False Decretals
Preserved but no longer current.
This purports to relate how Constantine the Great, when he retired to the Bosporus m 330, conferred all his rights, hon- ours, and property as Emperor of the West on the Pope of Rome and his successors. It is said, also, to have been confirmed by Charle- magne.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “False Decretals” mean?
This purports to relate how Constantine the Great, when he retired to the Bosporus m 330, conferred all his rights, hon- ours, and property as Emperor of the West on the Pope of Rome and his successors. It is said, also, to have been confirmed by Charle- magne.
Is “False Decretals” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.