✉news WorldReligion first seen 16 h ago, last 16 h ago, peak #28
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
API: https://socialmediatrends-api.osmike.com/v1/trends/376065