Promulgation of the Golden Bull

The most important constitutional document of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation is issued

After his coronation as emperor, Charles IV set about reforming the ambiguous process of royal election. Consulting with the princes of the empire at a court meeting in Nuremberg, he agreed a new arrangement: voting rights for a new emperor would be held by seven “electors”, who could convene to elect a new emperor only after the death of the reigning monarch. In return for their agreement, the princes were granted privileges that acted to prevent the development of a strong central state in Germany. This anchored the concept of federalism in German constitutional arrangements, which is still in force today.

Issued on 10 January 1356, the Golden Bull remained in force until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806. The document was named after the golden seals that adorned it.