Alphabetum Kaldeorum

The Alphabetum Kaldeorum is one of the most famous secret writings of the Middle Ages. Its name refers to the people of the Chaldeans, who were in the medieval world of ideas for the mysterious and magical knowledge.

Narrated it is in complete version, along with other non-Latin alphabets, in a manuscript from 1428, which is now in the Munich University Library ( Cod 4 ° 810, fol 41v. ); its origins lie in much earlier times, as several preserved examples of the practical use of evidence.

The Alphabetum Kaldeorum was intended primarily for encryption of diplomatic correspondence; his character set indicates that predominantly Latin texts were encrypted: u and v are equated; w was written as a double v; j is missing. For frequently occurring letter the Alphabetum Kaldeorum provides several different characters that were used in parallel and should prevent decryption by the classical frequency method. In addition were in the encrypted texts often " nulla " inserted, meaningless characters that looked like letters and decryption by unauthorized additionally difficult.

As a possible author of the Alphabetum Kaldeorum applies Duke Rudolf IV of Austria (1339 - 1365), who attributed the character itself an Indian origin; actually the letters of the Alphabetum Kaldeorum, however, are not related to any common writing in India and in all likelihood independent creations.

Even the grave plate from the Cenotaph for Duke Rudolf IV in Vienna's St. Stephen's Cathedral carries an encrypted using Alphabetum Kaldeorum inscription, which shows only the name and title of the Duke - it should possibly symbolize indicates Rudolf for the use of secret writing.