EMPIRE (Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation)
Themes:
decentralization of political authority:
300 separate states; 85 free imperial cities
election versus inheritance as principle of succession
1356 Golden Bull accepted by Reichstag (Imperial Council):
1) seven
electors to select Emperor:
3 ecclesiastical electors: ("prince-bishops")
Archbishops of Mainz, Cologne, Trier
4 secular Princes:
King of Bohemia, Elector of Saxony,
Count Palatine of Rhine, Margrave of Brandenburg
2) regalian rights reserved to Princes (not Emperor):
taxation, legislation, judiciary, military, coinage
3) Emperor’s powers limited to warfare, foreign treaties
Later confirmations of independence of Princes:
1555 Peace of Augsburg: political settlement of German Reformation,
prince gains right to choose religion
1648 Treaty of Westphalia: treaty ending 30 Years' War
Hapsburg
Emperors (1438-1809)
Dynastic policy: political marriages expand their
hereditary lands: Archdukes of Austria
Burgundian marriage: 1477 Maximilian (Emp. 1493-1519)
& Mary of Burgundy, daughter of Charles the Bold:
Burgundian inheritance: Low Countries, Netherlands
Spanish marriage: Philip & Joanna, Hapsburgs inherit Spain
& possessions in New World; claims to Naples, Sicily
Kingdoms of Hungary & Bohemia (elective):
Hungarian King marries his children, Anne & Louis, to
brother & sister of Charles V = basis of later Hapsburg claims
Hapsburg Genealogy: Spain
Maximilian
I + Mary of Burgundy Ferdinand + Isabella
(1493-1519) (daughter of Charles (Aragon) - (Castile)
the Bold, d. 1477)
/
/
son: Philip _____________ + _________ Joanna
(the Mad)
/
/
Isabella + CHARLES V brothers
Ferdinand I + Anne of Hungary
of (1519-1555) (Emperor
1556-64)
Portugal
/
/
Philip II (1555-1598) Maximillian
II (Emperor 1564-76)
King of Spain