The Ten Imperial
Circles (Reichskreise)
© by V. Rozn (edited by Guy
Stair Sainty)
See also The
Imperial Circles at the end of the Empire
Kreisstände
The Ten Imperial Circles in 1512 (click on image for larger scale)
[©From Shepherd's Historical Atlas, by William R.
Shepherd, George Philip & Son Ltd, London 1967]
[Membership (Kreisstand) meant the ownership of an immediate territory inside a Circle
with the right to sit and vote in a Circle Diet (Kreistag).]
|
Imperial Circles of the Holy Roman Empire ca. 1792
|
|
|
Bayerische Kreis [Bavarian Circle]
|
| |
|
Geistliche Bank [Ecclesiastical Bench] |
| |
| Salzburg |
|
Erzbischof |
| |
| Freising |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Regensburg [Ratisbonna] |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Passau |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Berchtesgaden (Berchtolsgaden) |
|
Propst |
| |
| St.Emmeran in Regensburg |
|
Abt |
| |
| Niedermünster in Regensburg |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Obermünster in Regensburg |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| |
|
Weltliche Bank [Lay Bench] |
| |
| Bayern [Bavaria] |
| |
| Pfalz-Neuburg |
|
Pfalz |
| |
| Pfalz-Sulzbach |
|
1697- |
|
Pfalz |
| |
| Leuchtenberg |
|
Leuchtenberg; 1646 Bayern; 1705 B.v.Bamberg; 1707 Landsberg; 1712 Bayern |
| |
| Sternstein (Störnstein) |
|
1642- |
|
Lobkowitz |
| |
| Haag |
|
Fraunberg; 1567 Bayern |
| |
| Ortenburg |
| |
| Staufen-ehrenfels |
|
Pfalz |
| |
| Ober-sulzbürg & Pyrbaum |
|
Wolfstein; 1740 Bayern |
| |
| Hohen-waldeck |
|
1516 Maxlrain; 1734 Bayern |
| |
| Breiteneck (Breitenegg) |
|
1649- |
|
1630 Tserclaes-Tilly; 1724 Bayern |
| |
| Regensburg [Ratisbonna] |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Degensberg |
|
-1602 |
|
1602 Bayern |
| |
| |
|
Burgundische Kreis [Burgundian Circle] |
| |
| Burgund (Niederlande) |
|
Spain; 1598 Albrecht v.Österreich; 1621 Spain; 1700/14 Österreich |
| |
|
Fränkische Kreis [Franconian Circle] |
| |
| |
|
Geistliche Fürstenbank[Bench of Ecclesiastical Princes] |
| |
| Bamberg |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Würzburg |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Eichstätt |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Mergentheim |
|
Deutscher Orden (Hoch- &
Deutschmaister) |
| |
|
Weltliche Fürstenbank [Bench of Lay Princes] |
| |
| Bayreth (Kulmbach) |
|
Ansbach; 1791 (Kur-)Brandenburg |
| |
| Ansbach (Onolzbach) |
|
1791 (Kur-)Brandenburg |
| |
| Henneberg-Schleusingen |
|
Kursachsen |
| |
| Henneberg-Römhild |
|
Sachsen (Ernst) |
| |
| Henneberg-Schmalkaden |
|
Hessen-Kassel |
| |
| Hohen-landsberg/Schwarzenberg |
|
Schwarzenberg |
| |
| Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort {person.} |
|
1712- |
| |
| Hohenlohe-Waldenburg |
| |
|
Grafen & Herren bank [Bench of Counts & Lords] |
| |
| Hohenlohe-Neuenstein |
| |
| Castell |
| |
| Wertheim |
|
Wertheim; Löwenstein |
| |
| Rieneck |
|
1673 Nostitz |
| |
| Erbach |
| |
| Limpurg-Gaildorf |
|
Brandenburg |
| |
| Limpurg-Speckfeld |
|
Brandenburg |
| |
| Seinsheim |
|
Seinsheim; 1655 Schwarzenberg |
| |
| Reichelsberg |
|
Schönborn |
| |
| Weisentheid |
|
Dernbach; Schönborn |
| |
| Welzheim |
|
17..- |
|
1718 Grävenitz; Württemberg |
| |
| Geyer |
|
1693-1707 |
|
Geyer; 1707 Brandenburg;
Ansbach; |
| |
| Hausen |
|
174..- |
|
Ansbach |
| |
|
Städtebank [Bench of Cities] |
| |
| Nürnberg |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Rothenburg |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Windsheim |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Schweinfurt |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Weissenburg-im-Nordgau |
|
Stadt |
| |
|
Kurrheinische Kreis [Electoral Rhenish Circle] |
| |
| Mainz [Mayence] |
|
Erzbischof |
| |
| Trier [Treves] |
|
Erzbischof |
| |
| Köln [Cologne] |
|
Erzbischof |
| |
| Pfalz (Palatinat) |
| |
| Arenberg (Aremberg) |
|
Mark; Ligne-Barbançon |
| |
| Turn &Taxis {person.} |
| |
| Landkomtur in Koblenz |
|
Deutscher Orden |
| |
| Beilstein |
|
Nassau-Dillenburg |
| |
| Nieder-Isenburg |
|
Erzbischof v.Trier |
| |
| Rheineck |
|
1576 Warsberg; 1653 Sinzendorf-Ernstbrunn |
| |
|
Niedersächsische Kreis [Lower Saxon Circle] |
| |
| Magdeburg |
|
Erzbischof; 1680 Brandenburg |
| |
| Bremen |
|
Erzbischof; 1648 Schweden; 1702 Dänemark; 1715/19 Braunschweig-Hannover |
| |
| Braunschweig-Zelle (Celle) |
|
Braunschweig-Hannover |
| |
| Braunschweig-Grubenhagen |
|
-1596; 1652- |
|
Braunschweig-Hannover |
| |
| Braunschweig-Kalenberg |
|
Braunschweig-Hannover |
| |
| Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel |
| |
| Halberstadt |
|
Bischof; 1648 Brandenburg |
| |
| Mecklenburg-Schwerin |
| |
| Mecklenburg-Güstrow |
|
Mecklenburg-Schwerin |
| |
| Holstein-Glückstadt |
|
Dänemark |
| |
| Holstein-Gottorp |
|
Holstein-Glückstadt |
| |
| Hildesheim |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Sachsen-Lauenburg |
|
Braunschweig-Hannover |
| |
| Lübeck |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Schwerin |
|
Bischof; 1648 Mecklenburg |
| |
| Ratzeburg |
|
Bischof; 1648 Mecklenburg |
| |
| Blankenburg |
|
-1599; 1652- |
|
Regenstein(Reinstein); Tattenbach; Braunshcweig-Wolfenbüttel |
| |
| Rantzau |
|
1662- |
|
Holstein-Schaumburg; 1640 Holstein-Glückstadt; 1649 Rantzau;1726
Holstein-Glückstadt |
| |
| Lübeck |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Goslar |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Mühlhausen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Nordhausen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Hamburg |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Bremen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| |
|
Österreichische Kreis [Austrian Circle] |
| |
| Österreich [Austria] |
| |
| Trient [Trent] |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Brixen |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Chur [Coire] |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Landkomtur in Österreich |
|
Deutscher Orden |
| |
| Tarasp (Trasp) |
|
Dietrichstein |
| |
|
Oberrheinische Kreis [Upper Rhenish Circle] |
| |
|
Geistliche Fürstenbank[Bench of Ecclesiastical Princes] |
| |
| Worms |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Speyer [Spire] |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Weissenburg |
|
Propst |
| |
| Stassburg |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Basel (Bale) |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Fulda |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Heitersheim |
|
Johanniter- (Malteser-) Orden |
| |
| Prüm |
|
Abt; Erzbischof v.Trier |
| |
| Odenheim & Bruchsal |
|
Propst; Bischof v.Speyer |
| |
|
Weltliche Fürstenbank [Bench of Lay Princes] |
| |
| Simmern |
|
Pfalz |
| |
| Lautern (Kaiser-Lautern) |
|
Pfalz |
| |
| Veldenz & Lautereck |
|
Pfalz |
| |
| Zweibrücken |
|
Pfalz |
| |
| Hessen-Kassel |
| |
| Hessen-Darmstadt |
| |
| Hersfeld |
|
Hessen-Kassel |
| |
| Sponheim |
|
Baden |
| |
| Nomeny {person.} |
|
Lothringen [Lorraine]; Österreich |
| |
| Salm |
|
Salm; Wild & Rheingrafen |
| |
| Nassau-Weilburg |
| |
| Nassau-Usingen |
| |
| Nassau-Idstein |
| |
| Nassau-Saarbrücken |
| |
| Nassau-Ottweiler |
| |
| Waldeck |
| |
| Solms-Braunfels |
| |
| Isenburg-Birstein |
| |
| Savoyen [Savoya] |
| |
|
Grafen & Herren bank [Bench of Counts & Lords] |
| |
| Hanau-Münzenberg |
|
Hanau; 1736 Hessen-Kassel |
| |
| Hanau-Lichtenberg |
|
Hanau; 1736 Hessen-Darmstadt |
| |
| Solms-Hohensolms |
| |
| Solms-Rödelheim |
| |
| Solms-Laubach |
| |
| Königstein in Wetterau |
|
Eppstein; 1535 Stolberg; 1590 Erzbischof v.Mainz |
| |
| Königstein in Wetterau |
|
Eppstein; 1535 Stolberg |
| |
| Isenburg-Büdingen |
| |
| Isenburg-Wächtersbach |
| |
| Isenburg-Meerholz |
| |
| Grehweiler |
|
Wild & Rheingrafen |
| |
| Grumbach |
|
Wild & Rheingrafen |
| |
| Dhaun |
|
Wild & Rheingrafen |
| |
| Leiningen-Dagsburg [Linange-Dabo] |
|
Leiningen-Dagsburg(Dachsburg)-Hartenburg |
| |
| Leiningen-Westerburg |
|
Leiningen-Westerburg & -Grünstadt |
| |
| Münzfelden |
|
Erzbischof v.Trier & Nassau-Usingen |
| |
| Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein |
|
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein |
| |
| Wittgenstein-Berleburg |
|
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg |
| |
| Falkenstein |
|
Daun-Oberstein; 1646 Manderscheid; 1667 Lothringen |
| |
| Reipoltskirchen |
|
Hohenfels; 1602 Daun-Falkenstein; 1628 Löwenhaupt |
| |
| Kriechingen [Creange] |
|
Kriechingen; Ostfriesland; Wied-Runkel |
| |
| Wartenberg |
|
1707- |
| |
| Bretzenheim |
|
1707- |
|
Daun; 1642 Vehlen; 1734 Virmont; 1744 Roll-Bernau; 1773 Erzbischof v.Köln; 1780 Heydeck |
| |
| Dachstuhl |
|
Fleckenstein; 1644 Soetern; 1691 Öttingen-Baldern; 1798 Öttingen-Wallerstein |
| |
| Ollbrück |
|
Walbott v. Bassenheim |
| |
|
Städtebank [Bench of Cities] |
| |
| Worms |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Speyer [Spire] |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Frankfurt am Main |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Friedberg |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Wetzlar |
|
Stadt |
| |
|
Obersächsische Kreis [Upper Saxon Circle] |
| |
| (Kur-) Sachsen [Saxony] |
| |
| (Kur-) Brandenburg |
| |
| Sachsen-Weimar |
| |
| Sachsen-Eisenach |
| |
| Sachsen-Coburg |
| |
| Sachsen-Gotha |
| |
| Sachsen-Altenburg |
| |
| Querfurt |
|
Kursachsen |
| |
| Vor-pommern |
|
Pommern; 1648 Schweden |
| |
| Hinter-pommern |
|
Pommern; 1648 Brandenburg |
| |
| Kammin |
|
Bischof; 1648 Brandenburg |
| |
| Anhalt |
| |
| Quedlinburg |
| |
| Gernrode |
|
Anhalt |
| |
| Walkenried |
|
Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel |
| |
| Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen |
| |
| Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt |
| |
| Mansfeld |
| |
| Stolberg |
| |
| Barby |
|
Barby; 1659 Kursachsen |
| |
| Reuss |
|
Reuss-Plauen |
| |
| Schönburg |
| |
| Hohenstein (Hohnstein)/Lohra & Klettenberg |
|
1648 Brandenburg; 1649 Sayn-Wittgenstein; 1699 Brandenburg |
| |
| |
|
Schwäbische Kreis [Swabian Circle] |
| |
|
Geistliche Fürstenbank[Bench of Ecclesiastical Princes] |
| |
| Konstanz |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Augsburg |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Ellwangen |
|
Propst |
| |
| Kempten |
|
Propst |
| |
| |
|
Weltliche Fürstenbank [Bench of Lay Princes] |
| |
| Württemberg & Teck |
| |
| Baden-Baden |
|
Baden-Baden; 1771 Baden-Durlach |
| |
| Baden-Durlach |
| |
| Hochberg |
|
Baden-Durlach |
| |
| Hohen-zollern |
|
Hohenzollern-Hechingen |
| |
| Sigmaringen |
|
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen |
| |
| Lindau |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Buchau |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Tengen (Thengen) |
|
1664- |
|
1663(4) Auersperg |
| |
| Heiligenberg |
|
Werdenberg-Trochtelfingen; 1534/54 Fürstenberg |
| |
| Öttingen-Öttingen |
| |
| Klettgau |
|
Sulz; 1687/98 Schwarzenberg |
| |
| Vaduz & Schellenberg/ Liechtenstein |
|
1707- |
|
Brandis; 1505 Klettgau(Sulz); 1614
Hohenems; Liechtenstein |
| |
| Scheer & Friedberg |
|
Waldburg; 1786 Turn & Taxis |
| |
|
Prälatenbank [Bench of Prelates] |
| |
| Salmanweiler (Salem) |
|
Abt |
| |
| Weingarten |
|
Abt |
| |
| Ochsenhausen |
|
Abt |
| |
| Elchingen |
|
Abt |
| |
| Irsee |
|
Abt |
| |
| Ursperg |
|
Abt |
| |
| Kaisersheim (Kaisheim) |
|
Abt |
| |
| Roggenburg |
|
Abt |
| |
| Roth |
|
Abt |
| |
| Weissenau |
|
Abt |
| |
| Schussenried |
|
Abt |
| |
| Marchthal |
|
Abt |
| |
| Petershausen |
|
Abt |
| |
| Wettenhausen |
|
Abt |
| |
| Zwiefalten |
|
1750- |
|
Abt |
| |
| Gengenbach |
|
Abt |
| |
| Neresheim |
|
1767- |
|
Abt |
| |
| Hegbach |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Guttenzell |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Rothenmünster |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Baindt |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Söfflingen |
|
1773- |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| St.Georg in Isny |
|
1782- |
|
Abt |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Grafen & Herren bank [Bench of Counts & Lords] |
| |
| Altshausen
(Alschhausen) |
|
Deutscher Orden (Ballei Elsass &
Burgund) |
| |
| Tettnang & Langen-argen |
|
Montfort-Bregenz; 1779/80 Österreich |
| |
| Öttingen-Baldern |
| |
| Stühlingen & Hohen-höwen |
|
Lupfen; 1582 Pappenhein;1639 Fürstenberg |
| |
| Weisensteig |
|
Helfenstein; 1627 Bayern & Fürstenberg; 1752 Bayern |
| |
| Baar |
|
Fürstenberg |
| |
| Kinzigerthal (Hausen in
Kinzigtal) |
|
Fürstenberg |
| |
| Mösskirch |
|
Zimmern; 1594 Helfenstein; 1627 Fürstenberg |
| |
| Öttingen-Wallerstein |
| |
| Waldburg-Zeil-Wurzach |
| |
| Waldburg-Wolfegg-Waldsee |
| |
| Rothenfels & Stauffen |
|
Montfort-Wasserburg; 1567 Königsegg-Rothenfels; 1804 Österreich |
| |
| Königsegg & Aulendorf |
|
Königsegg-Aulendorf |
| |
| Mindelheim & Schwabegg |
|
1614/17(8)
Bayern; 1705 Churchill; 1714 Bayern |
| |
| Gundelfingen |
|
1546
Helfenstein; 1627 Fürstenberg; |
| |
| Eberstein |
|
1624 Bronkhorst-Gronsfeld & Wolkenstein;1673 B.v.Speyer;1676/1753 Baden; |
| |
| Fugger (Marx) |
|
1563- |
| |
| Fugger (Hans) |
|
1563- |
| |
| Fugger (Jakob) |
|
1563- |
| |
| Hohenems (Hohen-Embs) |
|
Hohenems; 1759
Österreich; |
| |
| Justingen |
|
Freyberg; 1751 Württemberg |
| |
| Bondorf (Bonndorf) |
|
Lupfen; 1613 Abt v. St.Blasien |
| |
| Egloff (Eglofs) |
|
1661(2)- |
|
1656
Abensberg-Traun; 1804 Windisch-Grätz; |
| |
| Tannhausen
(Thannhausen) |
|
1677- |
|
1667
Sinzendorf; 1708 Stadion |
| |
| Sickingen |
|
1792- |
| |
| Eglingen |
|
1555- |
|
Grafeneck (Gravenegg); 1726 Turn &Taxis |
| |
| Hohen-geroldseck |
|
Geroldseck; 1634 Baden & Nassau; 1649 Kronberg; 1692 Baden-Durlach; 1697/1705 Leyen |
| |
|
Städtebank [Bench of Cities] |
| |
| Augsburg |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Ulm |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Esslingen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Reutlingen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Nördlingen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Schwäbisch Hall |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Ueberlingen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Rottweil |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Heilbronn |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Schwäbisch Gmund |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Memmingen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Lindau |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Dinkelsbuhl |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Biberach |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Ravensburg |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Kempten |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Kaufbeuern |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Weil |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Wangen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Isny |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Leutkirchen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Wimpfen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Giengen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Pfullendorf |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Buchhorn |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Aalen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Bopfingen |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Buchau |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Offenburg |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Gengenbach |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Zell |
|
Stadt |
| |
|
Niederrheinisch-Westfälische Kreis [Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle] |
| |
| |
| Münster |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Kleve (Cleves) & Mark,Ravensberg |
|
Jülich-Kleve; Brandenburg |
| |
| Jülich (Juliers) & Berg |
|
Jülich-Kleve; Pfalz |
| |
| Paderborn |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Lüttich (Liege) |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Osnabrück |
|
Bischof |
| |
| Verden |
|
Bischof; 1648 Schweden; 1702 Dänemark; 1715/19 Braunschweig-Hannover |
| |
| Minden |
|
Brandenburg |
| |
| Corvey |
|
Abt |
| |
| Stablo & Malmedy |
|
Abt |
| |
| Werden |
|
Abt |
| |
| Kornelimünster
(Cornelis-münster) |
|
Abt |
| |
| Essen |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Thorn |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Herford (Hervorden) |
|
Äbtissin |
| |
| Nassau-Hadamar |
|
Nassau-Dillenburg |
| |
| Nassau-Dillenburg |
| |
| Ostfriesland
(Est Frisia) |
|
1744 Brandenburg |
| |
| Mörs |
|
Neuen-ahr-Alpen;1600 Nassau-Orange;1702 Brandenburg |
| |
| Oldenburg |
|
1667 Holstein-Glückstadt(Dänemark); 1774
Holstein-Gottorp |
| |
| Delmenhorst |
|
1667 Holstein-Glückstadt(Dänemark); 1774
Holstein-Gottorp |
| |
| Wied |
| |
| Sayn-Altenkirchen & Hachenberg |
|
1662 Sachsen-Eisenach;1741 Ansbach;1802 Nassau-Usingen ! Manderscheid;1714 Kirchberg |
| |
| Schaumburg
(Schauenburg) - Hessen |
|
Schaumburg-Holstein; 1640
Hessen-Kassel |
| |
| Schaumburg
(Schauenburg) - Lippe |
|
Schaumburg-Holstein; 1640 Lippe-Alverdissen |
| |
| Lippe |
| |
| Bentheim |
|
Bentheim; 1752 {Pfand [mortgage]} Braunschweig-Hannover |
| |
| Steinfurt |
|
Bentheim-Steinfurt |
| |
| Tecklenburg & Lingen |
|
Bentheim; 1696 Solms-Braunfels; 1707 Brandenburg |
| |
| Hoya |
|
Hoya; 1582 Braunschweig-Hannover |
| |
| Virneburg |
|
Virneburg; 1545 Mandescheid; 1590/1622 Löwenstein |
| |
| Diepholz |
|
Diepholz; 1585 Braunschweig-Zelle
(Celle) |
| |
| Spiegelberg |
|
1557 Braunschweig-Hannover |
| |
| Rietberg |
|
1586 Lippe; 1601 Ostfriesland; 1699/1758 Kaunitz |
| |
| Pyrmont |
|
Waldeck |
| |
| Gronsfeld (Gronsveld) |
|
1719 Törring-Jettenbach |
| |
| Reckheim |
|
1540 Quadt; 1556
Aspremont-Linden |
| |
| Anholt |
|
Bronkhorst-Batenburg; 1637/81Salm-Salm |
| |
| Winnenburg (Winneburg) & Beilstein |
|
Erzb. v. Trier; 1652 Metternich |
| |
| Holzappel (Holzapfel) |
|
1647- |
|
Melander; 1653 Nassau-Schaumburg; 1707 Anhalt-Bernburg-Hoym |
| |
| Witten (Wittem), Eyss, Schlenacken |
|
1717 Bretzlach; 1720 Giech; 1722 Plettenberg |
| |
| Blankenheim &
Geroldstein(Gerolstein) |
|
Manderscheid; 1780 Sternberg |
| |
| Gehmen (Gemen) |
|
1704- |
|
Holstein-Schaumburg; 1640 Limburg-Styrum; 1800 Boineburg-Bömelberg |
| |
| Gimborn & Neustadt |
|
1682- |
|
1610 & 1630 Schwarzenberg; 1780/82(3) Wallmoden |
| |
| Wickerad (Wickrath,
Wyckradt) |
|
1682- |
|
Quadt |
| |
| Mylendonk (Millendonk) |
|
1701- |
|
Mirlaer;1621
Bronkhorst; 1585 Croy;1701 Gudenberg;1723 Berlepsch; 1732/37 Ostein |
| |
| Reichenstein |
|
1705- |
|
Reichenstein; 1529
Wied; 1698-Nesselrode |
| |
| Kerpen & Lommersum |
|
1712- |
|
1710 Schäsberg |
| |
| Schleiden |
|
1713- |
|
Manderscheid; 1560/ Mark; 1773 Arenberg |
| |
| Hallermund |
|
1708- |
|
1707 Platen {person.} |
| |
| Köln |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Aachen
[Aix-la-Chapelle] |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Dortmund |
|
Stadt |
| |
| Fagnolles/Ligne |
|
1786- |
|
Ligne |
Quotes from Dr. R. A. Wines' Dissertation "The Franconian Reichskreis
and the Holy Roman Empire in the War of the Spanish Succession"
[Columbia University, NY, 1961]
[p.18]
The Kreise served several functions in the course of their existence:
first as election districts; then as keepers of the public peace; finally, ...
they became primary agents of Imperial defense.
[p.11]
In 1530 ... the Diet decreed the contingents for the Imperial Army be
contributed by Kreise.
.... Since every member of the Reich was now bound to participate in the Kreis to
meet his Imperial obligation, the Kreise took new life.
[p.34]
The Kreis Assembly, or Kreistag, was in fact the chief repository of all Kreis
powers.
[p.46]
To sit in the Kreis Assembly, a state had to be a recognized member of the Kreis.
.... Since the 1530's the basis for Kreis membership had been the Reichsmatrikel,
or Imperial war tax list. All who contributed through the Kreis claimed the
right to vote, and the smaller Counts, Lords and Cities had taken place at the
Kreis Assembly with the Bishops and Lay Princes.
A few changes occurred later in Kreis membership, when reigning families became
extinct, or when Knights were raised to higher rank and sought admission to the
Kreis. The usual requirements for new members were two: the possession of
unmittelbar land, territory immediately subject to the Emperor, and to offer of
a proportionate contribution to the Reichsmatrikel.
