Imperial Circle
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An Imperial Circle (in 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 all the members of the Kreistag would also be a member of the Reichstag as well.
[edit] Formation of the circles
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.
[edit] States outside the circles
A number of states were left outside of any circle:
- The lands of the Bohemian crown (Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, and Upper and Lower Lusatia)
- The territories of the Swiss Confederation, which while nominally subject to the Empire, had established quasi-independence
- 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 |
Contemporary
Arrondissement · Bailiwick · Banner · Autonomous banner · Barangay · Bairro · Barrio · Block · Borough · County borough · Metropolitan borough · Capital · Federal capital · Canton · Census division · Census geographic unit · Census metropolitan area · Census subdivision · Circle · Circuit · City · Autonomous city · Independent city · Co-Principality · Colony · Commonwealth · Commune · Community · Autonomous community · Residential community · Condiminium · Constituency · County · Administrative county · Autonomous county · Metropolitan county · Council · Croft · Department · Dependency · Federal dependency · District · Autonomous district · Capital district · City district · Federal district · Metropolitan district · Municipal district · Division · Duchy · Freguesia · Governorate · Hamlet · Insular area · Judeţ · Local administrative unit · Local government area · Municipality · District municipality · Regional municipality · Regional county municipality · Rural municipality · Neighbourhood · Oblast · Okrug · Parish · Civil parish · Periphery · Prefecture · Autonomous prefecture · Principality · Protectorate · Province · Autonomous province · Quarter · Regency · Region · Autonomous region · Capital region ·National capital region · Special administrative region · Republic · Autonomous republic · Ranchería · Reservation · Reserve · Shire · State · Subdistrict · Subprefecture · Suzerainty · Territory · Autonomous territorial unit · Capital territory · National territory · Town · Townland · Township · Civil township · Urban (urbanized) area · Village · Vingtaine · Voivodeship · Ward
Historical
Agency · Barony · Burgh · Cantref · Commote · Hundred · Imperial Circle · Imperial Free City · Imperial province · Presidency · Residency · Riding · Rural district · Sanitary district (rural · urban) · Urban district
Boldface indicates a type used by ten or more countries; loanwords in italics.
