Imperial circle of the Holy Roman Empire
The Electoral Rhenish Circle (German: Kurrheinischer Reichskreis) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire, created in 1512.[1]
The circle derived its name from four of the seven prince-electors whose lands along the Middle Rhine comprised the vast majority of its territory.
Composition
The circle was made up of the following states:
Name
|
Type of entity
|
Comments
|
Beilstein
|
Lordship
|
Held by the Counts of Nassau-Dillenburg from 1343
|
Cologne
|
Prince-bishopric
|
(Re-)established by King Otto I in 953, Prince-elector and Archchancellor of Italy in 1356; including Vest Recklinghausen and the Duchy of Westphalia
|
Koblenz
|
Bailiwick
|
An administrative grouping of lands including the immediate Lordship of Elsen, held by the Teutonic Knights, 2nd Rhenish Prelate
|
Mainz
|
Prince-bishopric
|
Archbishopric established in 781 by Pope Adrian I, Prince-elector and Archchancellor of Germany in 1356; including Eichsfeld, Erfurt, and Aschaffenburg
|
Nieder-Isenburg
|
County
|
Emerged from Isenburg-Isenburg in 1199, partitioned in 1502 into Isenburg-Grenzau and Isenburg-Neumagen (to Sayn-Wittgenstein in 1554), extinct in 1664
|
Palatinate
|
County palatine
|
Arose from the allodium of the Count palatine of Lower Lorraine in 1085 under Henry of Laach, held by the House of Wittelsbach from 1214, Prince-elector and Truchsess in 1356
|
Rheineck
|
Burgraviate
|
Fiefdom of Cologne around Rheineck Castle [de; fr], held by the Freiherren of Varsberg from 1576
|
Thurn und Taxis
|
Barons
|
Briefadel without territory, Freiherren from 1608, Counts from 1624, raised to Princely Counts in 1695
|
Trier
|
Prince-bishopric
|
Established in 902, Prince-elector and Archchancellor of Burgundy (Arles) in 1356
|
References
Sources
External links
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Created in 1500 | | |
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Created in 1512 | |
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and | |
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