The
Holy Roman Empire was a highly decentralized state for most of its history, composed of hundreds of smaller states, most of which operated with some degree of independent sovereignty. Although in the earlier part of the Middle Ages, under the
Salian and
Hohenstaufen emperors, it was relatively centralized, as time went on the Emperor lost more and more power to the Princes. The membership of the
Imperial Diet in 1792, late in the Empire's history but before the beginning of the
French Revolutionary Wars, gives some insight as to the composition of the Holy Roman Empire at that time.
Structure of the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire in 1792
The year 1792 was just before the vast changes inspired by the
French Revolutionary incursions into Germany. The empire was, at that time, divided into several thousand immediate (unmittelbar) territories, but only about three hundred of these had Landeshoheit (the special sort of quasi-sovereignty enjoyed by the states of the Empire), and had representation in the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire (
GermanReichstag). The Imperial Diet was divided into three so-called collegia—the Council of
Electors, the Council of Princes, and the Council of Cities. As those who received votes had gradually changed over the centuries, many princes held more than one vote. Certain territories which had once held votes in the Diet, as for instance the
County of Waldeck or the
United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, no longer retained them, due to the extinction of a dynasty or other causes.
A single vote for the College of the Prelates of
Swabia; see below
A single vote for the College of the Prelates of the
Rhine; see below
These last two were groups of lesser abbots, who together had a joint vote. Unlike those who had a full vote, they were not considered fully sovereign.
A single vote for the College of the Counts of
Swabia; see below
A single vote for the College of the Counts of the
Wetterau; see below
A single vote for the College of the Counts of
Franconia; see below
A single vote for the College of the Counts of
Westphalia; see below
The Council of Cities
The Council of
Imperial Free Cities was theoretically equal to the others, but in actuality it was never allowed to cast a deciding vote and in practice its vote was only advisory. In 1792, there were 51 Free Cities, divided amongst two benches.
^This was the vote exercised by the Spanish Habsburgs prior to 1714. The
Duchy of Burgundy was a part of France and the Habsburgs had relinquished it definitively in 1529, but the ducal title was retained. It corresponded to the
Austrian Netherlands. Cf. Gordon E. Sherman (1915), "The Permanent Neutrality Treaties", The Yale Law Journal, 24(3): 234.
The
Holy Roman Empire was a highly decentralized state for most of its history, composed of hundreds of smaller states, most of which operated with some degree of independent sovereignty. Although in the earlier part of the Middle Ages, under the
Salian and
Hohenstaufen emperors, it was relatively centralized, as time went on the Emperor lost more and more power to the Princes. The membership of the
Imperial Diet in 1792, late in the Empire's history but before the beginning of the
French Revolutionary Wars, gives some insight as to the composition of the Holy Roman Empire at that time.
Structure of the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire in 1792
The year 1792 was just before the vast changes inspired by the
French Revolutionary incursions into Germany. The empire was, at that time, divided into several thousand immediate (unmittelbar) territories, but only about three hundred of these had Landeshoheit (the special sort of quasi-sovereignty enjoyed by the states of the Empire), and had representation in the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire (
GermanReichstag). The Imperial Diet was divided into three so-called collegia—the Council of
Electors, the Council of Princes, and the Council of Cities. As those who received votes had gradually changed over the centuries, many princes held more than one vote. Certain territories which had once held votes in the Diet, as for instance the
County of Waldeck or the
United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg, no longer retained them, due to the extinction of a dynasty or other causes.
A single vote for the College of the Prelates of
Swabia; see below
A single vote for the College of the Prelates of the
Rhine; see below
These last two were groups of lesser abbots, who together had a joint vote. Unlike those who had a full vote, they were not considered fully sovereign.
A single vote for the College of the Counts of
Swabia; see below
A single vote for the College of the Counts of the
Wetterau; see below
A single vote for the College of the Counts of
Franconia; see below
A single vote for the College of the Counts of
Westphalia; see below
The Council of Cities
The Council of
Imperial Free Cities was theoretically equal to the others, but in actuality it was never allowed to cast a deciding vote and in practice its vote was only advisory. In 1792, there were 51 Free Cities, divided amongst two benches.
^This was the vote exercised by the Spanish Habsburgs prior to 1714. The
Duchy of Burgundy was a part of France and the Habsburgs had relinquished it definitively in 1529, but the ducal title was retained. It corresponded to the
Austrian Netherlands. Cf. Gordon E. Sherman (1915), "The Permanent Neutrality Treaties", The Yale Law Journal, 24(3): 234.