Carol
Quintul gave a privilege to Heraclide Jacob Basilic Despot on 22 october 1555. Copies
of the document are kept in the State Archives of Vienna and Hungary as
mentioned by Andrei Veress. He published this document for the first tine in
1929 and mentioned that the act was given by Carol Quintul on his own
initiative (motu proprio), which happened rarely at that time. The privilege is
written in Latin and has seven pages. The best and most complete translation of
this act was made by Traian Diaconescu and published by Valentin Talpalaru in
2010.
The
Privilege in protocol contains in the first ten rows the intitulation of
Emperor Carol V and the eschatocol (place and date) is Bruxelles – Ducatus Brabantiae,
22 mensis octobris anno MDLV. Carol Quintul praises Despot’s erudition reminds
of Heraclide’s predecessors (especially his uncle) and then appreciates the
unusual bravery proved in 1554. He is then given the title of a knight and count
palatine, and is also given the right to do, elect and render the function of
notary public (notarios publico), secretary (tabelliones) and judge (iudices
ordinarios). In return they provided the oath of faithfulness towards the
Empire. There’s an ironic right : Carol Quintul offers him the privilege and
the power to legalise bastards and legitimize them only in the absence of
natural children or only with their acceptance if they are alive. The
legalization of bastards can not be done if the parents have expressed their
disagreement. Another right mentioned was to be able to adopt children but also
to intercede in families for the well-being of adolescents and even servants. He
had the right to free his parents from parental power or tutors and curators of
their rights. Every year he had the right to make: … unum quolibet anno Doctorem, Licentiatum,
Magistrum, Baccalaureum artium nec non poetam Laureatum … The privilege also contains the descriptions
of Despot’s noble signs and permission to use them anytime and anywhere at
will. Last but not least, there is a sanction for those who will not recognize
the privilege.
Iacob Heraclide Basilicus Despot used his full privilege both by visiting the Courts of the Empire and Courts of Europe (Brussels, Mansfeld, Wittenberg, Lubeck, Copenhagen, Rostock and Konigsberg, Vilna, Krakow, Brașov, Alba Iulia, Suceava, Kezmark, Kosice/Cassovia) and by crowned poets (Zacharias Pratarius of Mansfeld, Zacharias Orthus of Stralsund and Franz Raphael of Helbdet) but he also adopted in his family Cyprian Basilic Sieradz in Vilna. The use of the rights received through this privilege can be seen in the way he entitles himself in the documents, but also by the noble marks printed on the coins from 1562.
Iacob Heraclide Basilicus Despot used his full privilege both by visiting the Courts of the Empire and Courts of Europe (Brussels, Mansfeld, Wittenberg, Lubeck, Copenhagen, Rostock and Konigsberg, Vilna, Krakow, Brașov, Alba Iulia, Suceava, Kezmark, Kosice/Cassovia) and by crowned poets (Zacharias Pratarius of Mansfeld, Zacharias Orthus of Stralsund and Franz Raphael of Helbdet) but he also adopted in his family Cyprian Basilic Sieradz in Vilna. The use of the rights received through this privilege can be seen in the way he entitles himself in the documents, but also by the noble marks printed on the coins from 1562.
