Perpetual Diet of Regensburg
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The Perpetual Diet of Regensburg or the Eternal Diet of Regensburg was a permanent Imperial Diet
(Reichstag) of the Holy Roman Empire
from 1663 to 1806 seated in Regensburg
in present-day Germany
.
Previously, the Diet had convened in different cities but, beginning in 1594, it met only in the town hall in Regensburg. On 20 January 1663, the Diet convened to deal with threats from the Ottoman Empire
(the Turkish Question). Since the Peace of Westphalia
in 1648, the Holy Roman Emperor
had been formally bound to accept all decisions made by the Diet. Hence, out of fear that the Emperor would disregard the Diet's role by not calling sessions, it never dissolved and became a perpetual diet. Therefore no final report of its decisions, known as a Recess
, could be issued, and that of the preceding diet, issued in 1654, was dubbed the Youngest Recess. From 1663 until the 1684 Truce of Ratisbon
(a former name of Regensburg in English), the diet gradually developed into a permanent body.
In addition to envoys who represented the Imperial Estates in the Diet, Regensburg had around 70 representatives (Komitialgesandtern or Comitia) from foreign states. The Emperor was represented by a Principal Commissioner (Prinzipalkommissar), a position that accrued to the Thurn und Taxis
family from 1748.
In its early years, the Perpetual Diet was a tool for consolidation of Habsburg
power in the empire. However, by the middle of the 18th century, it was largely "dysfunctional" and a "mere congress of diplomats" that produced "no important legislation in political and constitutional matters". The weak institution has been called "a bladeless knife without a handle", and, during the Diet's existence, the Empire increasingly became nothing more than a collection of largely independent states.
The last action of the Diet, on 25 March 1803, was the passage of the German Mediatisation
, which reorganized and secularized the Empire. Following the approval of that final constitutional document, the Diet never met again and its existence ended with the fall of the Empire in 1806.
Imperial Diet
Imperial Diet means the highest representative assembly in an empire, notably:* the historic institution of the Imperial Diet , either the estates in the Holy Roman Empire...
(Reichstag) of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
from 1663 to 1806 seated in Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
in present-day Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Previously, the Diet had convened in different cities but, beginning in 1594, it met only in the town hall in Regensburg. On 20 January 1663, the Diet convened to deal with threats from the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
(the Turkish Question). Since the Peace of Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the...
in 1648, the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
had been formally bound to accept all decisions made by the Diet. Hence, out of fear that the Emperor would disregard the Diet's role by not calling sessions, it never dissolved and became a perpetual diet. Therefore no final report of its decisions, known as a Recess
Recess (Holy Roman Empire)
A Recess in the Holy Roman Empire was the document detailing all the decisions made by an Imperial Diet.Until 1654, a Diet began, in addition to ceremonial rituals, with the reading of the Imperial Proposition—the agenda predetermined by the Emperor—and ended with the decisions being...
, could be issued, and that of the preceding diet, issued in 1654, was dubbed the Youngest Recess. From 1663 until the 1684 Truce of Ratisbon
Truce of Ratisbon
The Truce of Ratisbon, or Truce of Regensburg, concluded the War of the Reunions between Spain and France. The Truce was signed on 15 August 1684 at the Dominican convent at Ratisbon in Bavaria between Louis XIV of France on the one side, and the Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I, and the Spanish King,...
(a former name of Regensburg in English), the diet gradually developed into a permanent body.
In addition to envoys who represented the Imperial Estates in the Diet, Regensburg had around 70 representatives (Komitialgesandtern or Comitia) from foreign states. The Emperor was represented by a Principal Commissioner (Prinzipalkommissar), a position that accrued to the Thurn und Taxis
Thurn und Taxis
The Princely House of Thurn and Taxis is a German family that was a key player in the postal services in Europe in the 16th century and is well known as owners of breweries and builders of many castles.- History :...
family from 1748.
In its early years, the Perpetual Diet was a tool for consolidation of Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
power in the empire. However, by the middle of the 18th century, it was largely "dysfunctional" and a "mere congress of diplomats" that produced "no important legislation in political and constitutional matters". The weak institution has been called "a bladeless knife without a handle", and, during the Diet's existence, the Empire increasingly became nothing more than a collection of largely independent states.
The last action of the Diet, on 25 March 1803, was the passage of the German Mediatisation
German Mediatisation
The German Mediatisation was the series of mediatisations and secularisations that occurred in Germany between 1795 and 1814, during the latter part of the era of the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Era....
, which reorganized and secularized the Empire. Following the approval of that final constitutional document, the Diet never met again and its existence ended with the fall of the Empire in 1806.
List of imperial principal commissioners
| 1663–1668: | Guidobald of Thun, Archbishop of Salzburg Archbishopric of Salzburg The Archbishopric of Salzburg was an ecclesiastical State of the Holy Roman Empire, its territory roughly congruent with the present-day Austrian state of Salzburg.... (1616–1668) |
| 1668: | David von Weißenwolf |
| 1668–1685: | Count Marquard II Schenk von Castell, Bishop of Eichstätt Bishopric of Eichstätt The Bishopric of Eichstätt was a small ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Centered on the town of Eichstätt, it was located in the present-day state of Bavaria, somewhat to the west of Regensburg, to the north of Neuburg an der Donau and Ingolstadt, to the south of Nuremberg, and... (1605–1685) |
| 1685–1687: | Count Sebastian of Pötting, Bishop of Passau (1628–1689) |
| 1688–1691: | Margrave Hermann of Baden-Baden (1628–1691) |
| 1692–1700: | Prince Ferdinand August of Lobkowitz, Duke of Sagan (1655–1715) |
| 1700–1712: | Cardinal John Philip of Lamberg, Bishop of Passau (1652–1712) |
| 1712–1716: | Prince Maximilian Karl of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort (1656–1718) |
| 1716–1725: | Cardinal Christian August of Saxe-Zeitz Christian August of Saxe-Zeitz Christian August of Saxe-Zeitz , was a German prince of the House of Wettin.Christian August of Saxe-Zeitz was a Teutonic Knight, the Primas of Hungary and finally a cardinal... , Archbishop of Esztergom (Gran) and Primate of Hungary (1666–1725) |
| 1726–1735: | Prince Frobenius Ferdinand of Fürstenberg-Meßkirch (1664–1741) |
| 1735–1741: | Prince Joseph William of Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Fürstenberg-Stühlingen Fürstenberg-Stühlingen was a County of mediæval Germany, located in the territorial Landgraviate of Stühlingen. It emerged as a partition of Fürstenberg-Blomberg in 1614... (1699–1762) |
| 1741–1745: | Prince Alexander Ferdinand Alexander Ferdinand, 3rd Prince of Thurn and Taxis -Titles and styles:*21 March 1704 – 8 November 1739: His Serene Highness The Hereditary Prince of Thurn and Taxis*8 November 1739 – 17 March 1773: His Serene Highness The Prince of Thurn and Taxis-Honours:... of Thurn and Taxis (1704–1773) |
| 1745–1748: | Prince Joseph William of Fürstenberg-Stühlingen (1699–1762) |
| 1748–1773: | Prince Alexander Ferdinand of Thurn and Taxis (1704–1773) |
| 1773–1797: | Prince Karl Anselm Karl Anselm, 4th Prince of Thurn and Taxis -Titles and styles:*2 June 1733 – 8 November 1739: His Serene Highness Prince Karl Anselm of Thurn and Taxis*8 November 1739 – 17 March 1773: His Serene Highness The Hereditary Prince of Thurn and Taxis... of Thurn und Taxis (1733–1805) |
| 1797–1806: | Prince Karl Alexander Karl Alexander, 5th Prince of Thurn and Taxis -Titles and styles:*22 February 1770 – 17 March 1773: His Serene Highness Prince Karl Alexander of Thurn and Taxis*17 March 1773 – 13 November 1805: His Serene Highness The Hereditary Prince of Thurn and Taxis... of Thurn and Taxis (1770–1827) |
See also
External links
- Hans-Georg Aschoff. "Der »Immerwährender Reichstag« (1663–1806)". Includes pictures and diagrams of the Perpetual Diet