Charles VI issued an edict on 19 April 1713, Pragmatic Sanction.
I'm looking for an English Translation of the Pragmatic Sanction.
Does anyone know where I can find one?
Thanks
An amended version of Google Translate's translation from the French:
His Imperial Majesty called upon all Privy State Counsellors, who were in Vienna, to meet at the accustomed place, on the 19th April 1713 at ten in the morning. As they arrived at the appointed hour, the Emperor entered the chamber of the State Council, under the canopy, and stood vis-à-vis ordinary table: then he sent His Counsellors and Ministers of State, who entered by to their rank, and stood upright, in their place; namely,
Prince Eugene of Savoy, Prince Trautson, Prince Schwarzenberg, Count Traun, Land Marshall Country, Count Thurn, Grand Master of the House of the Empress Eleonore, Count Dietrichstein, Grand Equerry, Count Seilern, Chancellor of the Court, Count Starhemberg, President of the Chamber of Finance, Count Martinitzs the younger, Count Herberstein, Vice-Chairman of the Council of War, Count Schikh, Grand Chancellor of Bohemia, Count Schönborn, Vice-Chancellor of the Empire, the Archbishop of Valencia, Count Sinzendorff, Grand Chamberlain, Count Parr, Grand Master of the House of the Empress Amelia, Count Sinzendorff, Vice-President of the Imperial Aulic Council, Count Nicolas Palfy, Grand Judge of the Court of the Kingdom of Hungary, Count Illieshasy, Chancellor of Hungary, Count Khevenhüller,Governor of Lower Austria, Count Gallas , Count Salm, Grand Equierry of Empress Amelie. Marquis Romeo, Privy Secretary of Royal Spanish State, with the States of Italy dismembered from the Spanish Crown, Count Kornis, Vice-Chancellor of Transylvania. Mister von Schickh, referendary.
When all said Counsellors and Ministers of State were thus assembled, His Imperial Majesty told them that the reason why he had made the call was to tell them, that it had been established between the late Emperor Leopold his father, the late Emperor Joseph his brother, then King of the Romans, and this Emperor, then as King in Spain, provisions, regulations & succession covenants, which had been confirmed by oath, by all parties in the presence of various Counsellors and Ministers of State of the Emperor but as few of said Counsellors and Ministers of State remained alive today, His Imperial Majesty had thought necessary not only to make them the declaration, but to give them knowledge of the said Act and same covenants, and to have them read to them.
At the time his Imperial Majesty ordered the Count of Seilern his Court Chancellor, to said reading.
And said Count read in a loud and clear voice, the beginning of the Act of Spanish acceptance, in his hands the original, signed by the Emperor, then as King of Spain, and furnished with the seal. Then he read the Act of succession, signed by Emperor Leopold and the King of the Romans, with their respective seals, from the beginning to the end, with the Notary Certificate attached. Finally he read the rest of the Spanish Act until the end containing the acceptance and commitment of the Emperor, similarly with the Notary's certificate attached to it, which acts are dated Vienna from 12 September 1703.
With this reading completed, His Imperial Majesty further stated to said Counsellors and Ministers of State that the acts that had just been read, he gave them to know that there was a provision and mutual pact for succession erected in perpetuity, and confirmed by oath between the two Josephine & Caroline lines; And as a result, with the Kingdoms & Hereditary Provinces of Spain, which were ceded to him by the Emperor Leopold & the Emperor Joseph, of happy memory, the death of that emperor his brother, arrived without his having left male heirs, put him in possession of all other hereditary kingdoms & countries, which were to remain together, without any division, under the law of primogeniture, with his male heirs, from legal marriage, which he may have in life; but by lack of male offspring (which God would spare him) by him, they would return in the same way to his daughters born of legitimate marriage, according to the order and right of primogeniture.
In addition, by the lack of any legitimate descendants, both male and female, from His said Imperial Majesty the said succession right to all said hereditary Kingdoms & Countries , would pass, in the above manner, always keeping the order of primogeniture, to the daughters of Emperor Joseph, and their legitimate descendants, and that similarly said Dames Archduchesses enjoy all the privileges and other prerogatives, according to that law and order of succession.
The whole so understood, that after the Caroline branch reigning today, and after the daughters of the Josephine branch, which the Emperor Joseph left after himself, said inheritance, with all that depends from it, belongs, remains and will be reserved in any way to the sisters of His Imperial Majesty, and all other lines of the Archducal house, under the law of primogeniture, in the rank and order that will result.
So that hereby the law, these regulations and succession pacts established in perpetuity, and confirmed by oath of the Emperors father and brother of His Imperial Majesty, and of his said Imperial Majesty himself, had no other object than the glory of God, and the conservation of all the hereditary countries together, His Imperial Majesty held firmly to all the above, likewise He promised to the said Consultants & Ministers: He exhorted & ordered them, to not provide less care and attention from their side to abide by these pacts and rules in their entirety, to observe them, and maintain; and To this end, His Imperial Majesty releaved said Counsellors and Ministers of State, in this case, from the commitment to secrecy. After that His Imperial Majesty and their Lordships the Counsellors and Ministers of State, retired.
I certify that all happened as above; in witness whereof I have signed this act, and in here it affixed my seal. In Vienna, 19 April, one thousand seven hundred thirteen.
(LS) Signed George Frederic von Schickh, Counsellor to His Imperial Majesty, Private Secretary of Lower Austria & Referent; created Notary Public for the present act, by the authoriy of the Emperor & Archduke of Austria...
