26. This Myth Played an Oversized Rule in Medieval Politics
The Donation of Constantine is little known today, but it is hard to think of a myth that had a greater historic impact. It was encapsulated in a document that recorded a generous gift to the Church from the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. In it, he transferred authority over Rome and the entire Western Roman Empire to Pope Sylvester I (reigned 314 – 315) and his successors. The donation of such vast territories to the Popes elevated them from mere priests and religious leaders. It made them independent princes and sovereign rulers. In reality, the Donation was forged in the eighth century by some unknown monks, hundreds of years after both Constantine and Sylvester were dead and buried.
The forged text describes how Pope Sylvester I miraculously cured Constantine from leprosy, which convinced the emperor to convert to Christianity. By way of gratitude, the emperor made the pope supreme over all other bishops, and “over all the churches of God in the whole earth“. Vast landed estates throughout the Roman Empire were also granted for the upkeep and maintenance of the churches of Saint Paul and Saint Peter. To top it off, the Holy Father and his successors were granted imperial regalia, a crown, the city of Rome, and all of the Western Roman Empire. The forgery had little impact when it was concocted. Centuries later, however, amidst a period of political upheavals that wracked medieval Europe, it played a huge role in the relationship of church and state.