The name imperial government ( German : Reichsregiment ) denotes two organs, created in 1500 and 1521, in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation to enable a unified political leadership, with input from the Princes. Both were composed of the emperor or his deputy and 20 — later 22 — representatives of the Imperial States and in both cases, the imperial city of Nuremberg was the seat of government. The creation of a functional imperial government was the central plank of the Imperial Reform the princes attempted in the early 16th Century. Both attempts failed after a short time, due to the resistance of the Emperor and the divergent interests of princes.
11-622: The first imperial government was an initiative of Elector Berthold of Henneberg in Mainz and the Diet of Worms (1495) . In return for granting the Gemeiner Pfennig tax and assistance in the war against France, he demanded the Emperor Maximilian I establish a permanent government, with representation of the estates. The emperor would be honorary president of the committee that would deal with
22-578: A council of regency ( Reichsregiment ) under his guidance, making the Emperor "no more than an honorary figurehead" while the real power in the Empire was with Henneberg and the other prince-electors. Though he persuaded the electors to form a union to uphold the reforms of 1495 and 1500, the Reichsregiment was abolished by Maximilian in 1502, defeating Henneberg's Electoral League, which had not managed to gain
33-405: A follower of Nicholas of Cusa and the ideas of Renaissance humanism , he appears to have been a firm supporter of law and order, an enemy of clerical abuses and a careful administrator of his diocese. Immediately after his election as archbishop he began to take a leading part in the business of the Empire, and in 1486 was very active in securing the election of Maximilian of Habsburg as King of
44-464: The Princes to form a Council of Regency. As a condition of his election to Roman-German King , he had to allow the reconvening of the panel in his election treaty . Since Charles was also King of Spain and other territories inside and outside the Empire, he was to spend much of his time outside Germany. At such times, his brother Ferdinand was to fill in for him and chair the government and take care of
55-652: The Romans . Henneberg is most remembered as an advocate of administrative reform in the Empire, including the implementation of the Ewiger Landfriede (eternal public peace) to put an end to internal feuds , secured by the jurisdiction of an Imperial Chamber Court . As a member of the electoral college and archchancellor he had brought this question before the Reichstag diet during the reign of Emperor Frederick III . At first his proposals came to nothing, but he continued
66-500: The Treasury, war and foreign policy. Since this would have meant a massive curtailment of his power, Maximilian I rejected the proposal. However, under pressure due to his precarious financial situation, he agreed to other reforms which would pave the way to the imperial government. Only at the Diet of Augsburg in 1500, when the Princes allowed the Emperor to organize an imperial militia , did
77-448: The affairs of the Empire. Consequently, at the Diet of Worms in 1521, where Martin Luther was to explain himself before the Emperor, the second Imperial Government was founded. Charles V endorsed it, but only granted it decision-making powers when he was absent from the Empire. Otherwise, it was to have a purely consultative role. Thus the effectiveness of the second imperial government
88-463: The formation of the imperial government come about. A panel of 20 representatives of the spiritual and temporal princes of the Empire was formed and they chose the Free Imperial City of Nuremberg as their seat. Maximilian, however, refused to cooperate with this institution from the beginning and dissolved it in 1502. Maximilian's successor, Charles V was also confronted with the demand by
99-595: The struggle at a series of diets and after Frederick's death, he was the leader of the party which pressed the necessity for reform upon Frederick's son Maximilian at the Diet of Worms in 1495 , where the Ewiger Landfriede was declared. He also urged the Imperial States to emulate the courage and union of the Swiss Confederacy and gained a temporary victory when the 1500 Reichstag at Augsburg established
110-475: Was also frustrated by the lack of support from the emperor. Berthold of Henneberg Bertold von Henneberg-Römhild (1442–1504) was Archbishop of Mainz and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 1484, imperial chancellor from 1486, and leader of the reform faction within the Empire. The son of George, Count of Henneberg and Johanna, daughter of Count Philipp I of Nassau-Weilburg
121-506: Was educated at the University of Erfurt. He entered the ecclesiastical profession and, after passing through its lower stages, from 1472 on was a member of the Mainz cathedral chapter, dean from 1475. On May 20, 1484 he was elected archbishop, confirmed by Pope Innocent VIII on September 20, 1484. He was made imperial chancellor in 1486 in return for supporting the election of Maximilian I . As
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