late medieval wills in southwest german imperial towns inheritance issues, whether in Esslingen,78 Reutlingen,79 orUlm.80 Many difficulties resulted from a succession, for there were definitely different pretenders to the inheritance. In 1446, for example, the Esslingen city court had to clarify who was entitled to the inheritance of the deceased chaplain Rüdiger Ruprecht. They had to determine who were and how they were related to the deceased, and who was the rightful heiress. However, this presumptive heiress had to wait a year for the transfer of the property in case someone with a closer relationship came forward after all.81 In the case of annual foundations and other ecclesiastical foundations, the competent diocesan bishop would be asked for his confirmation. This could occur before as well as after the inheritance. Many of these requests, which in each case refer to a will and specify the exact regulations of the foundation or endowment, are drawn up as Latin or vernacular notarial instruments,82 but there are also seal certificates with the seals of the executors of the will83 and, in addition to these, with the town seal ofUlm.84 For the confirmation of the Bishop of Constance, one resorted to a transfix, i.e. the attachment of the approval document to the petition, by pulling the parchment strip, to which the seal of the bishop or vicar 78 Stadtarchiv Esslingen, PU6 (1428), PU9 (1431), PU18 (1453). 79 Deigendesch et al., eds (2023) Nr. 89 p. 56. 80 Stadtarchiv Ulm, A 5475, a lawsuit by Anna Gyger, widow of Heinrich Gyger, against her brother-in-law Hans Gienger concerning the inheritance of the old Gyger, with a detailed description of the dispute, 1465 (Abschrift des besiegelten Urteilbriefes). 81 Stadtarchiv Esslingen, PU15. 82 According to the confirmation, a petition today lost was a notarial instrument: Stadtarchiv Ulm AUrk. 1015, Digitalization and regest at https://www.stadtarchiv-ulm.findbuch. net/php/main.php?ar_id=3766#412055726b2ex1193: quidam cirographus wulgaris in formam publicam redactus. 83 Stadtarchiv Ulm, A Urk. 2170, Digitalization and regest at https://www.stadtarchiv-ulm. findbuch.net/php/main.php?ar_id=3766#412055726b2ex3700.; Stadtarchiv Ulm, A Urk. 2680, Digitalization and regest at https://www.stadtarchiv-ulm.findbuch.net/php/main. php#412055726b2ex4203. 84 Stadtarchiv Ulm A Urk. 1634, Digitalization and regest at https://www.stadtarchiv-ulm. findbuch.net/php/main.php?ar_id=3766#412055726b2ex3161 (1443); Stadtarchiv Ulm A Urk. 2288, Digitalization and regest at https://www.stadtarchiv-ulm.findbuch. net/php/ main.php?ar_id=3766#412055726b2ex3818 (1471); Stadtarchiv Ulm, A Urk. Nr. 2695, Digitalization and regest at https://www.stadtarchiv-ulm.findbuch.net/php/main.php# 412055726b2ex4218 (1492). 40
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