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This article presents a novel analysis of the Cessio donationum, a forgery attributed to Pope Leo VIII (964), which purportedly granted Emperor Otto I and his successors ownership of approximately 150 estates previously held by the Roman Church. While historians concur that the document originated between 1080 and 1120, its place of production remains debated. This study re-examines the Cessio donationum, highlighting previously neglected aspects. A reassessment of the place-name list identifies the Counts Guidi as the primary polemical target and the scriptorium of S. Maria di Pomposa as the likely site of composition. Furthermore, this article proposes four potential contexts for the document’s production, ranging from the tumultuous final years of Henry IV in Italy (1093-1097) to the period immediately following Henry V’s designation as dominus of Matilda’s estates (1111-1115).
