prague, which is both by the richness of the land's crops, and by the pleasantness of the place, as it abounds in everything necessary, exceedingly suitable and adapted to such a great task.

At this teaching there will be doctors, masters and students of all faculties, to whom we promise excellent goods, and to those whom we find worthy, we will bestow royal gifts.

We want to keep doctors, masters and students in any faculty and outside it, all in common and each in particular, wherever they come from, both on the way, during their stay and on their return, under the special protection and auspices of our majesty, giving each a firm guarantee that all the privileges, prerogatives, and liberties enjoyed by the king's power, and enjoyed by doctors and pupils both of the learning of Paris and of Bologna, we will kindly grant to all and every one who wishes to come hither, and we will see to it that those liberties are from of each and every one inviolably preserved.

In witness of all this, and for a safer certainty, we have had this document drawn up and ordered it to be confirmed with the seal of our majesty. Given in Prague in the year of the Lord one thousand three hundred and forty-eight, in the first indication, on the seventh day of the month of April, in the second year of our kingdom.

Latin Text

Karolus, Dei gracia Romanorum rex semper augustus et Boemie rex. Ad perpetuam rei memoriam.

Inter desiderabilia cordis nostri et que cogitacioni regali iugiter occurrunt, animi precipua reddimur anxietate solliciti specialiter convertentes aciem mentis nostre, qualiter regnum nostrum Boemie, quod pre ceteris hereditariis, aut eufortune acquisicionis honoribus et possessionibus prerogativa mentis affeccione complectimur, cuius exaltacionem omni, qua possumus, diligencia procurantes, ipsius honori intendimus totis conatibus et saluti, sicut rerum victualium, ad dispensacionem divini nominis natura profluente tripudiat, sic ad nostre provisionis edictum prudentum virorum copia nostris artificialiter temporibus decoretur, ut fideles nostri regnicole, qui scienciarum fructus indesinenter esuriunt, per aliena mendicare suffragia non coacti paratam in regno sibi mensam propinacionis inveniant, et quos ingeniorum nativa subtilitas ad consilia reddit conspicuos, litterarum sciencia faciat eruditos, nec solum compellantur, aut supervacuum reputent ad investigandas gyrum terre sciencias circuire, naciones expetere peregrinas aut, ut ipsorum aviditatibus satisfiat, in alienis regionibus mendicare, sed gloriosum estiment extraneos alios ad suavitatem odoris et gratitudinis huiusmodi participium evocare.

Sane ut tam salubris et laudabilis animi pareat concepcio fructus dignos, regni ipsius fastigia tripudialibus novitatis volentes primiciis augmentari, in nostra Pragensi metropolitica et amenissima civitate, quam terrene fertilitatis fecunditas et plenitudine rerum amenitas localis reddunt utiliter tanto negocio congruentem, instituendum,ordinandum et de novo creandum consulta utique deliberacione previa duximus studium generale, in quo siquidem studio doctores, magistri et scolares erunt in qualibet facultate, quibus bona magnifica promittimus et eis, quos dignos viderimus, regalia donaria conferemus, omnes et singulos doctores, magistros et scolares in profectione et qualibet facultate ac undecunque venerint, veniendo, morando et redeundo sub nostre maiestatis speciali protectione et salva gardia retinentes, firmam singulis fiduciam oblaturi, quod privilegia, immunitates et libertates omnes, quibus tam in Parisiensi, quam Bononiensi studiis doctores et scolares auctoritate regia uti et gaudere sunt soliti, omnibus et singulis illuc accedere volentibus liberaliter impertimur et faciemus ab omnibus et singulis inviolabiliter observari.

In quorum omnium testimonium et ad certitudinem pleniorem presentes fieri iussimus et nostre maiestatis sigilli appensione muniri.

Datum Prage anno domini millesimo trecentesimo quadragesimo octavo, indictione prima, septimo Idus Aprilis, regnorum nostrorum anno secundo.

 

Source: AI translation of Czech version of the charter at the Charles University Website. https://cuni.cz/UK-145.html

This text is part of the Internet Medieval Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts related to medieval and Byzantine history. Unless otherwise indicated the specific electronic form of the document is copyright. Permission is granted for electronic copying, distribution in print form for educational purposes and personal use. If you do reduplicate the document, indicate the source. No permission is granted for commercial use.

© Paul Halsall, February 2023
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