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Imperial Circle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An Imperial Circle (German: Reichskreis, plural Reichskreise) was a regional grouping of states of the Holy Roman Empire, primarily for the purpose of organizing a common defense and of collecting imperial taxes, but also as a means of organization within the Reichstag (Imperial Diet).
Each circle had a Kreistag (Circle Diet), although not every member of the Kreistag would also be a member of the Reichstag as well.
Initially six circles were created in 1500 as part of the Reichsreform (Imperial Reform):
- the Bavarian Circle
- the Swabian Circle
- the Upper Rhenish Circle
- the (Lower Rhenish-)Westphalian Circle
- the Franconian Circle
- the Lower Saxon Circle
A further four circles were created in 1512:
- the Burgundian Circle
- the Austrian Circle
- the Upper Saxon Circle
- the Electoral Rhenish Circle
These ten circles remained largely unchanged until the early 1790s, when the Wars of the French Revolution brought about significant changes to the political map of the Empire.
A number of states were left outside of any circle:
- The lands of the Bohemian crown (i.e. Czech lands – Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Upper & Lower Lusatia), from the era of Hussite Wars de facto (but not de jure) independent
- The territories of the Swiss Confederation, which while nominally subject to the Empire, had established quasi-independence in 1499
- The various territories of northern Italy, which were also virtually independent
- A small number of minor states, such as the County of Montbéliard (Mömpelgard) and the Lordship of Schmalkalden
 Circles of the Holy Roman Empire after the Imperial Reform |
||
|---|---|---|
| Created in 1500 |
Bavarian Circle · Franconian Circle · (Lower Rhenish) Westphalian Circle · Lower Saxon Circle · Swabian Circle · Upper Rhenish Circle |
|
| Created in 1512 |
Austrian Circle · Burgundian Circle · Electoral Rhenish Circle · Upper Saxon Circle | |