22. A Forgery That Shaped Medieval Europe
The Middle Ages’ greatest hoax, and one with a major historic impact, was the so-called “Donation of Constantine”. It was a document recording a generous gift from the Byzantine Empire’s founder, Constantine the Great, transferring 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 elevated popes 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 both Constantine the Great and Sylvester I had died. The forgery had little impact when it was concocted, but centuries later, during a period of political upheavals that wracked Medieval Europe, the Donation played a huge role in shaping Christendom and the West.
