late medieval wills in southwest german imperial towns latives or heirs could make the corresponding declarations. Thus, in 1433, the heirs of Johann Martin state that the testator died before he could have a certified and sealed will drawn up, but they would carry out his dispositions.68 A particularly interesting substitute will – dated September 1508 – was issued by a German brotherhood in Venice. It informed Nicolaus Munck of “Grieningen” of the death of his son Hans, who had died in the hospital of the brotherhood in Venice. The masters wrote down the last will and testament of the dying man and sent it to his father in the form of a deed in German, on paper with an imprinted wafer seal.69 So far we have considered actual wills. As was common in late medieval judicial and administrative practice, wills were not isolated units, but always part of a larger context of documents with various functions. Therefore, we can speak of will-accompanying written documents. Basically, we can distinguish two categories here: documents accompanying the will before succession and those after succession. Before succession, various types of written documents were used. Clergymen were not allowed to make wills without special permission because of the sometimes competing provisions of canon law; they were required to obtain episcopal permission to do so.70 In addition to testamentary dispositions, the legal framework with its implementation were also prepared in the form of a deed while the testator was still alive. Guardians and executors were appointed and their succession regulated,71 and guardianships over children were arranged.72 68 Stadtarchiv Ulm, AUrk. Nr.1481, Digitalisat unter https://www.stadtarchiv-ulm.findbuch. net/ php/main.php?ar_id=3766#412055726b2ex2997 69 Stadtarchiv Esslingen, Inventuren und Teilungen 343. An orientation on German testaments in Venice provided by Hollberg 2005; on wills of German craftsmen in Venice, Hollberg2007. 70 Stadtarchiv Ulm A Urk. 2572, Digitalization and regest at https://www.stadtarchiv-ulm. findbuch.net/php/main.php#412055726b2ex4102; Deigendesch et al., eds (2023) Nr. 738, pp. 560f. 71 Stadtarchiv Esslingen, PU24. On executors, Schulz 1976, pp. 27–35; a juridical study in Offergeld 1995, pp. 25–40. 72 Stadtarchiv Ulm, A Urk. Veesenmeyer Nr. 59. 36
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