Description:

Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, German MDS Re: Internal Conflict Between Feuding Brothers

A 2pp manuscript document in German signed at its conclusion by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI (1685-1740). May 12, 1731. Laxenburg, in present-day Austria. Secretarially inscribed in beautiful non-modern German cursive on watermarked laid bifold paper with an integral address leaf. A note in Latin beginning "Ad Mandatum" or "To Command" is found at the bottom of the second page. The third page is blank. The integral address leaf bears a large embossed red wax and paper seal, 3" diameter excluding the paper edges, positioned above a gorgeously inscribed address panel with elaborate textual decoration. Expected wear including flattened paper folds, minor to moderate toning, scattered foxing, isolated edge darkening, stains, and ink bleed-through. A small closed tear can be found near the bifold crease between pages 2 and 3. Else very good. 8.5" x 13." The document remains untranslated, but we have a catalog description in German from a former collector that summarizes the document. Contained in a wrapper measuring 8.875" x 13.25." Previously offered at Crescent City Auction Gallery (New Orleans, Louisiana) in September 2019.

The German catalog description accompanying the piece tells us that Charles VI addressed this missive to Friedrich Wilhelm (1679-1746), former co-Duke of Saxe-Meiningen. The subject of the letter was the ongoing dispute between Friedrich Wilhelm and his half-brother, Anton Ulrich (1687-1763) over affairs in the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen. This is a Saxon duchy located in the southwest of the state of Thuringia in present-day central Germany.

The conflict between Friedrich Wilhelm and Anton Ulrich was years in the making. Their father, Bernhard I, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen, had died in 1706, appointing three brothers from two different mothers to succeed him. These were full brothers Ernest Ludwig I (1672-1724) and Friedrich Wilhelm; and their half-brother Anton Ulrich. Ernest Ludwig I later made arrangements with his brothers that ceded him complete ducal power, but he died in 1724, leaving a young heir to the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen, Karl Friedrich (1712-1743). Friedrich Wilhelm and Anton Ulrich served as Karl Friedrich's guardians until his majority in 1733. During this regency period, from 1724-1733, Friedrich Wilhelm and Anton Ulrich struggled to perform their roles as protectors. Each brother acted independently of the other, sometimes issuing contradictory edicts, and this resulted in political chaos in Saxe-Meiningen. We can speculate, then, that some of this bitter in-fighting precipitated the Holy Roman Emperor's concern. Friedrich Wilhelm eventually served as sole Duke of Saxe-Meiningen after his nephew's death, from 1743 until his own death three years later. Anton Ulrich inherited the duchy following Friedrich Wilhelm's death, ruling from 1746-1763.

Charles VI served as Holy Roman Emperor from 1711 until his death in 1740. The German catalog description mentions one of Charles VI's other ephemeral roles: "als Karl III, König von Spanien" [trans: "as Charles III, King of Spain."] This referred to a short period, from 1700-1713, in which Charles VI unsuccessfully lobbied to claim the Spanish throne following the death of a Hapsburg relative. Charles VI lost the War of the Spanish Succession in 1713, but in the interim, he had inherited the Holy Roman Empire from his dead brother, Joseph I.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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