Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Free imperial city
(1,325 words)

1. Definition

Free imperial cities (also tranlated: “Imperial free city”, or “Free and Imperial City”, from German Freie [und] Reichsstädte) were all towns in the Holy Roman Empire that were immediately under the authority of the king or emperor and had a seat and vote in the Reichstag (Reichsstandschaft, status as an imperial estate). Since free imperial cities were not subject to a territorial ruler, but rather had only the emperor as lord over them (Imperial immedia…

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Brandt, Robert, “Free imperial city”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_026407>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180126



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