Circle of Swabia

The Swabian Circle as at the beginning of the 16th century

The Circle of Swabia or Swabian Circle (German: Schwäbischer Reichskreis, also Schwäbischer Kreis) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1500 on the territory of the former German stem-duchy of Swabia. However, it did not include the Habsburg home territories of Swabian Austria, the member states of the Swiss Confederacy nor the lands of the Alsace region west of the Rhine, which belonged to the Upper Rhenish Circle. The Swabian League of 1488, a predecessor organization, disbanded in the course of the Protestant Reformation later in the 16th century.

Administration

Coat of arms of the Swabian Circle, 1737

The directors of the Swabian Circle were the Bishop of Constance (replaced by the margrave of Baden after the 1803 Reichsdeputationshauptschluss) and the Duke of Württemberg; meetings of the circle's diet were usually held at the Imperial city of Ulm. Though it was shattered into a multitude of mainly very small states, the circle had an effective government, which, in view of the eastward expansion of France, from 1694 on even maintained its own army based at the Kehl fortress.

As of 1792 the Swabian Circle consisted of 88 territories, of which only the Duchy of Württemberg, the Margraviate of Baden and the Bishopric of Augsburg were of any significance. The Reichsdeputationshauptschluss reduced the number to 41 and the 1806 Rheinbundakte to seven (including the territories that had fallen to Bavaria).

Composition

The circle was made up of the following states:

Name	Type of entity	Comments
Aalen	Imperial City	Imperial immediacy (Reichsfreiheit) granted by Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg in 1360.
Augsburg	Prince-Bishopric	Established in the 11th century, from the 15th century residence at Dillingen.
Augsburg	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1276.
Aulendorf	Lordship	Held by the Lords of Königsegg from about 1350.
Baar	Landgraviate	Territory around Rottweil, held by the Counts of Fürstenberg since 1283.
Baden	Margraviate	Established in 1112, partitioned into Baden-Durlach and Baden-Baden from 1535 to 1771.
Baden-Baden	Margraviate	Subdivision of Baden from 1535, residence at Rastatt from 1705, fell to Baden-Durlach in 1771.
Baden-Durlach	Margraviate	Subdivision of Baden from 1535, residence at Karlsruhe from 1715.
Baden-Hachberg-Sausenberg	Margraviate	Markgräflerland territory, inherited by Baden in 1503.
Baindt	Prince-Abbacy	Gained Reichsfreiheit in 1376.
Biberach an der Riß	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1281.
Bonndorf	Lordship	Acquired by St. Blaise's Abbey in 1609 to gain Reichsfreiheit.
Bopfingen	Imperial City	Since 1241.
Buchau	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 819 by Louis the Pious.
Buchau	Imperial City	Since the 13th century.
Buchhorn	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1275.
Constance	Prince-Bishopric	Established about 585, Reichsfreiheit confirmed by Frederick I Barbarossa in 1155, residence at Meersburg from 1526.
Dinkelsbühl	Imperial City	Since 1351.
Eberstein	County	Line extinct in 1660, inherited by Württemberg.
Eglingen	Lordship	Held by Thurn und Taxis from 1726.
Eglofs	Lordship	Held by the Counts of Abensberg from 1661.
Elchingen	Prince-Abbacy	Established about 1120, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1485.
20px Ellwangen	Prince-Provostry	Established in 1460 as successor of Ellwangen Imperial Abbey.
Eßlingen	Imperial City	Since 1229.
Fugger	Freiherren	Acquired the former County of Kirchberg and Weißenhorn in 1507, ennobled by Maximilian I in 1511, hereditary Imperial counts from 1530.
Fürstenberg	County	Various territories, established from the bequest of Berthold V of Zähringen in 1218, Fürstenberg-Baar since 1441.
Fürstenberg-Blumberg	County	Subdivision from 1559, again partitioned in 1614.
Fürstenberg-Messkirch	County	Subdivision of Fürstenberg-Blumberg from 1614, raised to Principality in 1716, inherited by Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg in 1744.
Fürstenberg-Stühlingen	County	Subdivision of Fürstenberg-Blumberg from 1614, again partitoned between Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg and Fürstenberg-Weitra in 1704.
Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg	County	Subdivision from 1559, raised to Principality in 1664, inherited by Fürstenberg-Fürstenberg in 1716.
Gengenbach	Prince-Abbacy	Established about 730 by Saint Pirmin, granted to Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg by Henry II in 1007.
Gengenbach	Imperial City	Since 1360.
Giengen an der Brenz	Imperial City	Since 1391.
Gundelfingen	Lordship	Acquired by Baden in 1507.
Gutenzell	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1237, Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Sigismund in 1437.
Hausen	Lordship	Territory around Hausen Castle near Beuron, acquired by Fugger in 1682, to Castell in 1735.
Heggbach	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1231, gained Reichsfreiheit about 1428.
Heilbronn	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Charles IV in 1371.
Heiligenberg	County	Held by the Counts of Fürstenberg from 1535.
Hohenems	County	Reichsfreiheit granted by Ferdinand I in 1560, acquired by Habsburg in 1765.
Hohengeroldseck	County	948AD to 1636AD then to Count Palatine, then held by the House of Leyen from 1807, Imperial Counts from 1711, Principality of Leyen in 1806.
Hohenhöwen	Lordship	Established in 1415, with Stühlingen acquired by Pappenheim in 1582, to Fürstenberg-Stühlingen in 1639.
Hohenzollern	County	County of Zollern established in the 11th century, partitioned in 1576.
Hohenzollern-Hechingen	County	Subdivision of Hohenzollern from 1576, raised to principality in 1623.
Hohenzollern-Haigerloch	County	Former Lordship of Haigerloch, subdivision of Hohenzollern from 1576, inherited by Hohenzollen-Sigmaringen in 1767.
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen	County	Subdivision of Hohenzollern from 1576, raised to principality in 1623.
Irsee	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1186, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1694.
Isny	Imperial City	From 1365.
Justingen	Lordship	Territory around Justingen Castle near Schelklingen, acquired by Württemberg in 1751.
Kaisheim	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1133, Imperial abbey since 1346.
Kaufbeuren	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1286.
Kempten	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 752, Reichsfreiheit granted by Henry IV in 1062.
Kempten	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1289.
Kinzigtal	Lordship	Territory around Wolfach, held by Fürstenberg since 1291.
Klettgau	Landgraviate	Held by the Counts of Sulz since 1410, acquired by the House of Schwarzenberg in 1698.
Königsegg	Lordship	Territory around Guggenhausen, acquired the Imperial county of Rothenfels in 1565, Freiherren from 1621, partitioned in 1622.
Königsegg-Aulendorf	Lordship	Subdivision of Königsegg from 1622, Imperial county from 1629.
Königsegg-Rothenfels	Lordship	Subdivision of Königsegg from 1622, Imperial county from 1629.
Leutkirch	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Adolf of Nassau in 1293.
Liechtenstein	Principality	Former County of Vaduz and Lordship of Schellenberg, acquired by the Counts of Sulz and Klettgau in 1510, sold to Hohenems in 1613, finally to the Princely Family of Liechtenstein in 1699 (Schellenberg) and 1712 (Vaduz).
Lindau	Prince-Abbacy	Established about 822, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1466.
Lindau	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1275.
Mainau	Commandery	An administrative grouping of lands held by the Teutonic Order since 1272.
Marchtal	Prince-Abbacy	Established about 776, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1500.
Memmingen	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1286.
Meßkirch	Lordship	Held by the Counts of Zimmern since 1354, fell to the House of Helfenstein in 1594, Fürstenberg-Messkirch from 1627.
Mindelheim	Lordship	Held by the House of Frundsberg since 1467, fell to the Duchy of Bavaria in 1586, held by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough as Prince of Mindelheim from 1705 to 1714.
Neresheim	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1095, Reichsfreiheit contested by the House of Oettingen-Wallerstein, confirmed by the Reichskammergericht in 1764.
Nördlingen	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1215.
Ochsenhausen	Prince-Abbacy	Established about 1090, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1495.
20px Oettingen	County	Partitioned in 1522.
20px Oettingen-Oettingen	County	Subdivision of Oettingen from 1522, raised to principality in 1674, extinct in 1731.
20px Oettingen-Wallerstein	County	Subdivision of Oettingen from 1522, raised to principality in 1774.
20px Oettingen-Spielberg	County	Subdivision of Oettingen-Wallerberg from 1623, raised to principality in 1734.
20px Offenburg	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1240.
Petershausen	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 983 by Saint Gebhard of Constance, Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen.
Pfullendorf	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1220.
Ravensburg	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1278.
Reutlingen	Imperial City	From about 1240.
Roggenburg	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1126, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1482.
Rot an der Rot	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1126, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1376.
Rothenfels	County	Territory around Immenstadt held by the Counts of Montfort since 1332, acquired by Königsegg in 1565.
Rottenmünster	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1224, Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1237.
Rottweil	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Sigismund of Luxembourg in 1434, associate of the Swiss Confederacy 1519–1689.
Salem	Prince-Abbacy	Established about 1134, Reichsfreiheit granted by Conrad III of Hohenstaufen in 1142.
Schussenried	Prince-Abbacy	Established by Rot an der Rot Abbey in 1183, gained Reichsfreiheit about 1440.
Schwäbisch Gmünd	Imperial City	Since about 1250.
Schwäbisch Hall	Imperial City	Since 1280.
Sickingen	Lordship	Territory in the Kraichgau, held by the successors of Imperial Knight Franz von Sickingen, Freiherren from 1606, Imperial counts from 1790.
Söflingen	Prince-Abbacy	Established about 1258 by the Counts of Dillingen, gained Reichsfreiheit against Ulm in 1773.
St George in Isny	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1096, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1781.
Stadion	County	Reached Reichfreiheit in 1705 by purchasing the Lordship of Thannhausen (not to be confused with Tannhausen), split into Stadion-Thannhausen and Stadion-Warthausen in 1741.
Staufen	Lordship	Held by the Freiherren von Staufen (not related to the House of Hohenstaufen), extinct in 1602, then part of Further Austria, acquired by St Blaise's Abbey in 1738.
Stühlingen	Landgraviate	Held by the Counts of Lupfen since 1251, extinct in 1582, acquired by Pappenheim, to Fürstenberg-Stühlingen in 1639.
Teck	Duchy	Former branch of the House of Zähringen, extinct in 1439, ducal title granted to Eberhard I of Württemberg by Maximilian I in 1495.
Tettnang	Lordship	Held by the Counts of Monfort, fell to Further Austria in 1780.
Thannhausen	Lordship	Reichsfrei territory around Tannhausen (not to be confused with Thannhausen).
Thengen	County	Rear county held by the Mainau commandery of the Teutonic Order since 1488, front county to Further Austria in 1522 and held by the Princes of Auersperg from 1663.
Überlingen	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit confirmed about 1400.
Ulm	Imperial City	Gained Reichsfreiheit in the 12th century.
Ursberg	Prince-Abbacy	Established about 1128, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1143.
Waldburg-Sonnenburg	Archstewardship	Territory around Nüziders, lordship held by the Truchsess of Waldburg since 1455, Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick III of Habsburg in 1463, line extinct in 1511.
Waldburg-Trauchburg	Archstewardship	Territory around Trauchburg castle near Isny, held by Waldburg since 1306, Imperial county from 1628, extinct in 1772.
Waldburg-Scheer	Archstewardship	Former County of Friedberg around Scheer castle, held by Waldburg-Sonnenburg since 1454, inherited by Waldburg-Trauchburg in 1511, to Thurn und Taxis in 1785.
Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil	Archstewardship	Territory around Zeil castle near Leutkirch, held by Waldburg since 1337, acquired Wolfegg and Waldsee from Waldburg-Trauchburg in 1508, partitioned in 1589.
Waldburg-Wolfegg	Archstewardship	Subdivision of Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil from 1589, Imperial county from 1628, again partitioned in 1667, extinct in 1798.
Waldburg-Waldsee	Archstewardship	Subdivision of Waldburg-Wolfegg from 1667, inherited Waldburg-Wolfegg in 1798, raised to principality in 1803.
Waldburg-Zeil	Archstewardship	Subdivision of Waldburg-Wolfegg-Zeil from 1589, Imperial county from 1628, again partitoned in 1674, inherited Waldburg-Trauchburg in 1772, raised to principality in 1803.
Waldburg-Wurzach	Archstewardship	Subdivision of Waldburg-Zeil from 1674, raised to principality in 1803.
Wangen	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph of Habsburg in 1286.
Weil	Imperial City	Since about 1275.
Weingarten	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1056 by Duke Welf I of Bavaria, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1274.
Weißenau	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1145, gained Reichsfreiheit about 1257.
Wettenhausen	Prince-Provostry	Established in 1130.
Wiesensteig	Lordship	Held by the House of Helfenstein, partitioned between Fürstenberg and the Duchy of Bavaria in 1627.
Wimpfen	Imperial City	Since about 1300.
Württemberg	Duchy	County of Wirtemberg established in the 12th century, raised to duchy in 1495 by Maximilian I.
Zell am Harmersbach	Imperial City	Since the 14th century.
Zwiefalten	Prince-Abbacy	Established in 1089, gained Reichsfreiheit from Württemberg in 1750.

References

• Imperial Circles in the 16th Century Historical Maps of Germany

External links

• Schwäbischer Reichskreis.
• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons