A charter to re-establish Kraków

Translated letter:

In the name of the father and son and holy spirit amen.  It is fitting that favorable things be confirmed and protected by documents and witnesses with the report and evidence of the actions [taken], lest they be obscured by dispute or a cloud of oblivion.  Since therefore the assembly of men, which is natural and, it is said, brings justice on earth, as justice is favorable to all, and that assembly equally.  Intending therefore to locate a city in Kraków and to bring together there men from different regions, we press on the ears of individuals in the present as well as the future, that we, Boleslaw, by the grace of god duke of Kraków and Sandomierz, together with our illustrious mother Gremislava, and our noble spouse Cunegunde, by that right we locate it where the city of Wratizlava (Wrocław) was located, as it is not there.  But what ought to be the form of the city according to the law of Magdeburg is noted so that if there should be a doubt about it, there may be recourse for the doubters to the written law.  First, therefore, we wish this to be firmly observed, we promised, with our advocates Gedcon called Stilvoyt, Jacob formerly judge of Nyza and Dethmar called Wolk in our presence personally, that we would inviolably observe that all citizens living in that city would for six years have no payment or any charge from us that they must make for their persons or places, or pertaining to that city, unless for the rooms where cloths are sold, and the rooms of peddlers, called Cram in the vernacular from which after we have built them at our expense and labor five parts of the payments for those would come to us,  indeed the said advocates take the sixth part by heredity; this however is not by right, but by our special grace. Indeed after the six years have gone by, in whatever area they will be held to pay us half the share of weight of Theutonic silver  as will then be the usual payment.  We confer the right and free power over stalls of butchers, bakers, and cobblers (calcipariorum) on said advocates to be retained perpetually or confered on others at their pleasure so that the possessors of said stalls may be absolved from all charge in perpetuity. 
The advocates, when the freedom in that city is finished, will obtain the sixth court from all perpetually and freely, not by right but from our special grace.  Similarly another court outside the city, where sheep will be slaughtered, they will possess freely and by hereditary right.  We also  grant and promise to observe inviolably that the oft-mentioned advocates may convey their wares perpetually without any charge or toll of ours and cross through our entire dominion and duchy.  Other inhabitants of that city will enjoy that freedom for ten years.  We promise also to those advocates and all the citizens that we will not appoint an advocate for them, neither special nor general, but when any business should arise that requires greater investigation, either we will participate or send someone from our side to complete the business.  We wish also and grant to said city that for ploughing and pasturing and other uses they may have by hereditary right the town which is commonly called Rybitwy, with all the appurtenances of that town except the channels; also with the whole territory which is between the city and the river Prudnyk in a ring from said town Rybitwy to the town called Crowodra (Krowodrza), so that that town Crowordra is included with its appurtenances, except for episcopal right to the lands and mills of said river.  In that river, we also grant to the advocates  or to whomever they name our two mills and a third that was formerly [held by] the brothers/friars of Mechowia, also a fourth, that was of the monks of Andreow; and if they can build several mills in that river without harm or prejudice to the others we grant that power by hereditary right so that they are held to pay us annually the ferton [German coin] of usual silver for whatever wheel in the present or future.  We also confirm the use of the river Wysle with each shore from the boundaries of Swerincia to the boundaries of the cloister of Mogyla city so that it may be freely fished and the oft-[mentioned advocates] may construct three mills, and possess them free of any payment by hereditary right, except that they be held to grind the grain for our storerooms in that city or near it, especially for the consumption of three thousand.  If in the space of said river they wished to build more mills, it is permitted with the will and consent of the advocates, so only that they be held to pay us half a Mark of the usual silver annually from whatever wheel. 

We also add in perpetuity to all the uses of that city the whole Wood in the upper part of Wisla which is called Chwacymech in the vernacular.  We also confer on said advocates the possession of thirty franconish (franconicos) dwellings, free from all payment and service and every ducal law and charge by hereditary right.  And since it is legal/right that an actor follows the jurisdiction of the thing, we order and wish that when it happens that there is a complaint against a citizen of said city by a Pole of the diocese of Kraków, his case should be brought before a Polish judge; and conversely if a Pole bring a case against a citizen, the advocates should make the judgment and stop the dispute.  This also those advocates promised us that they would make no one bound to us  or the church or anyone else or a free Pole who up to now lived in the country-side a citizen, lest on our account they devastate the rural estates of bishops or canons or others.  This also we grant to the advocates and all the inhabitants of that city present and future and their heirs in perpetuity that after the freedom is ended not one of them may go or send anyone to fighting or to resisting outside the duchy of Kraków according to the boundaries of that duchy which we now possess or shall possess afterwards with god giving.  We wish also and declare this added condition to the city that whatever moneyers there were, should pay the lord Prandota, bishop of Kraków and his successors in the perpetual name of the church of Kraków without any difficulty and as requested by us fully and without diminution a tenth of the money so that if anyone should impede or delay this payment, the bishop may coerce him with ecclesiastical censure, according to the terms of the nine parts to be paid by us or our successors. 

We promised, granted, and gave each and every one of these things to the advocates and their heirs in perpetuity.  Again to the citizens and city and their successors these are to be observed inviolably by us and our successors.  No one at all is permitted to breach this page of our grant, donation, and promise, or to oppose it by any bold daring.  If anyone should presume to attempt this, he should know he will incur the indignation of almighty god and the holy martyrs Stanislaus and Wenceslaus and of us.  In order that all these may obtain perpetual force, we have had appended to the presents our seal and that of the venerable father, already named P[randota] by the grace of God bishop of Kraków and the chapter of that church, and our barons count Adam castellan, as well as count Nicholas palatine of Kraków.  These were enacted in a meeting near the town which is called Coporina in the vernacular, in the 1257th year from the incarnation of the lord, on the nones of June.  Present:  our venerable father in Christ the oftmentioned P[randota], bishop of Kraków and the aforesaid count Adam, castellan of Kraków, Fulco, our chancellor, said count Nicholas palatine of Kraków, count John, judge of Sandomierz, count Nicholas judge of Kraków, count Warso, butler of Sandomierz, Lassota, provost of Skarbimierz, Twardozlas, subchancellor of our court. 

Original letter:

In nomine patris et filij et spiritus sanctij amen.  Res favorabiles instrumentis et testibus, fama et factj euidencia uallarj condecet et munirj, ne obliuionis nubilo seu calumpnia valeant offuscarj.  Cum igitur congregacio hominum, que naturalis est et dicitur, in terris iusticiam fecerit, sicut iusticia ipsa est omnibus fauorabilis, et ipsa congregacio pari uice.  Intendentes ergo locare Ciuitatem in Cracovia et homines inibj de diuersis climatibus congregare, inculcamus auribus Singulorum tam Presencium, quam futurorum, quod nos Bolezlaus dej gracia Dux Cracovie et Sandomirie vna cum illustrj matre nostra Grimizlaua, et Generosa nostra Coniuge Cunegundj, eo iure eam locamus, quo Wratizlauiensis Ciuitas est locata, vt non quod ibi fit, Sed quod ad Magydburgensis Ciuitatis ius et formam fieri debeat aduertatur,  vt si quando de hoc dubitatum fuerit, ad ius Scriptum a dubitantibus recurratur.  In primis igitur hoc firmiter observarj volumus, et Aduocatis nostris Gedconj dicto Stilvoyt, Iacobo quondam Iudici de Nyza et Dethmaro dicto Wolk in nostra presencia personaliter astantibus inuiolabiliter promittimus obseruandum, quod omne ciues in ipsa Ciuitate habitantes infra Sex annorum Spacium nullum censum, uel aliquam exactionem nobis dare, uel facere debeant de personis uel locis Suis, uel eidem Ciuitatj pertinentibus, nisi de Cameris vbj pannj vendentur, et de Cameris institorum, que Cram wlgariter appellantur, de quibus postquam eas nostris sumptibus et laboribus edificauerimus, quia et hoc eis promisimus, quinque partes census ad nos deuenient earumdem, Aduocatj vero predictj Sexam partem hereditare percipient in esidem; hoc tamen non ex iure, Sed ex nostra gracia specialj.  Postquam vero transacti fuerint VI annj predictj, de qualibet area tenebuntur nobis soluere dimidium lottum ponderis Theutonicj argentj tunc cum soluendum fuerit vsualis; De Carnificium tamen et Pistorum et Calcipariorum stacionibus ius et potestatem liberam dictis conferimus aduocatis sibi retinendj uel alijs pro ipsorum libitu perpetualiter conferendj, ita, quod possessores dictarum stacionum ab omnj censu sint imperpetuum absolutj.  Aduocatj vero in ipsa Ciuitate finita libertate Sextam Curiam de omnibus perpetualiter et libere optinebunt, non quod hoc ex iure, sed ex nostra possideant gracia speciali.  Similiter Curiam aliam extra Ciuitatem, vbi pecora mactabuntur, libere et iure hereditario possidebunt.  Concedimus eciam et promittimus inuiolabiliter obseruare, quod Aduocatj sepedictj libere sine omnj exactione et Theloneo nostro perpetualiter et merces suas deuehent et transibunt per vniuersum nostrum dominium et ducatus; Alij vero inhabitatores eiusdem Ciuitatis per decem annos de eadem gaudeant libertate.  Promittimus eciam eisdem Aduocatis et Ciuibus vniuersis, quod nullum eis preficiemus aduocatum, nec specialem, nec generalem, Sed cum aliquod negocium emerserit, quod maioris inquisicione(s) indigeat, uel intererimus, uel aliquem de nostro latere pro eodem tantummodo finiendo negocio transmittemus.  Uolumus eciam et concedimus Ciuitatj iam dicte, vt pro aratura et pascuis et alijs vsibus habeant iure hereditario uillam, que communiter Ribitwj appellatur, cum omnibus eiusdem uille pertinencijs, exceptis duntaxat lacubus:  Item cum toto territorio, quod est inter Ciuitatem et fluuium Prudnyk per gyrum a uilla supradicta Ribitwj usque in uillam nomine Crowodram, ita, quod et ipsa uilla Crowordra cum suis pertinencijs includatur; Saluo tamen iure episcopalj tam in terris et molendinis, quam fluuio supradicto.  In eodem eciam fluuio concedimus Aduocatis, uel quibus ipsi contulerint, duo nostra molendina, et tercium, quod olim fuit fratrum de Mechowia, necnon quartum, quod fuit de Andreow Monachorum; et si plura in eodem fluuio molendina sine aliorum tamen nocumento et preiudicio edificare poterint, eam eis iure hereditario concedimus potestatem, ita, quod de qualibet rota tam presencium quam futurorum molendinorum fertonem usualis nunc argentj nobis annuatjm persoluere teneantur.  Usum eciam Wysle fluuij cum ripa utraque a terminis Swerincie usque ad terminos Claustri de Mogyla Ciuitatj conferimus ita, quod in eo quilibet piscari ualeat libere et seped[icti Aduocatj] tria molendina construere libere, et ab omnj solucione, iureque hereditario possidere; excepto eo duntaxat, quod annonam pro nostris expensis in eadem Ciuitate uel prope ipsam, presertim ad tria miliaria consumendis, molere teneantur.  [Si qui vero] in dictj spacio fluuij plura edificare uoluerint molendina, de voluntate aduocatorum sibi liceat et assensu, ita tamen,  ut dimidiam Marcam usualis argentj nobis soluere annuatim de rota qualibet teneantur.  Applicamus eciam in perpetuum vsibus eiusdem Ciuitatis omnibus Siluam totam in Superiorj parte Wisle, que Chwacymech wlgaritur appellatur.  Conferimus eciam dictis Aduocatis Triginta mansos franconicos liberos ab omni Solucione et seruicio et omnj iure duca[li et quolibet] censu iure hereditario possidendos.  Et quia iuris est, ut actor forum rei sequi debeat, ordinamus et uolumus, ut cum aliquem Ciuem dicte Ciuitatis querelarj contigerit de polono Cracoviensis dyocesis, ius suum coram Polonj iudice prosequatur; e conuerso Si Polonus Ciuem in causam traxerit, hanc Aduocatj et exsequantur  sentenciam, et dirimant questionem.  Hoc eciam nobis ijdem Aduocatj promiserunt, quod nullum ascripticium nostrum, vel Ecclesie, Seu cuiuscumque alterius, uel eciam Polonum liberum, qui in rure hactenus habitauit, faciant suum conciuem, ne hac occasione nostra uel Episcopalia aut Canonicorum, uel aliorum predia ruralia desolentur.  Hos eciam eisdem Aduocatis et omnibus habitatoribus Ciuitatis eiusdem presentibus et futuris et eorum heredibus in perpetuum concedimus eciam post finitam libertatem, vt nullus eorum vadat uel mittat ad impugnandum aliquem,  uel ad resistendum alicuj extra ducatum Cracovie secundum terminos eiusdem Ducatus, quos nunc possidemus, uel postmodum possidebius dante deo.  Uolumus eciam et hanc iniectam condicionem ipsj Ciuitatj declaramus, vt Monetarij quicumque fuerint, domino Prandote Episcopo Cracouiensi et eius successoribus perpetuo nomine Cracouiensis Ecclesie sine omnj difficultate et nobis irrequisitis persoluant integraliter ac sine diminucione decimam de Moneta, vt si quis hanc Solucionem impediuerit uel retardauerit, possit eum Episcopus censura Ecclesiastica cohercere, secundum terminos nouem parcium nobis uel nostris successoribus soluendarum.  Hec omnia et singula promisimus, concessimus et donauimus Aduocatis et eorum heredibus inperpetuum, Item Ciuibus et Ciuitati et eorum successoribus a nobis et nostris Succedaneis  inperpetuum inuiolabiliter obserujanda.  Nullj ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc nostre concessionis, donacionis et promissionis paginam infrigere, uel ei ausu temerario contraire.  Si quis autem hec attemptare presumpserit, indignacionem dej omnipotentis et beatorum Martirum Stanyzlai et Wencezlai et nostram se nouerit incursurum.  Ut autem hec omnia robur perpetuum optineant, presentibus nostrum sigillum et venerabilis Patris nostrj iam dicti P. dei gracia Cracoviensis Episcopi et Capitulj eiusdem Ecclesie, nostrorumque Baronum Comitis Ade Castellanj, necnon Comitis Nicolaj Palathinj Cracowiensis duximus appendenda.  Acta sunt hec in Colloquio iuxta villam, que Coporina wlgariter appellatur, Anno incarnacionis dominj MoCCoLoVIIo Nonas Iunij.  Presentibus:  Venerabilj in christo patre nostro sepedicto P. Episcopo Cracowiensi et prefato Comite Adam Castellano Cracoviensi, Fulcone Cancellario nostro, dicto Comite Nicolao Palathino Cracoviensi, Comite Iohanne Iudice Sandomiriensi, Comite Nicolao Iudice Cracoviensi, Comite Warsone dapifero Sandomiriensi, Lassota Preposito Scarbimiriensi, Twardozlas  Subcancellario nostre Curie.

Historical context:

Boleslaw and his mother and wife formally re-establish Kraków according to Margedeburg, that is German, law.  Kraków and Wrocław had been destroyed during the Mongol invasion in 1241.  Wrocław had been abandoned by its inhabitants and burned to stop the Mongols.  It was settled by Germans in 1242 who adopted German city law.  I am endebted to Ntalia Zajac for alerting me to this document.

Printed source:

Franciszek Piekosiński, ed., Kodeks dyplomatyczny miasta Krakowa 1257-1506, Część Pierwsza, (Cracow: Akademia Umiejętności Krakowskeij, 1879), .1-2 #1.

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