12. For Centuries, This Forgery Was Foisted Upon Medieval Europe
The Middle Ages’ greatest hoax, and one with a major historic impact, was the “Donation of Constantine“. It was a document that recorded a generous gift from Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, that 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, to independent princes and sovereign rulers of territory in their own right. In reality, the Donation was forged in the eighth century by some unknown monks, hundreds of years after the days of Constantine and Sylvester I.
The forged text describes how Pope Sylvester I miraculously cured Constantine from leprosy. That convinced the emperor to convert to Christianity. To further demonstrate his gratitude, the emperor made Pope Sylvester supreme over all other bishops, and “over all the churches of God in the whole earth“. Vast landed estates throughout the Roman Empire are 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 Donation was hardly noticed when it was first concocted, and was quickly forgotten. Not forgotten forever, however. Centuries later, amidst political upheavals that wracked medieval Europe, the Donation played a key role in shaping Christendom and the West.