Dec. 25, 1356

Order issued by Charles IV, “Golden Bull” [Germany]: “Chapter IX.- Mines of Gold, Silver, and Other Metals – We decree, by this present law, that our successors, the kings of Bohemia, and all the electoral princes, ecclesiastical and secular, shall hold and possess with full rights, all mines of gold, silver, tin, copper iron, lead, or other metals, and all salt works, both those already discovered and those which shall be discovered in the future, situated within their lands, domains, and dependencies. They shall also have authority to tax Jews, the right to collect tolls already in force and all other rights which they or their predecessors have possessed to the present day.” [Researcher’s note: Charles IV/Karel IV was Holy Roman Emperor, and although the territory included Germany, it also included a bunch of other countries, like Luxembourg, the Czech Republic (Charles himself was a Czech), Switzerland, Austria, etc.]
“The Golden Bull of Charles IV 1356.” Paul Halsall, Fordham University. 1996. Online, Accessed on 9/26/2013