Charles IV of Luxembourg
Charles IV of Luxembourg is widely regarded as one of the most able and successful Holy Roman Emperors of the medieval period. His greatest achievement was the promulgation of the Golden Bull of 1356, a constitutional document that regulated the election of German kings for the next four centuries. The Golden Bull fixed the number of electors at seven, specified the procedures for their meetings and voting, and explicitly excluded papal interference in imperial elections. Beyond the Golden Bull, Charles was a tireless promoter of his hereditary domain of Bohemia, which he made the center of his empire. He founded the University of Prague in 1348, the first university in Central Europe, transformed Prague into a magnificent Gothic capital, and patronized art, literature, and learning on a grand scale.
- Lived: 1316 CE – 1378 CE
- Nationality: german
- Roles: emperor, head_of_state, military_leader
