Mandate, issued by Emperor Carl IV, to the Jewish moneylenders in Strasbourg and elsewhere in the empire [Present-day France, Germany]: “We, Charles, by God’s grace King of the Romans etc., herewith openly state and proclaim that the noblemen Eberhard and Ulrich of Württemberg, as well as their guarantors, by Our royal grace and the Lord’s power, are released from all debts owed to the Jews, Our chamber servants [‘Kammerknechte,’ i.e., the property of the Emperor), wherever they may have resided or reside now, and namely in the City of Strasbourg, and that all claims to these debts are completely null and void.” [Researcher’s note: for an explanation of Jewish “chamber servitude” in the Middle Ages, see “KAMMERKNECHTSCHAFT” at www.jewishencyclopedia.com.]
Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg [Archives of the German State of Baden-Württemberg]. Facsimile of original document: König Karl IV. erläßt den Grafen Eberhard II. und Ulrich IV. alle Schulden bei Juden und löst ihre Bürgen (King Charles IV releases Landgraves Eberhard II and Ulrich IV from all debts to Jews and also releases their loan guarantors). Digital Resources (www.landesarchiv.de), Call Number WR 6413. Article online. Researched by Dominik Jacobs 8/21/2020