Holy Roman Empire (Merveilles du Monde Map Game)

Holy Roman Empire
Sacrum Imperium Romanum (Latin)
Heiliges Römisches Reich (German)
	Holy Roman Empire ; Sacrum Imperium Romanum (Latin); Heiliges Römisches Reich (German)
Flag	Coat of arms
	File:Holy Roman Empire at its territorial apex (per consensus).svg The Holy Roman Empire at its greatest extent; during the Hohenstaufen dynasty (1155–1268), superimposed on OTL state borders
Capital	Not specified
Languages	Latin, German; Various
Religion	Catholicism
Government	Confederal elective monarchy
	Emperor
Legislature	Imperial Diet
Historical era	Middle Ages; Early modern period
	Area
	Population
Density	11.1 /km² (28.8 /sq mi)

The Holy Roman Empire (Latin: Sacrum Imperium Romanum; German: Heiliges Römisches Reich), often unofficially referred to as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, is a multi-ethnic complex of territories in Western and Central Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages. The largest territory of the empire after 962 was the Kingdom of Germany, though it also included the neighboring Kingdom of Bohemia and Kingdom of Italy, plus numerous other territories, and soon after the Kingdom of Burgundy was added.

On 25 December 800, Pope Leo III crowned the Frankish king Charlemagne as Emperor, reviving the title in Western Europe, more than three centuries after the fall of the earlier ancient Western Roman Empire in 476. The title continued in the Carolingian family until 888 and from 896 to 899, after which it was contested by the rulers of Italy in a series of civil wars until the death of the last Italian claimant, Berengar I, in 924. The title was revived again in 962 when Otto I was crowned emperor, fashioning himself as the successor of Charlemagne and beginning a continuous existence of the empire for over eight centuries. Some historians refer to the coronation of Charlemagne as the origin of the empire, while others prefer the coronation of Otto I as its beginning. Scholars generally concur, however, in relating an evolution of the institutions and principles constituting the empire, describing a gradual assumption of the imperial title and role.

The exact term "Holy Roman Empire" was not used until the 13th century, but the concept of translatio imperii, the notion that he – the sovereign ruler – held supreme power inherited from the ancient emperors of Rome, was fundamental to the prestige of the emperor. The office of Holy Roman Emperor was traditionally elective, although frequently controlled by dynasties. The mostly German prince-electors, the highest-ranking noblemen of the empire, usually elected one of their peers as "King of the Romans", and he would later be crowned emperor by the Pope.

Imperial Guard[]

Member		Home Region	Succeeded	Tenure	Appointed by
1	Rolf "Greyhands" Bayard (1441-1495)	Unknown	Inaugural	1479 – 1495 (Killed in Action)	Henry VIII (1418-1493)
2	Jaromir Přemyslid (1447-1511)	Kingdom of Bohemia	Inaugural	1479 – 1495 (Continued as Captain)
3	Sebastian Belli (1447-Present)	Kingdom of Arles	Inaugural	1479 – 1483 (Resigned)
4	William von Jenagotha (1450-1484)	Duchy of Thuringia	Inaugural	1479 – 1484 (Killed in Action)
5	Conrad “One-eye” Přemyslid (1447-1510)	Kingdom of Bohemia	Inaugural	1479 – 1510 (Killed in Action)
6	Amalius (1456-1495)	Brandenburg-Bohemia	Inaugural	1479 – 1495 (Killed in Action)
7	Eberhard (1454-1495)	County of Württemberg	Inaugural	1479 – 1495 (Killed in Action)
8	Jaanai "the Younger" (1464-Present)	Unknown	Inaugural	1479 – 1525 (Retired)
9	Ernest "the Bastard" (1464-1483)	Duchy of Saxony	Inaugural	1479 – 1483 (Murdered)
10	Jantis "the Jackal" Jett (1458-Present)	Kingdom of Bohemia	Sebastian Belli	1483 – 1511 (Continued as Captain)
11	Ernest Frederick (1440-1511)	Unknown	William of Thuringia	1483 – 1511 (Killed in Action)
12	Jan Jakob (1456-Present)	Duchy of Hesse	Ernest "the Bastard"	1483 – 1530 (Retired)
2	Jaromir Přemyslid (1447-1511)	Kingdom of Bohemia	Rolf Bayard (As Captain)	1479 – 1511 (Killed in Action)	Henry IX (1472-Present)
13	Henry von Bibra (1475-Present)	Duchy of Thuringia	Jaromir Přemyslid	1495 – Present (Incumbent)
14	Gerhard von Coburg (1472-Present)	Duchy of Thuringia	Amalius	1495 – Present (Incumbent)
15	Walter Meyer (1472-Present)	C. Pal. of the Rhine	Eberhard	1498 – Present (Incumbent)	Philip II (1448–1501)
16	Ferdinand Kolumbus (1488-Present)	Hanseatic League	Conrad “One-eye” Přemyslid	1510 – Present (Incumbent)	Ottokar I (1444-1522)
10	Jantis "the Jackal" Jett (1458-Present)	Kingdom of Bohemia	Jaromir Přemyslid (As Captain)	1483 – Present (Incumbent)
17	James Courtenay (1479-Present)	County of Bayreuth	Ernest Frederick	1513 – Present (Incumbent)
18	Ludvík Přemyslid (1500-Present)	Kingdom of Bohemia	Jaanai the Younger	1525 – Present (Incumbent)	Jaromir I (1472-Present)
19	Charles von Habsburg (1506-Present)	Duchy of Habsburg	Jan Jakob	1530 – Present (Incumbent)
20	Eduard von Battenberg (1510-Present)	Duchy of Hesse	Jantis Jett	1535 – Present (Incumbent)

History[]

Charter of 1357[]

Main article: Imperial Charter of 1357 (Merveilles du Monde Map Game)

Decree of 1479[]

Henry III, King of Bohemia has issued the following proclamation, to come into effect immediately if/when he is formally crowned as emperor. Until then he forms this group as a "shadow cabinet".

Emperor - Henry III, King of Bohemia
High Steward - Thin White Duke of Thuringia
Archchancellor - Archbishop Diether von Isenburg of Mainz (-1482)
- Chancellor of Italy - Lorenzo de Medici
- Chancellor of Burgundy - Altisli 'Sharparm' of Anjou-Lenzburg
High Chamberlain - Herman III, Landgrave of Hesse (-1480)
Master of Laws and Justiciar - Archbishop of Cologne
Grand Marshall - Lucas I, King of Arles
Master of Ships and Grand Admiral - John V, King of Lotharingia
High Treasurer - Kaspar von Roggendorf
Spymaster - Conradin Přemyslid (-1480), Senior Alderman Simon Burkhart of the Hansa (1480-)
Court Chaplain - Sigismund of Brandenburg-Bohemia (-1480), Johannes of Brandenburg-Bohemia (1480-)
Premier Captain of the Aachen Guard - Rolf “Greyhands” Bayard
- Knights of the Imperial Guard:
  - Jaromir Přemyslid
  - Sebastian Belli of Arles
  - William of Thuringia
  - Conrad “One-eye” Přemyslid
  - Amalius of Brandenburg-Bohemia
  - Eberhard of Württemberg
  - Jaanai the Younger
  - Ernest “the Bastard” (son of August de la Marck)
Superintendent General of the Arts - Ermanaric von Nassau (-1480), Lucrezia Tornabuon (1482-)
Superintendent General of Sports - Otto de la Marck (-1485)
Master of the Horses - Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria
Postmaster - Engelbert II of Saxony (-1485)
High Medicus - Johann “the Philosopher”
Master of the Hounds - Wolfgang of Thuringia
Standard-bearer - Philip of Habsburg (-1481), Leopold von Habsburg (1481-)
Grand Cup-bearer - Aymon von Lenzburg, Bishop of Lausanne (-1485)
Premier Falconer - Edmund Alwin de la Marck

The following law is created:

ROYAL HOUSEHOLD: Henceforth the household of the emperor will be organized into the above titles and ranks.
- The first twelve positions (Emperor through Superintendent General of the Arts, not including indentations) will feature as a council for the emperor and will meet regularly to discuss matters within the empire, and will work under the emperor's guidance to enact his will across the realm.
- The High Steward is the official regent for the emperor should he be incapacitated, ill, injured, or indisposed. Should the High Steward also be unable to serve as regent, the next person in the council, in the above order, shall serve as regent.
  - If the Emperor dies the High Steward will serve as acting king until a new king can be elected (in the same manner and order as the line of succession for regents).
  - The indented titles do not come after their parent title in terms of succession or in order of precedence.
- AACHEN GUARD: The seventh most premier knights of the realm shall be assembled as the Aachen Guard, tasked with defending and protecting the emperor, his family, and all stately officials acting on the emperor's behalf.
  - Once appointed by an emperor, a knight of the Aachen Guard shall remain employed until their death, or they resign the position.
  - The most senior knight among the seven shall be selected as the Premier Captain, who shall be granted a position in the emperor's council, ans is the chief knight of the realm.
- All positions, aside from those already specified to be held for life, are given and taken away at the emperor's discretion. No positions are hereditary, or held by merit of another title.
Government of the Empire
- The government of the empire will officially be created in the city of Frankfurt.
- The Emperor and his above cabinet/”household”, which will be named the “executive branch” for its purpose of executing the laws of the Emperor and the State.
- A “legislative branch” will be created; each polity in the empire may send one representative (“Princes”) to Frankfurt to form this assembly (Diet).
  - Twenty-two (22) Princes of the nation will be selected to form the High Diet. The top fifteen (15) polities who pay the highest amount of tax to the Emperor will automatically be placed into this group, along with seven (7) other Princes, chosen at random at least once per year (or when needed).
  - Any law passed by the Emperor will be considered law automatically, and the Diet may vote to signify approval, or make their opinion on it heard.
  - However, if a majority of Princes makes a formal petition to the emperor to revisit the law, then that law will not go into effect immediately, but rather a formal rewriting and research process will begin by the Emperor, cabinet, and the High Diet. The law will then have to be voted on be approved by a majority of the regular Diet in order to pass.
  - At any time the Emperor may delegate any issue to the Diet instead, at which point the Diet will create the legislation. Any proposed piece of legislation created by the Diet will require a majority vote among the Diet to pass, at which point the Emperor may approve or veto it. The legislation may also independently conceive of legislation and propose it in the same way to the Emperor.
- The Imperial Chamber Court, which will be created in the city of Worms.
  - The court will be tasked with hearing complaints of major importance, or between two polities, or between two nobles, or cases that have been appealed through at least two lower courts prior to it, including a provincial level court, unless such a matter is deemed Privilegium de non appellando. Its province will include breaches of the public peace, cases of arbitrary distraint or imprisonment, pleas which concerned the treasury, violations of the Emperor's decrees or the laws passed by the Imperial Diet, disputes about property between immediate tenants of the Empire or the subjects of different rulers, and finally suits against immediate tenants of the Empire, with the exception of criminal charges and matters relating to imperial fiefs.
  - This court will not replace the right of the Emperor to serve as an arbitrator in any case. Any case considered for the court may alternatively be chosen by the Emperor to be arbitrated by him instead.
  - The Emperor, or a deputy of the Emperor, may serve as the judge in this court, otherwise a person of distinction of the choosing of the Emperor and/or both parties in question may preside.
  - Feuds, which shall be defined as any long-running argument or fight, often between social groups or people, especially families or clans, shall be banned. Those found in violation of this matter will be directed to the Imperial Chamber Court.
Provinces of the Empire
- The Empire will be divided into five kingdoms: Lotharingia, Germany, Bohemia, Italy, and Switzerland (the only new one out of these five being Switzerland).
  - Each province will be responsible for organizing a provincial level court of appeals, raising the appropriate amount of taxes and soldiers from within its land, and organizing provincial level diets for minor matters.
  - Lotharingia, Bohemia, Italy, and Switzerland will simultaneously be defined as provinces, while the Kingdom of Germany will be divided into eight provinces (roughly like this map but combine Electoral Rhenish with Upper Rhenish: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Map_of_the_Imperial_Circles_%281560%29-en.svg).
- The title of King of Switzerland shall be an honorary title corresponding to the Swiss Confederacy, in which the titular king does not possess any form of power in government over the eponymous domain (unless the Swiss Confederacy chooses internally to change that).
  - The first King of Switzerland will be determined through a series of trials modelled after Arthurian legend and the Trials of Hercules. A trial may be created at any time by the Emperor, until twelve have been created by the emperor(s). Anyone, from peasantry to nobility, may enter into the competition for the title by completing the trials (in any order), and displaying clear proof of completion to any imperial authority in the provinces.
  - Any person who has completed three or more challenges may mail a copy of their certificates of proof to the emperor, who will bestow upon that individual some form of honorary title, as well as special clothing and insignia signifying their completion. For every three additional challenges completed, mailed in to the emperor in the same manner, they will be granted further gifts from the emperor.
  - The first (and only the first) person to complete all twelve trials will be granted great gifts and honors by the Emperor. Additionally, the King of Switzerland will legally be granted the following privileges (in Switzerland):
    - He may show up at the house of any noble or lord and ceremonially request entrance, at which point said noble must allow him entry, entertain him, and give him food and lodging for the night.
    - He will be granted a minimum of one alcoholic beverage for free at any commercial, alcohol-serving establishment of his choosing at any time.
    - On his birthday anyone who interacts with the King will be legally required to wish him a happy birthday, and/or sing a short song of celebration.
    - Any major party, which will be defined as a gathering of at least 120 people in one location, will be required to at least send the King an invitation.
    - The king may spectate or speak an opinion at any government diet, and may sit in the jury or audience of any court or judicial hearing or trial, and may be asked to be a judge in any proceeding.
    - In any foot race, measuring 2,000 meters or less, in situations in which the King is a contestant and the result is too close to call, a tie, or otherwise obscured by an outside factor, the judges of such an event will choose the King over the other party(s).
    - Once a year, an archbishop in Switzerland, the government of Switzerland, or an individual town of Switzerland, choosing amongst themselves who will have that year’s honor, will gift the King one (1) turkey, chicken, or bird, for the purpose of a yearly, winter dinner.
    - The King will be granted the right to use certain symbols associated with Hercules, which may be displayed on his heraldry, paintings, clothing, etc, that no one else may use without his explicit permission, and/or by virtue of being his descendant.
    - The King of Switzerland reserves the right to vote in any imperial election.
    - The King may serve as a referee of any football tournament, and must be invited to the yearly Swiss Provincial Tournament, where he may have the honor of officially beginning the games if he wishes. Likewise in any football game that the King participates in, he automatically starts with possession of the ball.
    - Any act of harm leveled against the King of Switzerland will be met with the death penalty.
    - At any time the Emperor may grant another honor upon the King of Switzerland, as may the Swiss Confederacy’s government through its normal legislation.
  - Once a King of Switzerland has been determined, he will serve for life, and the title will be passed on as hereditary within his family until his family is completely exhausted (with the reigning Emperor being responsible for determining within reason when such an event has occurred), at which time the Emperor will reignite the trials a second time, but also add three new trials to the already existing twelve.
  - Any person who was awarded honors, titles, regalia, symbols, heraldry, etc for completing trials will be allowed to keep those, and pass those on to their family.
Election of the Emperor
- All members of the Imperial Diet will become observers of the imperial election, to ensure that anyone within the Holy Roman Empire can spectate the proceedings and ensure fairness. To this end, the Swiss Confederacy, the Order of Bari, and the Papal States will no longer be specifically mentioned as “Observers”, and the latter of which, although still retaining the distinguished privilege of crowning the emperor, will not be classified as an observer.
- The number of ecclesiastic electors will be raised to five, with the inclusion of the Archbishop of Erfurt (in Thuringia).
- The Electorate of Lower Bavaria will henceforth be replaced with the Electorate of Bavaria. The unification of Bavaria under Albert IV will be recognized, and he will be granted claim to the remainder of Bavaria (defined as equal to the OTL Kingdom of Bavaria).
- Upon the death of Ermanaric of Nassau, the Electorate of Nassau shall be replaced with the Electorate of Brandenburg, which will be created from land that Bohemia encompasses. After a period of twenty years after the passing of Ermanaric of Nassau, the Imperial Electors will be assembled to vote in a simple yes-no, majority wins vote to determine if Nassau will be returned to Electorate status (in addition to Brandenburg).
- The Electorate of Thuringia shall be created.
- The reigning emperor may make his will known as to who he believes should be his successor, which will count as an additional, unchanging vote upon his death, but he may only nominate someone other than the heir to his primary title.
- The primary heir of, or the most recent widow of, the deceased previous emperor may reserve the right of God’s Arbitration; if called, three of the ecclesiastic electors will be chosen at random to abstain from the election, and also one additional vote will be randomly cast.
- The Premier Captain of the Aachen Guard may cast a vote in any imperial election, however, if a majority of the six guards under his command vote in agreement that they want to exercise this right, they may veto the Premier Captain’s vote, forcing him to abstain.
- As previously mentioned, the King of Switzerland always reserves the right to vote in an imperial election.
- Before every election two numbers between 1 and 30 will be called, chosen at random, and the people of the previous emperor’s council corresponding to those numbers will be allowed to vote, however, their votes must be identical, otherwise both votes are void. If both votes are the same then one total vote will be granted toward their candidate of choice.
Sports
- The emperor decrees that a committee be established to formalize the rules of a sports game, based on local variants, nicknamed “football”.
- A yearly tournament shall be held in each province of the empire, whose rules and structure will be determined internally to each province, composed of teams of players of this sport representing the princes of the empire. Each recognized prince of the empire may create one team.
- Once a year the emperor may host a tournament of the winners of each province to determine the empire’s overall winner. The winner of each yearly tournament will be granted a gift by the emperor, which may consist of any or all of the following: large sums of money, appointments to the government, titles or lands, a vote in the next coming imperial election, the rights to a colony or to colonize, a royal marriage, or a positive settlement in any ongoing dispute.
- A cabinet level position will be created by the emperor to serve as the chief viceroy of imperial sports, and he will be in charge of overseeing the creation and testing of new sports, the regulations and enforcement of rules empire-wide, and in organization of tournaments and games.

Decree of 1492[]

Colonial Terms
- House of Columbus/Sommer
  - Christopher Columbus will be required to meet with the Emperor and representatives of the Hansa in order to adequately prove his discovery of a way to the Indies.
  - Columbus will be granted an honorary title of “Lord of Columbus”, which may be passed on to his family hereditarily after his death.
  - Columbus will be promised a ducal level title when such a territory arises.
  - Imperial dignitaries, ambassadors, or representatives of the Emperor will be present on all of Columbus’ subsequent expeditions, in order to deliver a proper message to the rulers of the Indies on behalf of the Empire. The Emperor will pledge to aid in supplying funds to any expedition commissioning Columbus in his lifetime.
  - These same terms will also apply to Sommer accordingly.
- Territories in the Indies
  - Any lands discovered in the Indies (later known as the New World), which prove to be unclaimed, by explorers commissioned by the Princes of the Empire will be organized into territories subordinate to the Prince that commissioned them, with the Emperor granting feudal titles corresponding to these discovered lands to the explorers, nobles of the Prince that commissioned them, and/or an acceptable noble of his choosing.
  - Imperial dignitaries, ambassadors, or representatives of the Emperor should be present in all subsequent expeditions, which will be provided upon request by commissioning Princes.
Military Reforms
- Noting the need for unified defense against threats to the Empire, the Imperial Army will be upgraded, and is expected to reach the following quota by 1510.
  - The professional army of the Empire will be increased to 33,000 men, made up of 22,000 infantry, 8,000 cavalry, 2,000 mounted infantry, and 1,000 specialists and other soldiers, and will also have 120 light cannons
  - An Imperial manufactory dedicated to the creation of cannons and armaments will be opened near Prague and tasked with aiding in meeting the needs of the Imperial Army.
  - The Empire will create or take into its possession a number of key border fortresses to protect the Empire, which will be partially paid for with the same tax used to produce the army, and manned equally by Imperial soldiers and the local soldiers of the state these forts reside in. These forts will include (but not be limited to) the peninsula of Glucksburg (Hansa), the city of Aachen, two new castles in Silesia near Poland, one new castle in southeast Moravia, two castles in eastern Austria, a castle east of Pisa (in Florence), a castle located west of Lake Geneva (in East Burgundy), a castle in northwest Julich, a castle near Metz, a castle in Apremont, a castle in Vaudemont, and a castle south of the Jade Bay.
- Imperial Navy
  - The Empire will undergo the creation of an Imperial navy, which will be subordinate to the Emperor and the Imperial government. The navy will be created and reach the following by 1525.
  - The port of Heinrichshaven will be created on the south of the Jade Bay, which will include a small dock for shipping and trade, and facilities to repair or build ships if needed.
  - Nations of the Empire may donate ports or facilities to the Imperial Navy, in which case said donations will be granted Imperial status as a supranational polity.
  - Imperial ships will be allowed free access to any port in the Empire or its territories, and may use any facility in the Empire for the purpose of repair or safe haven, and may pass through any straight or waters of the Empire free of tolls.
  - The Imperial navy at this time will consist of two small diplomat ships, three balingers/river boats, and one small carrack-style ship.

Government of 1493[]

Emperor - Henry IX
High Steward - Ottokar III "Tooler", King of Bohemia
Archchancellor - Nikolaus von Bibra, Count of Meiningen
- Chancellor of Italy - Lorenzo II de Medici
- Chancellor of Burgundy - Bernard "Twice-Died", Count Palatinate of Burgundy
High Chamberlain - Edmund Alwin, Duke of Saxony
Master of Laws and Justiciar - Ruprecht von Moers, Archbishop of Cologne
Grand Marshall - Jan Žižka, Lord of Hayingen
Master of Ships and Grand Admiral - Georg Burkhart, Bürgermeister of Lübeck
High Treasurer - Kaspar von Roggendorf, Count of Veringen
Spymaster - Johann Totleben, Burgrave of Talstein
Court Chaplain - Cardinal Johannes of Brandenburg-Bohemia
Premier Captain of the Aachen Guard - Rolf “Greyhands” Bayard
- Knights of the Imperial Guard:
  - Jaromir Přemyslid
  - Conrad “One-eye” Přemyslid
  - Amalius of Brandenburg-Bohemia
  - Eberhard of Württemberg
  - Jaanai the Younger
  - Jantis "the Jackal" Jett
  - Ernest Frederick
  - Jan Jakob
Superintendent General of the Arts - Hans Dürer
Superintendent General of Sports - Leopold von Habsburg, Duke of Habsburg
Master of the Horses - Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria
Postmaster - Jeannetto de Tassis
High Medicus - Paracelsus
Master of the Hounds - Henry V, Count of Fürstenberg
Standard-bearer - Hanns von Wulfestorff, Lord of Tettnang
Grand Cup-bearer - Hugh von Jenagotha
Premier Falconer - Bartholomew Kolumbus

Decree of 1497[]

Preface: Noting that the altering of the electorate has been controversial in the past, the Emperor seeks to limit the ability of the electorate to be altered further, and to create a balance that is satisfactory to all parties of the Empire.

Process for Adding Electors
- Limitations to Nominations
  - The power to appoint electors will continue to be held by the Emperor.
  - The Emperor may not nominate any electors if the number of ecclessiastic and secular electors combined is currently at or over the number fifteen.
  - The Emperor may not nominate an ecclesiastic elector if there are already five (or more) ecclesiastic electors, and the number of ecclesiastic electors cannot be made an even number through a new addition.
  - No state/person may be nominated for the electorate if that person is already an elector (for a different state).
  - No person/state may be nominated to be an elector if they are fully encompassed within, a direct vassal to, or under the rule of, an already existing elector.
  - Multiple nominations, or two nominations in a row, may not be from the same dynasty or nation.
  - Electors should be balanced between different regions, and two electors being proposed from the same province at one time or in succession, will not be allowed.
- Process for Nomination
  - Once the Emperor has announced his nomination(s), all electors must be confirmed through a voting process.
  - If there are multiple nominations proposes they may be lumped together into one ticket, or separated into multiple tickets.
  - The nomination(s) will be voted upon by three assemblies: the already existing electorate, the High Diet (which will be called by the Emperor for this process), and the Imperial Council (first twelve positions of the cabinet), and will need to pass a simple majority in all three.
- Additional Rules for Nomination
  - If at any time there are eleven or less ecclessiastic or secular (combined) electors, the Emperor may temporarily waive restrictions and procedure, and appoint electors as needed to reach a minimum of eleven electors.
Process for Removing Electors
- Electors may only be removed by the Emperor
- Limitations to Removal - The Emperor may not remove any electors unless certain criteria are met:
  - If an elector has formally converted to a recognized heresy by the church, and has been excommunicated, and has been ordered to abandon this faith by the Emperor, but the Elector has refused.
  - If a state ceases to exist that state will automatically lose its elector status, but if that nation ceases to exist because it has changed into a new form, where there is a clear line of succession from one to the other, the new state will retain its elector status (E.g. Bavaria-Landshut became the Duchy of Bavaria).
  - If an elector has come to be ruled by a foreign power (a nation outside the Holy Roman Empire), or has been taken over by a foreign power, or a situation has arisen in which the Elector would be the King or de facto head of a foreign power, the Emperor may remove their status.
Current Changes to the Electorate
- The Archbishopric of Erfurt, but only once the current Archbishop dies or is replaced in that position, will have its elector status removed.
- The Duchy of Habsburg will be granted electorate status.
- The vote regarding Nassau's electorate status will take place immediately rather than in 1499.
Election Procedures
- Elections will use ranked/instant runoff voting to determine the winner of elections.
- As soon as a candidate reaches a majority or is the only candidate left, the election will end with their success.

Government of 1498[]

Emperor - Philip II
High Steward - Louis von Wittlesbach
Archchancellor - Bertrand of Villingen, Archbishop of Mainz
- Chancellor of Italy - Lorenzo II de Medici
- Chancellor of Burgundy - Bernard "Twice-Died", Count Palatinate of Burgundy
High Chamberlain - Edmund Alwin, Duke of Saxony
Master of Laws and Justiciar - Ruprecht von Moers, Archbishop of Cologne
Grand Marshall - Jan Žižka, Lord of Hayingen
Master of Ships and Grand Admiral - Jan V, King of Lotharingia
High Treasurer - Kaspar von Roggendorf, Count of Veringen
Spymaster - John von Wittlesbach
Court Chaplain - Cardinal Johannes of Brandenburg-Bohemia
Premier Captain of the Aachen Guard - Jaromir Přemyslid
- Knights of the Imperial Guard:
  - Conrad “One-eye” Přemyslid
  - Jaanai the Younger
  - Jantis "the Jackal" Jett
  - Ernest Frederick
  - Jan Jakob
  - Henry von Bibra
  - Walter Meyer
Superintendent General of the Arts - Hans Dürer
Superintendent General of Sports - Leopold von Habsburg, Duke of Habsburg
Superintendent General of Food - Alexander von Bingen
Master of the Horses - Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria
Postmaster - Jeannetto de Tassis
High Medicus - Paracelsus
Master of the Hounds - Henry V, Count of Fürstenberg
Standard-bearer - Hanns von Wulfestorff, Lord of Tettnang
Grand Cup-bearer - Hugh von Jenagotha
Premier Falconer - Bartholomew Kolumbus

Decree of 1499[]

The Culinary Acts - The necessity of food for the health of the citizens of the Empire will not be ignored, and the Empire will promote the general welfare of its citizens through the improvement and enjoyment of food.
- Food Shop
  - For the purpose of entertaining the most dignified members of the Empire and serving their needs when traveling, the “Food Shop” will be created as an establishment independent of a manor or home, for the purpose of providing a dining experience.
  - Food shops will include any establishment where food is the primary item sold, and may include buildings where people may eat the food they purchase.
  - Food shops will be funded by the lords and nobles of their respective town, and/or independent artisans and merchants, who seek to create an enterprise for commerce.
- Culinary School
  - For the purpose of training and promoting those skilled in food making, to be employed in the industry of the food shops, an academy for training chefs will be created in Heidelberg.
  - The Academy of Heidelberg will be open to all walks of life, and will be funded partially through tuition, funds from the County Palatine of the Rhine (or whichever local ruler comes to own that location), and a small percentage of the annual Imperial budget.
- The Academy of Heidelberg will include grounds for agriculture, beekeeping, and confectorary creation.
- Imperial Star System
  - For the purpose of evaluating the quality of food shops, and determining which establishments are worthy of hosting distinguished and elite members of society, the Imperial Star System will be created.
  - An independent agency of the Emperor will be created for the purpose of evaluating food shops and awarding Imperial Stars.
  - Food shops may apply for Imperial Stars. Locations of quality will be granted up to three stars, with three star food shops indicating the best of the Empire.
- Annual Culinary Contest
  - An annual culinary contest will be held in the Empire, the first year being in Heidelberg. The contest and its festivities will be held the last week of August to commemorate the coronation of Henry VIII the Great.
  - Contestants in the contest will be tasked with making a specific dish, which will be judged by the Emperor, and/or the Count Palatine of the Rhine, or a deputy appointed by them.
  - At the discretion of the Emperor, the winner of the yearly culinary contest may also be granted a point in the King of Switzerland contest, if their dish exceeds expectations and is highly creative.
  - At the conclusion of the contest a great feast and festival will be held, with games, music, and other events being promoted.
Medals and Honors - For the purpose of honoring the most brave and noble deeds of the Empire, a system of honorary medals will be created.
- Imperial Cemetery
  - Land will be consecrated outside Frankfurt (specifically bordering Bad Homburg on its northeast) for the purpose of an Imperial cemetery.
  - Soldiers who have fallen in the line of duty while fighting for the Imperial Army, or for fighting on behalf of the Emperor, or have received another special distinction from the Emperor, may be buried in the Imperial Cemetery, and receive a tombstone provided by the state.
  - A detachment of the Imperial Army will be tasked with guarding the cemetery, performing funerals, and bestowing honors and upkeep for graves.
- Iron Cross - This medal will be the highest honor bestowed upon a person, for gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.
  - Recipients - The following people will be awarded this honor at this time:
    - Duke Edmund Alwin of Saxony - for his brave actions in saving the lives of his peers during the First Battle of Frankfurt.
    - The Fallen Imperial Guards - all three men of the Imperial Guard who gave their lives for the Empire during the civil war - Rolf Bayard, Amalius von Brandenburg-Bohemia, and Eberhard von Württemberg - will be posthumously awarded the Iron Cross.
  - Privileges - Recipients are entitled to the following for life
    - A monthly pension of a small amount, that is subject to cost-of-living increases, paid by the Emperor to these individuals.
    - Burial in the Imperial Cemetery if not already eligible.
    - Will be provided an Imperial flag at no cost when requested.
    - Will be granted admission onto any ferry, boat, or other water based transportation free of charge.
    - Will be granted lands by the Emperor if the recipient does not already have any, and/or some kind of title.
Kingdom of Switzerland Updates
- All those who have reached a milestone in the Kingdom of Switzerland contest, that being every group of three (3) points, will be entitled to have their points passed on to their heirs (E.g. if you have 3 points your heir will get 3 points, if you have 4 points your heir will get 3 points, if you have 6 points your heir will get 6 points.)

Government of 1501[]

Emperor - Frederick IV
High Steward - Ottokar IV "Tooler", King of Bohemia
Archchancellor - Bertrand of Villingen, Archbishop of Mainz
- Chancellor of Italy - Lorenzo II de Medici
- Chancellor of Burgundy - Bernard "Twice-Died", Count Palatinate of Burgundy
High Chamberlain - Edmund Alwin, Duke of Saxony
Master of Laws and Justiciar - Ruprecht von Moers, Archbishop of Cologne
Grand Marshall - Jan Žižka, Lord of Hayingen
Master of Ships and Grand Admiral - Georg Burkhart, Bürgermeister of Lübeck
High Treasurer - Kaspar von Roggendorf, Count of Veringen
Spymaster - Johann Totleben, Burgrave of Talstein
Court Chaplain - Cardinal Johannes of Brandenburg-Bohemia
Premier Captain of the Aachen Guard - Jaromir Přemyslid
- Knights of the Imperial Guard:
  - Conrad “One-eye” Přemyslid
  - Jaanai the Younger
  - Jantis "the Jackal" Jett
  - Ernest Frederick
  - Jan Jakob
  - Henry von Bibra
  - Walter Meyer
Superintendent General of the Arts - Hans Dürer
Superintendent General of Sports - Jezrahiah von Nassau
Master of the Horses - Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria
Postmaster - Jeannetto de Tassis
High Medicus - Paracelsus
Master of the Hounds - Henry V, Count of Fürstenberg
Standard-bearer - Hanns von Wulfestorff, Lord of Tettnang
Grand Cup-bearer - Hugh von Jenagotha
Premier Falconer - Bartholomew Kolumbus

Government of 1504[]

Emperor - Ottokar I
High Steward - Pavel "the Samaritan", Count of Breisgau
Archchancellor - Bertrand of Villingen, Archbishop of Mainz
- Chancellor of Italy - Lorenzo II de Medici
- Chancellor of Burgundy - Bernard "Twice-Died", Count Palatinate of Burgundy
High Chamberlain - Leopold II von Habsburg
Master of Laws and Justiciar - Ruprecht von Moers, Archbishop of Cologne
Grand Marshall - Jan Žižka, Lord of Hayingen
Master of Ships - Georg Burkhart, Bürgermeister of Lübeck
- Grand Admiral - Hannes von Sudland
High Treasurer - Kaspar von Roggendorf, Count of Veringen
Spymaster - Thomas Zobel, Lord of Rastatt
Court Chaplain - Cardinal Johannes of Brandenburg-Bohemia
Premier Captain of the Aachen Guard - Jaromir Přemyslid
- Knights of the Imperial Guard:
  - Conrad “One-eye” Přemyslid
  - Jaanai the Younger
  - Jantis "the Jackal" Jett
  - Ernest Frederick
  - Jan Jakob
  - Henry von Bibra
  - Walter Meyer
Superintendent General of the Arts - Hans Dürer
Superintendent General of Sports - Charles "the White", Count of Saxe-Beizig
Master of the Horses - Albert IV, Duke of Bavaria
Postmaster - Jeannetto de Tassis
High Medicus - Paracelsus
Master of the Hounds - Henry V, Count of Fürstenberg
Standard-bearer - Hanns von Wulfestorff, Lord of Tettnang
Grand Cup-bearer - Nicholas "the Younger" Sommer
Premier Falconer - Bartholomew Kolumbus

Diet of Augsburg (1509)[]

The Diet of Augsburg of 1510 was a diet held by the Holy Roman Empire to determine a peaceful outcome to the war the previous year, and to deal with disagreements over religion.

(Work in Progress)

The Archbishopric of Mainz and the Duchy of Hesse will agree to a white peace, with Hesse's forces withdrawing from the city of Mainz.
The Archbishopric of Mainz will pay a modest sum to Hesse/the League of Wolfen as reparation for their attack.
Imperial forces/inquisitors will withdraw from Nuremberg and will recognize the government elected there.
The Edict of Nuremberg's suspension of Speyer will be repealed after one year; states will not have the right to choose which religious reforms they wish to take effect in their states, as Catholicism will be recognized as the official religion.

Diet of Munich (1510)[]

The Diet of Munich of 1510 was a diet held by the Holy Roman Empire to further address the growing religious divide, and to negotiate a peaceful end to the Bavarian Civil War.

The Decree of Augsburg will not be reversed; Jungism will be officially prohibited and Catholicism will be recognized as the state religion of the Empire.
- An Imperial Ban will be placed on Johann Freud and all other prominent Jungists.
- All Jungist and heretical texts will be banned.

Those accepting the religious terms:

Holy Roman Emperor Ottokar I, King of Bohemia
Archchancellor Jakob von Baden, Archbishop of Trier
Grand Marshall Marek Ironside, Duke of Livonia
Bernard II, Count Palatine of Burgundy
Bernhard Cles, Bishop of Trent, imperial commissioner
Dr. Johann Faber, canon of Konstanz and Basel
Probst Balthasar von Waldkirch, imperial commissioner
Edmund de la Marck the Younger, Count of Waldeck

Those protesting the religious terms:

The Thin White Duke of Thuringia
Francis von Welf, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Edmund Alwin de la Marck, Duke of Saxony
Hugh "the Heir" von Jenagotha, Regent of Nuremberg
Johann Freud, companion of the Thin White Duke
Martin Breuer, companion of the Thin White Duke
Heinrich Schopenhauer, chaplain of Thuringia
Emperor-emeritus Henry IX, Count of Weimar
Johann Totleben, Burgrave of Talstein
Xaver von Coburg, Burgrave of Alteburg
William Přemysl, Lord of Rutha
William von Bibra, Count of Meiningen
Heinrich von Ammendorf, Lord of Rothenburg
William von Jenagotha, Burgrave of Mühlberg
Gregor von Hanstein, Count of Altenburg
Wolfgang von Ascania, Prince of Anhalt
Conrad von Lautertal, Lord of Lautertal
George von Wittelsbach, Duke of All Bavaria
William von Wittelsbach, Count of Landshut
Wolfgang de la Marck, heir to Duchy of Saxony
Wenceslaus IV, formerly heir to Duchy of Saxony
Gustav Jung, Archbishop of Saxony
Theoderic Rood, companion of Gustav Jung
Johann Mirer, representative of St. Gallen
Alwin de la Marck, Count of Leisnig
Louis de la Marck, Count of Stolberg
Imperial Cities:
- Strasburg
- Nuremberg
- Lindau
- Memmingen
- Nördlingen
- Heilbronn
- Reutlingen
- Isney
- Weissenburg
- Windsheim
- Frankfurt

Diet of Hall (1512)[]

The Diet of Hall of 1512 was a diet held by the Holy Roman Empire to formally end the Bavarian Civil War and the religious conflicts that surrounded it.

The County of Bayreuth will be recognized as an independent nation, and will be granted the territories it conquered (shown in green).
- The Englishman Robert will be appointed the second Count of Bayreuth, but he will be required to be Catholic and pursue the counter reformation as per the law of the Empire.
- Bayreuth will be recognized as a vassal of the Kingdom of Bohemia.
- Bayreuth and the Burgraviate of Nuremberg will pay a large sum to the Kingdom of Bohemia.
George will be recognized as the Duke of Bavaria.
- The borders of Bavaria will be returned to as they were before the war.
- Bavaria will recognize the Archbishopric of Salzburg and the Bishopric of Passau as independent, while those bishoprics within Bavaria (not shown on the map) will be incorporated into Bavaria.
Franz von Sickingen will be recognized as the ruler of Ulm (as a Bavarian vassal), and as Hegemon of the Swabian League.
- Hohenzollern will be returned to Hesse, and several other territories will be returned.
- Recompense will be paid to those affected by Franz von Sickingen's campaigns.
- The Bishopric of Strasbourg will be recognized as belonging to the Duchy of Habsburg.
- Franz von Sickingen will accept Catholicism.

Government of 1522[]

Emperor - Jaromir II
High Steward - Edmund Alwin, Duke of Saxony
Archchancellor - Karl von Voss
- Chancellor of Italy - Francesco von Habsburg
- Chancellor of Burgundy - Bernard "Twice-Died", Count Palatinate of Burgundy
High Chamberlain - Leopold II von Habsburg
Master of Laws and Justiciar - Ruprecht von Moers, Archbishop of Cologne
Grand Marshall - Marek Ironside, Duke of Livonia
Master of Ships - Georg Burkhart, Bürgermeister of Lübeck
- Grand Admiral - Hannes von Sudland
High Treasurer - Georg von Hanover
Spymaster - Thomas Zobel, Lord of Rastatt
Court Chaplain - Cardinal Johannes of Brandenburg-Bohemia
Premier Captain of the Aachen Guard - Jantis "the Jackal" Jett
- Knights of the Imperial Guard:
  - Jan Jakob
  - Jaanai the Younger
  - Henry von Bibra
  - Gerhard von Coburg
  - Walter Meyer
  - Ferdinand Kolumbus
  - James Courtenay
Superintendent General of the Arts - Hans Dürer
Superintendent General of Sports - Charles "the White", Count of Saxe-Beizig
Master of the Horses - Albert V, Duke of Bavaria
Postmaster - Jeannetto de Tassis
High Medicus - Paracelsus
Master of the Hounds - Henry Bayard, Lord of Howen
Standard-bearer - Charles Přemyslid
Grand Cup-bearer - Nicholas "the Younger" Sommer
Premier Falconer - Bartholomew Kolumbus