Imperial Decree Quotes
The Empress provided freedom of religion in order to induce many settlers to immigrate to Russia. However, the clerics of the Russian Orthodox Church were terribly fearful that they would lose parishioners to other religions and they prevailed upon Catherine to outlaw preaching and conversion of the Russians. However, they were all for any attempt to convert the Muslims in the Russian Empier or at the borders. This limitation on conversion lasted until the Communist Revolution when the Communists even prohibited the Russian Orthodox from converting people. It was not until the fall of the Soviet Union that other religions were allowed to try and convert Russians and even then the number of sects that were allowed to do so were limited.
Constantine the Great. Roman Emperors saw Christians as their most dangerous foes. However, Constantine, with this edict, enabled Christianity to thrive and grow legally in the Western world. Later Constantine himself converted to Christianity. This edict ceased the vicious Roman persecution that Christians had endured.
This and many other statements have been used to refute the allegation made by some that the Japanese Emperor and Commander in Chief had no influence and control over the military and thus was not responsible for any war crimes.
Even some who bought the party line that the Emperor had personally not started the war or the other incursions, blamed the Emperor for his inaction.
This was typical of a free trade agreement of the time. It also provided that Englishmen residing for trade in the Ottoman Empire be free of Ottoman poll and head taxes. The Ottomans had such arrangements with France and Venice—then an independent city. In addition to the trade advantages, the Ottomans were militarily concerned with Spain and the English-Spanish hostility was supported and welcomed by the Ottomans. See Murad’s 1590 letter to Queen Elizabeth.
This document was a type of Magna Carta but far earlier.
