In the name of the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Frederick II, by the favor of divine mercy, august Emperor of the Romans and King of Jerusalem and Sicily.

Although the dignity of the emperor requires us to extend the protection of our power to all who are subject to the Roman Empire, and although it’s proper to grant particular favor to the Christian faithful, justice also requires us to govern unbelievers properly and protect them from injustice. As a people entrusted especially to our care, they mustn’t be violently oppressed by those who are stronger while they live under the protection of our majesty.

Let present and future generations therefore know that the servants of our chamber in Germany petitioned our majesty to confirm for all the Jews of Germany the privilege granted by our revered grandfather, Emperor Frederick, to the Jews of Worms and their companions. For the security and peaceful condition of the Jews of Germany, we extend this favor to all Jews who belong directly to our chamber. Following the decree of our grandfather, we confirm for them the privilege and all its provisions in the same form in which he granted them to the Jews of Worms and their companions.

We also wish everyone, now and in the future, to know that a serious crime was attributed to the Jews of Fulda concerning the death of certain boys from that town. Because of this dreadful event, strong suspicion arose among the neighboring population against the other Jews of Germany, although no open attacks against them had yet occurred.

To discover the truth concerning this crime, we assembled many princes, leading men and nobles of the empire, together with abbots and clergy, and asked for their counsel. When different opinions were expressed and no clear judgment could be reached, we decided that the charge against the Jews should be examined through people who had once been Jews and had converted to Christianity. Since they had abandoned Judaism, they wouldn’t conceal anything they knew against the Jews from the books of Moses or the contents of the Old Testament.

Although the authority of many books had already given our conscience reasonable proof of the Jews’ innocence, we wished to satisfy both the people and the demands of justice. With the unanimous counsel of our princes, leading men, nobles, abbots and clergy, we sent special messengers to the kings of the West. Through them, we summoned to our presence learned men who were experienced in Jewish law.

After they had remained at our court for some time, we commanded them to investigate the matter carefully. They were to inform us whether Jewish belief or law contained anything concerning the use of human blood that might have led the Jews to commit the crime attributed to them.

Their findings made it clear that neither the Old Testament nor the New Testament teaches that Jews desire to drink human blood. On the contrary, they carefully avoid all blood, as is expressly stated in the biblical book called Bereshit in Hebrew, in the laws given through Moses and in the Jewish ordinances called the Talmud in Hebrew.

It’s reasonable to conclude that people who are forbidden even to consume the blood of animals permitted for food couldn’t desire human blood. Such an act would be prevented by its horror, by natural law and by the common humanity that Jews share with Christians. They also wouldn’t expose their lives and property to danger in pursuit of something they could obtain freely from animals.

Therefore, following the judgment of the princes, we declare the Jews of Fulda and all the other Jews of Germany entirely innocent of the crime attributed to them. By the authority of this privilege, we decree that no one, whether cleric or layperson, high or low, preacher, judge, lawyer, citizen or anyone else, may attack any of these Jews, individually or collectively, because of this accusation. No one may bring dishonor or injury upon them on this account.

Let everyone know that a lord is honored through his servants. Whoever treats our servants, the Jews, with favor and assistance will certainly please us. Whoever violates this confirmation and declaration of innocence will be guilty of an offense against our imperial majesty.

So that this confirmation and declaration of innocence may remain valid and undiminished forever, we have ordered this privilege to be written and sealed with the golden seal bearing the image of our majesty.