Background
The House of Habsburg had gained rulership of the Duchy of Austria in 1282. Rudolph IV (1339-1365) attempted to restore the Habsburgian influence on the European political scene by trying to build relations with Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg and increasing the respect of the Austrian rulers. However, Rudolph IV did not belong to the seven Prince-electors, who - as dictated by the Golden Bull of 1356 - had the power to choose the King. Like Charles IV had made Prague the center of his rule, Rudolph did the same for Vienna, giving it special privileges, launching construction projects and founding the University of Vienna. All this aimed at increasing the legitimacy and influence of the House and its Austrian lands. For this purpose, in the winter of 1358/1359, Rudolph IV ordered the creation of a forged document called Privilegium Maius ("the greater privilege").
Read more about this topic: Privilegium Maius
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