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Medieval church relied on a forged imperial decree for centuries
Original: The medieval world had its own ‘deepfakes’ – church officials cited a fake imperial decree for centuries
Historians are revisiting the Donation of Constantine, a forged imperial decree that medieval church officials cited for centuries to support papal authority over secular rulers. The document, now widely recognised as an eighth-century fabrication, functioned much like a modern deepfake, lending false legitimacy to claims of power until Renaissance scrutiny exposed it.
Why now: The parallel between medieval forgeries and modern deepfakes makes the story relevant to current debates about misinformation and manipulated documents.
Donation of ConstantineCatholic ChurchPapacyConstantine the GreatLorenzo Valla
Evidence
- The medieval world had its own ‘deepfakes’ – church officials cited a fake imperial decree for centuries · Baptist News Global
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