The Upper Rhenish Circle was an Imperial Circle

Imperial Circle

An Imperial Circle comprised a regional grouping of territories of the Holy Roman Empire, primarily for the purpose of organizing a common defensive structure and of collecting the imperial taxes, but also as a means of organization within the Imperial Diet and the Imperial Chamber Court.Each...

 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...

 established in 1500 on the territory of the former Duchy of Upper Lorraine and large parts of Rhenish Franconia

Rhenish Franconia

Rhenish Franconia or Western Franconia denotes the western half of the central German stem duchy of Franconia in the 10th and 11th century, with its residence at the city of Worms...

 including the Swabian

Duke of Swabia

The following is a list of Dukes of Swabia in southwest Germany.Swabia was one of the five stem duchies of the medieval German kingdom, and its dukes were thus among the most powerful magnates of Germany. The most notable family to hold Swabia were the Hohenstaufen, who held it, with a brief...

 Alsace

Alsace

Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...

 region and the Burgundian

Kingdom of Arles

The Kingdom of Arles or Second Kingdom of Burgundy of the High Middle Ages was a Frankish dominion established in 933 from lands of the early medieval Kingdom of Burgundy at Arles...

 duchy of Savoy

Duchy of Savoy

From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...

.

Many of the circle's states west of the Rhine river were annexed by France

Early Modern France

Kingdom of France is the early modern period of French history from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century...

 under King Louis XIV

Louis XIV of France

Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...

 during the 17th century, sealed by the 1678/79 Treaties of Nijmegen

Treaties of Nijmegen

The Treaties of Peace of Nijmegen were a series of treaties signed in the Dutch city of Nijmegen between August 1678 and December 1679...

.

Composition

The circle was made up of the following states:

Name	Type of entity	Comments
Bar	Duchy Duchy A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...	United with Lorraine Lorraine (province) The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....  since 1483.
Basel Bishopric of Basel The Diocese of Basel is a Roman Catholic diocese in Switzerland .Historically, the bishops of Basel were also secular rulers of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel ....	Prince-Bishop Prince-Bishop A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office... ric	Established in the 8th century as successor of the ancient diocese of Augusta Raurica Augusta Raurica Augusta Raurica is a Roman archaeological site and an open-air museum in Switzerland. Located on the south bank of the Rhine river about 20 km east of Basel near the villages of Augst and Kaiseraugst, it is the oldest known Roman colony on the Rhine.... , gained independence from the Kingdom of Burgundy Upper Burgundy Upper Burgundy is the part of Burgundy east of the Jura mountains, that together with the western County of Burgundy from 868 formed the Kingdom of Upper Burgundy, encompassing both sides of the Jura mountains range...  about 1000, residence at Porrentruy Porrentruy Porrentruy is a Swiss municipality and seat of the district of the same name located in the canton of Jura.-Geography:The municipality lies on both sides of the Allaine River, in Ajoie at the foot of the Jura Mountains on the north...  (Pruntrut) from 1527.
Bretzenheim	Lordship	Held by Cologne, granted to Count Karl August of Heydeck, illegitimate son of Elector Charles Theodore of Bavaria Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria Charles Theodore, Prince-Elector, Count Palatine and Duke of Bavaria reigned as Prince-Elector and Count palatine from 1742, as Duke of Jülich and Berg from 1742 and also as Prince-Elector and Duke of Bavaria from 1777, until his death...  in 1772, Imperial county Graf Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...  in 1774, principality Principality A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....  in 1789.
Colmar Colmar Colmar is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is the capital of the department. Colmar is also the seat of the highest jurisdiction in Alsace, the appellate court....	Imperial City Imperial City -Places:* Imperial City, Beijing, the central section of Beijing* Imperial City , a walled fortress and palace in the former capital of Vietnam.* Free imperial city, city formally responsible only to the emperor in the Holy Roman Empire,....	Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous...  in 1226, part of the Décapole Décapole The Décapole was an alliance formed in 1354 by ten Imperial cities of the Holy Roman Empire in the Alsace region to maintain their rights, it was disbanded in 1679.... since 1354.
Dagstuhl Dagstuhl Dagstuhl is a computer science research center in Germany, located in and named after a district of the town of Wadern, Merzig-Wadern, Saarland.-Location:...	Lordship	Held by the Lords of Fleckenstein Château du Fleckenstein Château du Fleckenstein is a castle in the commune of Lembach, in the Bas-Rhin département of France. This fortress, built in the shape of 52 m long boat, has a long history. The castle was built on a sandstone summit in the Middle Ages... , acquired by Oettingen-Wallerstein in 1697.
Falkenstein Counts of Falkenstein (Rhineland-Palatinate) The Grafen von Falkenstein was a dynasty of German nobility descending from the Ministeriales of Bolanden, who held land and a castle at Falkenstein in the Palatinate region....	Lordship	Held by the Counts of Daun Daun Daun may refer to:* Daun, Germany, a town* Kreis Daun, the former name of the district Vulkaneifel in Germany* Karl Daun, German theologian* Count Leopold Joseph von Daun , Austrian field marshal...  since 1456, raised to county Graf Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...  in 1518, fell to Lorraine in 1667, administered with Further Austria Further Austria Further Austria or Anterior Austria was the collective name for the old possessions of the House of Habsburg in the former Swabian stem duchy of south-western Germany, including territories in the Alsace region west of the Rhine and in Vorarlberg, after the focus of the Habsburgs had moved to the...  from 1782.
Frankfurt am Main	Imperial City	Since 1220, place of the Imperial election Imperial election The election of a Holy Roman Emperor or King of Germany was, from at least the 13th century, accomplished by a small body of the greatest princes of the Empire, the Prince-electors. Appointment as Emperor was normally for life...  by the Golden Bull of 1356 Golden Bull of 1356 The Golden Bull of 1356 was a decree issued by the Reichstag assembly in Nuremberg headed by the Luxembourg Emperor Charles IV that fixed, for a period of more than four hundred years, important aspects of the constitutional structure of the Holy Roman Empire... .
Friedberg Friedberg, Hesse Friedberg is a town and the capital of the Wetteraukreis district, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 26 kilometers north of Frankfurt am Main.-Division of the town:The town consists of 7 districts:* Bruchenbrücken...	Imperial City	Since 1252.
Fulda	Prince-Abbacy Prince-abbot A Prince-Abbot is a title for a cleric who is a Prince of the Church , in the sense of an ex officio temporal lord of a feudal entity, notably a State of the Holy Roman Empire. The secular territory ruled by the head of an abbey is known as Prince-Abbacy or Abbey-principality...	Established by Saint Boniface Saint Boniface Saint Boniface , the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid, Wynfrith, or Wynfryth in the kingdom of Wessex, probably at Crediton , was a missionary who propagated Christianity in the Frankish Empire during the 8th century. He is the patron saint of Germany and the first archbishop of Mainz...  in 744, Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Frederick II in 1220, raised to Prince-Bishopric in 1752.
Hagenau Haguenau -Economy:The town has a well balanced economy. Centuries of troubled history in the buffer lands between France and Germany have bequeathed to Haguenau a rich historical and cultural heritage which supports a lively tourist trade. There is also a thriving light manufacturing sector centred on the...	Imperial City	Since about 1260, capital of the Décapole since 1354.
Hanau-Lichtenberg Lichtenberg, Bas-Rhin Lichtenberg is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The village forms a part of the Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord.-Geography:...	County Graf Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...	Partitioned from the County of Hanau Hanau Hanau is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt am Main. Its station is a major railway junction.- Geography :...  as Hanau-Babenhausen Babenhausen Babenhausen is a town in the Darmstadt-Dieburg district, in Hesse, Germany.-Geography:It is situated on the river Gersprenz, 25 km southeast of Frankfurt, and 14 km west of Aschaffenburg. South of its general borders, the mountain range of the Odenwald is situated about 15 km away...  in 1456, inherited the lordship of Lichtenberg Château de Lichtenberg The Château de Lichtenberg is a castle built on a singular prominence in the northern Vosges in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in northeastern France....  in 1474, fell to Hesse-Darmstadt Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt The Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was a member state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was formed in 1567 following the division of the Landgraviate of Hesse between the four sons of Philip I, the last Landgrave of Hesse....  in 1736.
Hanau-Münzenberg Münzenberg Münzenberg is a town in the Wetteraukreis district in Hesse, Germany. It is located 13 km north of Friedberg, and 16 km southeast of Gießen. The castle of Münzenberg is in the town....	County	Partitioned from the County of Hanau in 1456, reunited with Hanau-Lichtenberg in 1642, fell to Hesse-Kassel Hesse-Kassel The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...  in 1736.
Heitersheim Heitersheim Heitersheim is a town in the district Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.The name of the school located in Heitersheim is Johanniterschule.-Geography:...	Principality Principality A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....	Held by the Order of St John Knights Hospitaller The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...  since 1272, Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Charles V Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...  in 1548.
Hersfeld Hersfeld Abbey Hersfeld Abbey was an important Benedictine imperial abbey in the town of Bad Hersfeld in Hesse , Germany, at the confluence of the rivers Geisa, Haune and Fulda.-History:...	Abbacy	Established about 736 by Saint Sturm Saint Sturm Saint Sturm was a disciple of Saint Boniface and founder and first abbot of the Benedictine monastery and abbey of Fulda in 742 or 744... , Reichsfreiheit granted by Charlemagne Charlemagne Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...  in 775, secularised Secularization Secularization is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions...  to a principality by the 1648 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... , held by Hesse-Kassel Hesse-Kassel The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
Hesse Landgraviate of Hesse The Landgraviate of Hesse was a Landgraviate of the Holy Roman Empire. It existed as a unity from 1264 to 1567, when it was divided between the sons of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse.-History:...	Landgraviate	Established after the War of the Thuringian Succession War of the Thuringian Succession The War of the Thuringen Succession was a military battle over a successor to the last Landgrave of Thuringia in present-day Germany.- Source of the conflict :...  in 1247, residence at Kassel Kassel Kassel is a town located on the Fulda River in northern Hesse, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Kassel Regierungsbezirk and the Kreis of the same name and has approximately 195,000 inhabitants.- History :... , partitioned after the death of Landgrave Philip I Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse Philip I of Hesse, , nicknamed der Großmütige was a leading champion of the Protestant Reformation and one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany....  in 1567.
Hesse-Kassel Hesse-Kassel The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...	Landgraviate	Subdivision of Hesse from 1567, Electorate of Hesse in 1803.
Hesse-Rheinfels Hesse-Rheinfels Hesse-Rheinfels was created as a cadet line of Hesse for Philip II, Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels , landgrave from 1567 until 1583, and as a cadet line of Hesse-Kassel for Ernest, Landgrave of Hesse-Rheinfels , landgrave from 1627 until 1658.-First creation:Philip was the third son of Philip the...	Landgraviate	Subdivision of Hesse from 1567 including the former County of Katzenelnbogen County of Katzenelnbogen The County of Katzenelnbogen was an immediate state of the Holy Roman Empire. It existed between 1095 and 1479, when it was inherited by the Landgraves of Hesse.The estate comprised two separate territories...  with Burg Rheinfels Burg Rheinfels Rheinfels Castle is a castle ruin located in Sankt Goar, Germany overlooking the Rhine. It was started in 1245 by Count Diether V of Katzenelnbogen and was partially destroyed by French Revolutionary Army troops in 1797... , line extinct in 1583, fell to Hesse-Kassel.
Hesse-Darmstadt Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt The Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was a member state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was formed in 1567 following the division of the Landgraviate of Hesse between the four sons of Philip I, the last Landgrave of Hesse....	Landgraviate	Subdivision of Hesse from 1567, Grand Duchy of Hesse Grand Duchy of Hesse The Grand Duchy of Hesse and by Rhine , or, between 1806 and 1816, Grand Duchy of Hesse —as it was also known after 1816—was a member state of the German Confederation from 1806, when the Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt was elevated to a Grand Duchy, until 1918, when all the German...  in 1806.
Hesse-Marburg Hesse-Marburg The Landgraviate of Hesse-Marburg was a German landgraviate, and independent principality, within the Holy Roman Empire, that existed between 1485 and 1500, and between 1567 and 1604/1650....	Landgraviate	Subdivision of Hesse from 1567, line extinct in 1604, annexed by Hesse-Darmstadt.
Hesse-Homburg Hesse-Homburg Hesse-Homburg was formed into a separate landgraviate in 1622 by the landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt to be ruled by his son, although it did not become independent of Hesse-Darmstadt until 1668....	Landgraviate	Cadet branch of Hesse-Darmstadt from 1622, gained Reichsfreiheit in 1768.
Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein was a County of southern Hesse, Germany, located to the north of Gelnhausen. Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen in 1511, and was partitioned into Isenburg-Birstein, Isenburg-Büdingen, and Isenburg-Offenbach in 1628.-Counts of...	County	Subdivision of the County of Isenburg Isenburg Isenburg was a region of Germany located in southern present-day Hesse, located in territories north and south of Frankfurt. The states of Isenburg emerged from the Niederlahngau , which partitioned in 1137 into Isenburg-Isenburg and Isenburg-Limburg-Covern...  established in 1511 (Oberisenburg), again divided in 1628.
Isenburg-Birstein Isenburg-Birstein Isenburg-Birstein was the name of two German historical states based around Birstein in southeastern Hesse, Germany. The first "Isenburg-Birstein" was a County and was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein in 1628. It was merged into Isenburg-Offenbach in 1664. The second...	County	Subdivision of Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein from 1628, merged into Isenburg-Offenbach Isenburg-Offenbach Isenburg-Offenbach was the name of a state of the Holy Roman Empire, based around Offenbach and Neu Isenburg in modern Hesse, Germany. It was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein in 1628. In 1711 the immediacy passed to Isenburg-Birstein while the line was partitioned into...  in 1644, restored in 1711, raised to principality in 1744.
Isenburg-Büdingen Isenburg-Büdingen Isenburg-Büdingen was a County of southern Hesse, Germany, located in Büdingen. There were two different Counties of the same name. The first was a partition of Isenburg-Cleberg, and was partitioned into Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein and Isenburg-Ronneburg in 1511. The second was a partition of...	County	Subdivision of Isenburg-Büdingen-Birstein from 1628.
Isenburg-Meerholz Isenburg-Meerholz Isenburg-Meerholz was a County of southern Hesse, Germany. It was created as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen in 1673, and was mediatised to Isenburg in 1806...	County	Split off Isenburg-Büdingen in 1673.
Isenburg-Wächtersbach Isenburg-Wächtersbach Isenburg-Wächtersbach was a County of southern Hesse, Germany. It was created in 1673 as a partition of Isenburg-Büdingen, and was mediatised to Isenburg in 1806.-Counts of Isenburg-Wächtersbach :...	County	Split off Isenburg-Büdingen in 1673.
Kaisersberg Kaysersberg Kaysersberg is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.The inhabitants are called Kaysersbergeois. The name means Emperor's Mountain in German....	Imperial City	Part of the Décapole since 1354.
Königstein Königstein im Taunus Königstein im Taunus is a climatic spa and lies on the thickly wooded slopes of the Taunus in Hesse, Germany. Owing to its advantageous location for both scenery and transport on the edge of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region, Königstein is a favourite residential town...	County	Held by the Lords of Eppstein Lords of Eppstein The Lords of Eppstein were a family of German nobility in the Middle Ages. From the 12th century they ruled extensive territories in the Rhine Main area from their castle in Eppstein, northwest of Frankfurt, Germany.-History:... , raised to Reichsgrafen Graf Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl... by Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...  in 1505, inherited by Stolberg County of Stolberg The County of Stolberg was a county of the Holy Roman Empire located in the Harz mountain range in present-day Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.The town of Stolberg was probably founded in the 12th century as a mining settlement. The Counts of Stolberg probably derived from a branch of the counts of...  in 1535, seized by Mainz Archbishopric of Mainz The Archbishopric of Mainz or Electorate of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince-bishopric in the Holy Roman Empire between 780–82 and 1802. In the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy, the Archbishop of Mainz was the primas Germaniae, the substitute of the Pope north of the Alps...  in 1581.
Kriechingen County of Kriechingen The County of Kriechingen was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was originally a part of the Duchy of Lorraine, and was raised to an imperial estate in 1617. It belonged to the Upper Rhenish Circle. In 1697, Kriechingen was inherited by the Principality of East Frisia, and later by the County of...	County	Former fief of Lorraine Lorraine (province) The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....  around Créhange Créhange Créhange is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.It has a population of 3900 .Until 1793, Créhange was the capital of the County of Kriechingen, a state of the Holy Roman Empire.... , raised to Imperial county in 1617, held by the Princes of East Frisia East Frisia East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....  from 1697, to Wied-Runkel Wied-Runkel Wied-Runkel was a German statelet. Wied-Runkel was located in the County of Runkel, located on the Lahn River. It extended from the town of Runkel to further north of Shupbach, but also held an exclave east of Villmar....  in 1726.
Landau Landau Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Rudolph I of Habsburg Rudolph I of Germany Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...  in 1291, seized by the Bishop of Speyer Bishopric of Speyer The Bishopric of Speyer was a state, ruled by Prince-Bishops, in what is today the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was secularized in 1803...  in 1324, restored by Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg in 1511, joined the Décapole in 1521.
Leiningen-Westerburg Leiningen-Westerburg Leiningen-Westerburg was an historic state of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the vicinity of Leiningen and Westerburg in what is now the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate....	County	Subdivision of the former County of Leiningen since 1317, inherited by the Lords of Westerburg Westerburg Westerburg is a small town of roughly 6,000 inhabitants in the Westerwaldkreis in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The town is named after the castle built on a hill above the mediaeval town centre -Location:...  in 1467.
Leiningen-Dagsburg	County	Subdivision of the former County of Leiningen since 1317, raised to principality in 1779.
Lorraine Lorraine (province) The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy....	Duchy	Former Upper Lotharingia Lotharingia Lotharingia was a region in northwest Europe, comprising the Low Countries, the western Rhineland, the lands today on the border between France and Germany, and what is now western Switzerland. It was born of the tripartite division in 855, of the kingdom of Middle Francia, itself formed of the... , acquired by René of Anjou, Duke of Bar in 1431, swapped by Duke Francis III of Habsburg-Lorraine Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor Francis I was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany, though his wife effectively executed the real power of those positions. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty...  for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany Grand Duchy of Tuscany The Grand Duchy of Tuscany was a central Italian monarchy that existed, with interruptions, from 1569 to 1859, replacing the Duchy of Florence. The grand duchy's capital was Florence...  in 1735, annexed by France in 1766.
Mensfelden Hünfelden Hünfelden is a community in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany. Hünfelden lies on the Hühnerstraße, an historic part of Bundesstraße 417.- Location :...	Lordship	Condominium Condominium (international law) In international law, a condominium is a political territory in or over which two or more sovereign powers formally agree to share equally dominium and exercise their rights jointly, without dividing it up into 'national' zones.Although a condominium has always been...  of Trier and Nassau Nassau (state) Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:... .
Metz	Prince-Bishopric	Established by 535, Reichsfreiheit confirmed by Charles IV of Luxembourg Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....  in 1357, occupied by King Henry II of France Henry II of France Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...  in 1552, part of the French Three Bishoprics Three Bishoprics The Three Bishoprics constituted a province of pre-Revolutionary France consisting of the prince-bishoprics of Verdun, Metz, and Toul within the Lorraine region....  by the 1648 Peace of Westphalia.
Metz Metz Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...	Imperial City	Since 1189, occupied by King Henry II of France in 1552.
Mülhausen Mulhouse Mulhouse |mill]] hamlet) is a city and commune in eastern France, close to the Swiss and German borders. With a population of 110,514 and 278,206 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2006, it is the largest city in the Haut-Rhin département, and the second largest in the Alsace region after...	Imperial City	Since about 1268, part of the Décapole since 1354, joined Swiss Confederacy Old Swiss Confederacy The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....  in 1515, France in 1798.
Münster im Elsaß Munster, Haut-Rhin Munster is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It is located in a valley of the Vosges mountains about 15 kilometres west of Colmar on the D417 road to the Col de la Schlucht and Épinal....	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1235, part of the Décapole since 1354.
Nassau-Weilburg	County	Principality in 1688, Duchy of Nassau Nassau (state) Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...  from 1806.
Nassau-Idstein Nassau (state) Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...	County	Split off Nassau-Weilburg in 1627, fell to Nassau-Ottweiler in 1721.
Nassau-Saarbrücken Nassau-Saarbrücken Nassau-Saarbrücken was a county of the Holy Roman Empire in the Upper Rhenish Circle. It belonged to the Walram branch of the House of Nassau.-County of Saarbrücken:...	County	Established in 1381, fell to Nassau-Ottweiler in 1723
Nassau-Ottweiler Ottweiler Ottweiler is a municipality, former seat of the district of Neunkirchen, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated on the river Blies, approx. 7 km north of Neunkirchen, and 25 km northeast of Saarbrücken.The town is notable for the Ottweiler porcelain....	County	Split off Nassau-Saarbrücken in 1659, fell to Nassau-Usingen in 1728.
Nassau-Usingen Nassau-Usingen Nassau-Usingen was a county of the Holy Roman Empire in the Upper Rhenish Circle that became a principality in 1688.The origin of the county lies in the medieval county of Weilnau that was acquired by the counts of Nassau-Weilburg in 1602....	County	Split off Nassau-Saarbrücken in 1659, principality in 1688, Duchy of Nassau Nassau (state) Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later in the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, was the House of Nassau.-Origins:...  from 1806.
Nomeny Nomeny Nomeny is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.South of Nomeny, there is a mediumwave broadcasting station, which works on 837 kHz with 300 kW. It uses two guyed masts with different height, which are both insulated against ground, as antenna. The tallest of them...	Margraviate	Held by the Bishopric of Metz until 1548, margraviate established by Emperor Maximilian II of Habsburg Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II was king of Bohemia and king of the Romans from 1562, king of Hungary and Croatia from 1563, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1564 until his death...  in 1567, to Lorraine in 1612.
Oberehnheim	Imperial City	Since about 1240, part of the Décapole since 1354, annexed by France in 1679.
Odenheim Östringen Östringen is a town in Northern Karlsruhe district in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Östringen is a sister city with Abergavenny, South Wales.-References:...	Provostry Prince-Provost Prince-Provost is a rare title for a monastic superior with the ecclesiastical style of provost who is a Prince of the Church in the sense that he also ranks as a secular 'prince' , notably a Reichsfürst of the Holy Roman Empire, holding a direct vote in the Reichstag assembly coequal to an actual...	Monastery established in 1122, Imperial college of canons Canon (priest) A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....  (Reichsstift) since 1494, moved to Bruchsal Bruchsal Bruchsal is a city at the western edge of the Kraichgau, approximately 20 km northeast of Karlsruhe in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany...  in 1507.
Olbrück	Lordship	Territory around Olbrück Castle near Niederdürenbach Niederdürenbach Niederdürenbach is a municipality in the district of Ahrweiler, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.... , originally held by Wied Wied Wied was a County of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, located on the river Wied where it meets the Rhine. Wied emerged as a County earlier than many other German states. From 1243–1462, Wied was united with an Isenburgian County as Isenburg-Wied. Wied was partitioned twice: between itself and... .
Palatinate-Simmern Palatinate-Simmern Palatinate-Simmern was one of the collateral lines of the Palatinate line of the House of Wittelsbach.The Palatinate line of the House of Wittelsbach was divided into four lines after the death of Rupert III in 1410, including the line of Palatinate-Simmern with its capital in Simmern. This line...	Principality	Split off Electoral Palatinate in 1410, inherited by Palatinate-Neuburg Palatinate-Neuburg Palatinate-Neuburg is a former territory of the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1505. Its capital was Neuburg an der Donau. Its area was about 2,750 km², with a population of some 100,000.-History:...  in 1685.
Palatinate-Lautern Kaiserslautern Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people...	Principality	Subdivision of Palatinate-Simmern from 1577.
Palatinate-Zweibrücken Palatinate-Zweibrücken Palatinate-Zweibrücken is a former state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was Zweibrücken.-Overview:→ History before 1394 see main article County of Zweibrücken→ History before 1444 see main article County of Veldenz...	Principality	Former County of Zweibrücken Zweibrücken Zweibrücken is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Schwarzbach river.- Name :Zweibrücken appears in Latin texts as Geminus Pons and Bipontum, in French texts as Deux-Ponts. The name derives from Middle High German Zweinbrücken... , ruled in personal union with Palatinate-Simmern until 1459, fell to Palatinate-Birkenfeld House of Palatinate-Birkenfeld Palatinate-Birkenfeld , later Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld, was the name of a collateral line of the Palatine Wittelsbachs. The Counts Palatine from this line initially ruled over only a relatively unimportant territory, namely the Palatine share of the Rear County of Sponheim; however, their...  in 1734.
Palatinate-Veldenz	Principality	Former County of Veldenz inherited by Palatinate-Zweibrücken in 1444.
Prüm	Abbacy	(Re-)established by King Pepin the Short in 752, Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1222, administrated by Trier from 1576.
Reipoltskirchen Reipoltskirchen Reipoltskirchen is a municipality in the district of Kusel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany.-History:In the Franconian Nahegau, around the year 750, a church was donated: Richbaldes...	Lordship	Since about 1300.
Rosheim Rosheim Rosheim is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.It lies southwest of Strasbourg, on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains...	Imperial City	Since 1303, part of the Décapole since 1354, annexed by France in 1679.
Salm Salm (state) Salm is the name of several historic countships and principalities in present Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and France.-Origins:The County of Salm arose in the 10th century in Vielsalm, in the Ardennes region of present Belgium...	County	Upper Salm since 1165, large parts held by the Wild- and Rhinegraves from 1475 and partitoned in 1499, remains to Lorraine until 1600.
Salm-Dhaun	County	Subdivision of Salm since 1499, line extinct in 1750, inherited by Salm-Grumbach.
Salm-Grumbach Grumbach Grumbach is a municipality in the district of Kusel, in Rhineland-Palatinate, western Germany....	County	Split off Salm-Dhaun in 1561, annexed by France in 1801.
Salm-Stein-Grehweiler Gaugrehweiler Gaugrehweiler is a municipality in the Donnersbergkreis district, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany....	County	Split off Salm-Grumbach in 1668.
Salm-Salm Salm-Salm The Principality of Salm-Salm was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. It was located in the present-day French départements of the Bas-Rhin and the Vosges and was one of a number of partitions of Salm.-History:...	County	Split off Salm-Dhaun in 1574, princely county from 1623, Principality of Salm Principality of Salm The Principality of Salm was a short-lived client state of Napoleonic France located in Westphalia.-History:Salm was created in 1802 as a state of the Holy Roman Empire in order to compensate the princes of Salm-Kyrburg and Salm-Salm, who had lost their states to France in 1793-1795...  from 1802.
Salm-Kyrburg Kirn Kirn is a town in the district of Bad Kreuznach, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Nahe, roughly 10 km north-east of Idar-Oberstein and 30 km west of Bad Kreuznach....	County	Subdivision of Salm from 1499, residence at Kirn Kirn Kirn is a town in the district of Bad Kreuznach, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Nahe, roughly 10 km north-east of Idar-Oberstein and 30 km west of Bad Kreuznach.... , princely county from 1743, Principality of Salm from 1802.
Savoy Duchy of Savoy From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...	Duchy	Former county, part of the Kingdom of Arles Kingdom of Arles The Kingdom of Arles or Second Kingdom of Burgundy of the High Middle Ages was a Frankish dominion established in 933 from lands of the early medieval Kingdom of Burgundy at Arles...  inherited by Emperor Conrad II Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1027 until his death.The son of a mid-level nobleman in Franconia, Count Henry of Speyer and Adelaide of Alsace, he inherited the titles of count of Speyer and of Worms as an infant when Henry died at age twenty...  in 1032, Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Charles IV of Luxembourg Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor....  in 1361, raised to duchy in 1416, to Kingdom of Sardinia Kingdom of Sardinia The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...  in 1720.
Sayn-Wittgenstein Sayn-Wittgenstein Sayn-Wittgenstein was a county of mediæval Germany, located in the Sauerland of eastern North Rhine-Westphalia. Sayn-Wittgenstein was created when Count Salentin of Sayn-Homburg married the heiress Countess Adelaide of Wittgenstein in 1345...	County	Former Counts of Sayn Sayn Sayn was a mediæval German County located in the Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia. There were two Counties of Sayn: the first County emerged in 1139. It became closely associated with the County of Sponheim early in its existence. Count Henry II was notable for being accused of... , a cadet branch of the House of Sponheim House of Sponheim The House of Sponheim or Spanheim was a noble family of the Holy Roman Empire in the High Middle Ages. They were Dukes of Carinthia from 1122 until 1269 and Counts of Sponheim until 1437... , acquired County of Wittgenstein Bad Laasphe Bad Laasphe is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district.-Location:The town of Bad Laasphe lies in the upper Lahn Valley, near the stately home of Wittgenstein Castle in the former Wittgenstein district...  in 1361, partitioned in 1607.
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was a county , most of which is located in the present district of Siegen-Wittgenstein, Germany . Its seat was the town and palace in Berleburg...	County	Subdivision of Sayn-Wittgenstein from 1607.
Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein was a county of the Sauerland of Germany. Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein was a partition of Sayn-Wittgenstein, comprising the southern portion of the Wittgenstein County...	County	Subdivision of Sayn-Wittgenstein from 1607, Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein was a county between Hesse-Darmstadt and Westphalia. It was formed by the 1657 partition of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein and raised from a county to principality in 1801. It belonged from 1806 to 1815 to the Grand Duchy of Hesse and after 1816 to Prussia. The capital...  from 1657.
Schlettstadt Sélestat Sélestat is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In 2006, Sélestat had a total population of 19,459. The Communauté de communes de Sélestat et environs had a total population of 35,397.-Geography:...	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Frederick II of Hohenstaufen in 1216, part of the Décapole since 1354.
Solms-Braunfels Solms-Braunfels Solms-Braunfels was a County in what is today the federal Land of Hesse in Germany.Solms-Braunfels was a partition of Solms, and was raised to a Principality in 1742. Solms-Braunfels was partitioned between: itself and Solms-Ottenstein in 1325; itself and Solms-Lich in 1409; and itself,...	County	Subdivision of Solms since 1258, raised to principality in 1742.
Solms-Lich Solms-Hohensolms-Lich Solms-Hohensolms-Lich was a County of northern Baden-Württemberg and eastern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was originally created as a union of Solms-Hohensolms and Solms-Lich, and it was raised to a Principality in 1792...	County	Subdivision of Solms(-Braunfels) since 1409, Solms-Hohensolms-Lich from 1544, raised to principality in 1792.
Solms-Laubach Solms-Laubach Solms-Laubach was a County of southern Hesse and eastern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was originally created as a partition of Solms-Lich. Solms-Laubach partitioned between itself and Solms-Sonnenwalde 1561; between itself, Solms-Baruth and Solms-Rödelheim 1607; and between itself and...	County	Subdivision of Solms-Lich from 1544.
Solms-Rödelheim Solms-Rödelheim-Assenheim Solms-Rödelheim-Assenheim was a County of southern Hesse and eastern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It was thrice created by a union of the Counts of Solms-Assenheim and Solms-Rödelheim, and on the first two occasions repartitioned into those statelets...	County	Subdivision of Solms-Laubach from 1607, Solms-Rödelheim-Assenheim from 1635.
Speyer Bishopric of Speyer The Bishopric of Speyer was a state, ruled by Prince-Bishops, in what is today the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. It was secularized in 1803...	Prince-Bishopric	Esablished before 614, Reichsfreiheit granted around 969 by Emperor Otto I Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Otto I the Great , son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of Germany, King of Italy, and "the first of the Germans to be called the emperor of Italy" according to Arnulf of Milan... .
Speyer Speyer Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...	Imperial City	City rights acknowledged by the Speyer bishops in 1294, venue of several Reichstag Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire) The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm... assemblies, including the 1529 Protestation at Speyer Protestation at Speyer On April 19, 1529 six Fürsten and 14 Imperial Free Cities, representing the Protestant minority, petitioned the Reichstag at Speyer against the Reichsacht against Martin Luther, as well as the proscription of his works and teachings, and called for the unhindered spread of the "evangelical" On... .
Sponheim County of Sponheim The County of Sponheim was an independent territory in the Holy Roman Empire which lasted from the 11th century until the early 19th century...	County	Established in the 11th century by the Rhenish House of Sponheim House of Sponheim The House of Sponheim or Spanheim was a noble family of the Holy Roman Empire in the High Middle Ages. They were Dukes of Carinthia from 1122 until 1269 and Counts of Sponheim until 1437... , held jointly by the Margraves of Baden Baden Baden is a historical state on the east bank of the Rhine in the southwest of Germany, now the western part of the Baden-Württemberg of Germany....  and the House of Palatinate-Simmern since 1437.
Straßburg Archbishopric of Strasbourg - External links :* *...	Prince-Bishopric	Established in the 4th century, prince-bishopric since 982.
Straßburg Strasbourg Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...	Imperial City	Since 1262.
Toul	Prince-Bishopric	Established in 365 by Saint Mansuetus Mansuetus Saint Mansuetus was the first Bishop of Toul. He is thought to be of Irish or Scottish origin. After religious studies in Rome, he was sent by Pope Damasus I to evangelize Gaul, becoming the first bishop of Toul in 365.-Veneration:... , Reichsfreiheit confirmed by King Henry I Henry I of Germany Henry I the Fowler was the Duke of Saxony from 912 and German king from 919 until his death. First of the Ottonian Dynasty of German kings and emperors, he is generally considered to be the founder and first king of the medieval German state, known until then as East Francia...  in 928, occupied by King Henry II of France in 1552, part of the French Three Bishoprics by the 1648 Peace of Westphalia.
Toul Toul Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Toul is located between Commercy and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin....	Imperial City	Since the 13th century (Tull), occupied by King Henry II of France in 1552.
Türkheim Turckheim Turckheim is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It lies west of Colmar, on the eastern slopes of the Vosges mountains.-Places of interest:...	Imperial City	Since 1312, part of the Décapole since 1354.
Verdun Bishopric of Verdun The Bishopric of Verdun was also a state of the Holy Roman Empire; it was located at the western edge of the Empire and was bordered by France, the Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Duchy of Bar. It was annexed to France in 1552; this was recognized by the Holy Roman Empire in the Peace of Westphalia of...	Prince-Bishopric	Established about 346, Reichsfreiheit confirmed by Emperor Otto III Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor Otto III , a King of Germany, was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. He was elected King in 983 on the death of his father Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 996.-Early reign:...  in 997, occupied by King Henry II of France in 1552, part of the French Three Bishoprics by the 1648 Peace of Westphalia.
Verdun Verdun Verdun is a city in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is the slightly smaller city of Bar-le-Duc.- History :...	Imperial City	Since the 12th century (Wirten), occupied by King Henry II of France in 1552.
Waldeck Waldeck (state) Waldeck was a sovereign principality in the German Empire and German Confederation and, until 1929, a constituent state of the Weimar Republic. It comprised territories in present-day Hesse and Lower Saxony, ....	County	Line established about 1180, Reichsfreiheit granted by King Wenceslaus of Luxembourg Wenceslaus, King of the Romans Wenceslaus ) was, by election, German King from 1376 and, by inheritance, King of Bohemia from 1378. He was the third Bohemian and second German monarch of the Luxembourg dynasty...  in 1379, Waldeck-Pyrmont Bad Pyrmont -External links:* * -Multimedia:*...  from 1625, raised to principality in 1712.
Wartenberg Wartenberg, Hesse -Location:The community lies in the eastern Vogelsberg Mountains. Through the community flows the river Lauter, which empties into the Altefeld in Bad Salzschlirf, itself a tributary to the Schlitz.-Neighbouring communities:...	County	Established in 1232, inherited by Riedesel Riedesel Riedesel is a German family name that began to appear in legal documents in the early 13th century. They were of the knightly class, though not all had the official status of Ritter or knight. Its exact geographical and temporal origins are uncertain. However, all of the early references are from...  in 1428, Freiherr Freiherr The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname... en from 1680.
Wetterau Wetterau The Wetterau is a fertile undulating tract, watered by the Wetter, a tributary of the Nidda River, in the western German state of Hesse, between the hilly province Oberhessen and the north-western Taunus mountains....	County	Established c. 950, held by the counts von Wetter-Tegerfelden in 1317
Weißenburg Wissembourg Wissembourg is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in northeastern France.It is situated on the little River Lauter close to the border between France and Germany approximately north of Strasbourg and west of Karlsruhe. Wissembourg is a sub-prefecture of the department...	Imperial City	Since 1306, part of the Décapole since 1354, annexed by France in 1648.
Weißenburg	Prince-Provost Prince-Provost Prince-Provost is a rare title for a monastic superior with the ecclesiastical style of provost who is a Prince of the Church in the sense that he also ranks as a secular 'prince' , notably a Reichsfürst of the Holy Roman Empire, holding a direct vote in the Reichstag assembly coequal to an actual... ry	Abbey established about 660 by the Bishopric of Speyer, Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Otto II Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor Otto II , called the Red, was the third ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty, the son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy.-Early years and co-ruler with Otto I:...  in 967, again held by Speyer from 1546.
Wetzlar Wetzlar Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term...  in 1180.
Wild- and Rhinegraves Waldgrave The noble family of the Waldgraves or Wildgraves descended of a division of the House of the Counts of Nahegau in the year 1113....	County	Rhinegraves since the 12th century, inherited Wildgraviate at Kyrburg Kirn Kirn is a town in the district of Bad Kreuznach, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the river Nahe, roughly 10 km north-east of Idar-Oberstein and 30 km west of Bad Kreuznach....  in 1409, acquired (Upper) Salm in 1475.
Worms Bishopric of Worms The Bishopric of Worms was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire. Located on both banks of the Rhine around Worms just north of the union of that river with the Neckar, it was largely surrounded by the Palatinate. Worms had been the seat of a bishop from Roman times...	Prince-Bishopric	Established about 614.
Worms Worms, Germany Worms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...	Imperial City	Reichsfreiheit granted by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa in 1184.

Sources

The list of states making up the Upper Rhenish Circle is based in part on that in the German

German language

German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....

 Wikipedia article Oberrheinischer Reichskreis.