People of modern times

The “Golden Bull” issued by Charles IV in 1356 was a form of Imperial constitution. It decreed that seven prominent princes, the Electors, were, amongst other thingsy awarded the exclusive right to elect the German king. Whereas the importance of the smaller counts, nobles and knights gradually declined, the economic power of the towns increased, even more so when they joined forces to form leagues: in the 14th century, the Hanseatic League became the leading Baltic power. In 1495, Maximilian I, the first Kaiser not to be crowned, created a new formal organization of the Empire with the Reichstag (Imperial Diet), Reichskreise (Imperial Counties) and Reichskammergericht (Imperial Court Chamber). But the reforms foundered, and instead a dualism of “Emperor and Reich” emerged: The King who headed the Reich was offset by the estates of the Reich, electors, princes and towns. Upon election, the emperors entered into “capitulations” and eroded their power more and more, whereas the princes, especially the powerful among them, increased their influence. However, the Reich continued to hold together and within it the towns emerged as centers of economic power. In the textile and mining industries, forms of economic activity grew which outgrew the craftsmen’s guilds system and, like the burgeoning long-distance trade, gradually bore early capitalist traits. A critical spirit, marked by the Renaissance and Humanism was also being kindled, and above all attacked church abuses. Following the emergence of Martin Luther, this dissatisfaction broke out with the Reformation, which began with the publication of Luther’s 95 theses against abuses by the old Catholic church on October 31, 1517. It aimed to return the Christian religion to the truths of church doctrine as revealed in the Gospels. The consequences went far beyond the religious sphere. The social fabric started to come apart. Even the Knights of the Reich dared to rise up and attempts at political and social change led to the Peasants’ Revolt in 1525, the first major revolutionary movement in Germany, which was crushed in a bloody manner.

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