if a powerful territorial ruler therefore likely to be strong emperor
few power of his own
imperial state
the members were the greatest wealthiest and most powerful princes
the imperial estates were the group of rulers of states and imperial cities who voted for the emperor
over time the empire becomes a federation of states in what is now germany
the name changed in 1512 to the holy roman empire of the german nation
different states ruled by a range rulers, different languages and ethnicities
the holy roman emperor
few elections were consented
was supreme head
the hierarchy of the empire and of christedom
they have weak imperial authority
this causes problems for the emperor
because individual princes had strong authorities in their own land
the title brings no extra power
this comes from existing family power
relation with catholic church
emperor could approve or reject pronouncements of the pope
emperor would appoint commissioners
therefore could be conflict between pope and emperor
not hereditary ending with death
electors and their powers
3 spiritual
the archbishop of mainz
the archbishop of trier
the archbishop of cologne
4 lay electors
the king of bohemia
the count palantine of the rhine
the electors of saxony
the margrave of brandenburg
these electors chose the new emperor
developed from the middle ages. it was complex of territories in central europe
the imperial diet
a form of parliment
theory
the imperial diet could make laws that overruled those of the territories within the empire
reality
didn't really happen because member states also had certain isomers to make their own laws
who attends
representing of all the lords of the empire
the 52 imperial cities also sent representatives
important decisions were made at the diets because they were all the main forum to take place that involved all the different states of the holy roman empire