The Holy Roman Empire and Its Lands, 962–1990

Timeline

Layers

Duchy of Saxony (stem duchy, to 1180) · Duchy of Franconia · Duchy of Swabia (Hohenstaufen to 1268) · Duchy of Lower Lorraine · Frisian lands (Frisian freedom) · Kingdom of Italy (imperial Italy) · Kingdom of Burgundy (Arelat) · Kingdom of Burgundy (Arelat) · Imperial domain (Reichsgut, imperial bailiwicks) · March of Tuscany · March of Verona · Duchy of Spoleto · Dukes of Zähringen · Duchy of Carinthia (to 1335) · March / Duchy of Styria (to 1192) · March of Carniola (to 1335/64) · Landgraviate of Thuringia; from 1920 State of Thuringia · Austria · Alpine lands · Austria · Swabia and the upper Rhine · Austria · northern Italy · Austria · Bavaria · Austria · Switzerland · Austria · Lorraine, Alsace, Franche-Comté · Austria · Hesse and the middle Rhine · Austria · Rhineland and Westphalia · Austria · Alpine lands · Austria · northern Italy · Austria · Poland · Austria · Silesia · Austria · Lower Saxony and the north · Austria · Swabia and the upper Rhine · County of Tyrol (to 1363) · County of Gorizia (to 1500) · Kingdom of Hungary · Bohemia and Moravia · Kingdom of Hungary · Alpine lands · Bohemia · Bohemia · Silesian duchies (Piast; Bohemian fiefs from 1327-35) · Silesian duchies (Piast; Bohemian fiefs from 1327-35) · Lusatia (March; Upper and Lower Lusatia) · Lusatia (March; Upper and Lower Lusatia) · Luxembourg (County, Duchy 1354; Grand Duchy 1815) · Low Countries · Luxembourg (County, Duchy 1354; Grand Duchy 1815) · Bavaria · Luxembourg (County, Duchy 1354; Grand Duchy 1815) · Low Countries · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Brandenburg, Pomerania, Mecklenburg · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Lower Saxony and the north · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Silesia · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Prussia proper · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Rhineland and Westphalia · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Saxony, Thuringia, Anhalt · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Hesse and the middle Rhine · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Poland · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Franconia · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Denmark · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Swabia and the upper Rhine · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Low Countries · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Prussia proper · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Brandenburg, Pomerania, Mecklenburg · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Poland · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Silesia · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Saxony, Thuringia, Anhalt · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Lower Saxony and the north · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Rhineland and Westphalia · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Switzerland · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Franconia · Northern March → Brandenburg → Prussia · Hesse and the middle Rhine · Burgraves of Nuremberg → Brandenburg-Ansbach and -Bayreuth · Franconia · Burgraves of Nuremberg → Brandenburg-Ansbach and -Bayreuth · Brandenburg, Pomerania, Mecklenburg · Burgraves of Nuremberg → Brandenburg-Ansbach and -Bayreuth · Franconia · Hohenzollern (Hechingen, Sigmaringen) · Teutonic Order State → Duchy of Prussia 1525 · Teutonic Order State → Duchy of Prussia 1525 · Teutonic Order · Teutonic Order · Bavaria · Bavaria · Bavaria · Franconia · Bavaria · Alpine lands · Bavaria · Hesse and the middle Rhine · Bavaria · Swabia and the upper Rhine · Bavaria · Rhineland and Westphalia · Bavaria · Bohemia and Moravia · Bavaria · Bavaria · Bavaria · Franconia · Bavaria · Hesse and the middle Rhine · Bavaria · Swabia and the upper Rhine · Lower Bavaria / Bavaria-Landshut (1255-1340, 1349-1503) · Bavaria-Straubing (1353-1429) · Low Countries · Bavaria-Straubing (1353-1429) · Bavaria · Electoral Palatinate (County Palatine of the Rhine) · Electoral Palatinate (County Palatine of the Rhine) · Upper Palatinate (Palatine 1329-1621/28) · Palatinate-Neuburg · Palatinate-Zweibrücken (with Simmern, Veldenz lines) · Palatinate-Zweibrücken (with Simmern, Veldenz lines) · Palatinate-Sulzbach · Meissen → Saxony · Meissen → Saxony · Ernestine Saxony (Electorate 1485-1547, then duchies) · Saxe-Weimar(-Eisenach) · Saxe-Weimar(-Eisenach) · Saxe-Gotha(-Altenburg) · Saxe-Coburg (-Saalfeld; -Gotha from 1826) · Saxe-Meiningen · Saxe-Meiningen · Saxe-Altenburg (incl. Saxe-Hildburghausen before 1826) · Saxe-Eisenach · Saxe-Wittenberg (Ascanian electorate, to 1422) · Saxe-Lauenburg · Anhalt (all lines) · Saxony, Thuringia, Anhalt · Anhalt (all lines) · Lower Saxony and the north · Reuss · Schwarzburg (Rudolstadt, Sondershausen) · Schwarzburg (Rudolstadt, Sondershausen) · County of Henneberg (to 1583) · County of Mansfeld · Stolberg (with Wernigerode, Hohnstein) · Schönburg lordships · Welf lands → Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg · Principality of Lüneburg (Celle) · Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel → Duchy / Free State of Brunswick · Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel → Duchy / Free State of Brunswick · Calenberg → Electorate / Kingdom of Hanover · Calenberg → Electorate / Kingdom of Hanover · Principality of Grubenhagen (with Göttingen line) · Oldenburg (County, Duchy 1774, Grand Duchy, Free State) · Lower Saxony and the north · Oldenburg (County, Duchy 1774, Grand Duchy, Free State) · Hesse and the middle Rhine · Oldenburg (County, Duchy 1774, Grand Duchy, Free State) · Lower Saxony and the north · Oldenburg (County, Duchy 1774, Grand Duchy, Free State) · Hesse and the middle Rhine · East Frisia (County 1464; Principality) · Holstein · Holstein · Duchy of Schleswig (Danish fief; outside the Empire) · Schaumburg → Schaumburg-Lippe · Schaumburg → Schaumburg-Lippe · Lippe (Lordship, County, Principality, Free State) · Lippe (Lordship, County, Principality, Free State) · Counties of Hoya and Diepholz · Bentheim, Tecklenburg, Lingen, Steinfurt · Bentheim, Tecklenburg, Lingen, Steinfurt · County of Ravensberg · Mecklenburg · Mecklenburg-Stargard / -Strelitz · Duchy of Pomerania · Duchy of Pomerania · Principality of Rügen (Danish fief; to Pomerania 1325) · Principality of Rügen (Danish fief; to Pomerania 1325) · Swedish dominions in the Empire · Brandenburg, Pomerania, Mecklenburg · Swedish dominions in the Empire · Lower Saxony and the north · Swedish dominions in the Empire · Brandenburg, Pomerania, Mecklenburg · Landgraviate of Hesse · Hesse-Kassel (Electorate of Hesse 1803) · Hesse-Kassel (Electorate of Hesse 1803) · Hesse-Darmstadt · Hesse-Darmstadt · Hesse-Marburg and Hesse-Rheinfels (1567-1604) · Hesse-Homburg · Nassau · Nassau-Dillenburg / Orange-Nassau (Ottonian line) · Nassau-Dillenburg / Orange-Nassau (Ottonian line) · County of Katzenelnbogen (to 1479) · Hanau (Münzenberg, Lichtenberg) · Isenburg, Solms, Wetterau counts · Waldeck (and Pyrmont) · Waldeck (and Pyrmont) · Wied, Sayn, Wittgenstein, Westerwald counts · Leiningen, Wild- and Rhinegraves, Sponheim, Veldenz counts · County of Saarbrücken (to Nassau 1381) · Jülich · Berg (County, Duchy 1380; Grand Duchy 1806-13) · Cleves (County, Duchy 1417; with Mark from 1398) · County of Mark · Guelders and Zutphen · Moers, Limburg-Styrum and other lower Rhine lordships · Arenberg, Salm, Manderscheid and Eifel lordships · Kingdom of Westphalia (1807-13) · Dalberg states: Regensburg, Aschaffenburg, Grand Duchy of Frankfurt · Grand Duchy of Würzburg (1805-14) · Württemberg (County, Duchy 1495, Kingdom 1806) · Württemberg (County, Duchy 1495, Kingdom 1806) · Baden · Baden · Fürstenberg · Oettingen · Hohenlohe · Waldburg, Montfort, Königsegg and Upper Swabian counts · Waldburg, Montfort, Königsegg and Upper Swabian counts · Helfenstein, Werdenberg, Tübingen and other Swabian counts · Limpurg, Löwenstein, Erbach, Wertheim, Castell · Imperial Knights and unidentified minor lordships · Minor counts and lords · Swabia and the upper Rhine · Minor counts and lords · central Italy · Minor counts and lords · Alpine lands · Minor counts and lords · Swabia and the upper Rhine · Minor counts and lords · central Italy · Württemberg-Baden, South Baden, Württemberg-Hohenzollern → Baden-Württemberg 1952 · Archbishopric-Electorate of Mainz · Archbishopric-Electorate of Cologne · Archbishopric-Electorate of Cologne · Archbishopric-Electorate of Trier · Archbishopric-Electorate of Trier · Archbishopric of Salzburg (Electorate 1803-05) · Archbishopric of Magdeburg (to Brandenburg 1680) · Archbishopric of Bremen (and Bishopric of Verden) · Archbishopric of Besançon · Prince-Bishopric of Münster · Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn · Prince-Bishopric of Osnabrück · Prince-Bishopric of Minden · Prince-Bishopric of Hildesheim · Prince-Bishopric of Halberstadt · Prince-Bishopric of Würzburg · Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg · Franconia · Prince-Bishopric of Bamberg · Alpine lands · Prince-Bishopric of Eichstätt · Prince-Bishopric of Augsburg · Prince-Bishopric of Constance · Prince-Bishopric of Speyer · Prince-Bishopric of Worms · Prince-Bishopric of Strasbourg · Prince-Bishopric of Basel · Prince-Bishopric of Liège · Prince-Bishopric of Utrecht (Sticht and Oversticht) · Prince-Bishopric of Cambrai · Bishoprics of Metz, Toul and Verdun · Prince-Bishopric of Passau · Prince-Bishopric of Freising · Prince-Bishopric of Regensburg · Prince-Bishopric of Brixen · Prince-Bishopric of Trent · Prince-Bishopric of Chur · Prince-Bishopric of Sion / Valais · Prince-Bishopric of Sion / Valais · Patriarchate of Aquileia (Friuli) · Imperial Abbey / Bishopric of Fulda · Bishoprics of Meissen, Merseburg and Naumburg · Bishoprics of Brandenburg, Havelberg, Lebus, Cammin · Bishoprics of Lübeck, Ratzeburg and Schwerin · Bishoprics of Warmia (Ermland), Pomesania, Samland, Culm · Bishopric of Breslau (Neisse-Grottkau) · Bishopric of Breslau (Neisse-Grottkau) · Imperial abbeys and minor ecclesiastical states · Saxony, Thuringia, Anhalt · Imperial abbeys and minor ecclesiastical states · Swabia and the upper Rhine · Imperial abbeys and minor ecclesiastical states · Bavaria · Imperial abbeys and minor ecclesiastical states · Brandenburg, Pomerania, Mecklenburg · Imperial abbeys and minor ecclesiastical states · Lower Saxony and the north · Free and Imperial Cities · Swabia and the upper Rhine · Free and Imperial Cities · Lower Saxony and the north · Free and Imperial Cities · Saxony, Thuringia, Anhalt · Free and Imperial Cities · Switzerland · Free and Imperial Cities · Swabia and the upper Rhine · Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg · Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg · Free Hanseatic City of Bremen · Free Hanseatic City of Bremen · Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck (to 1937) · Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck (to 1937) · Free City of Frankfurt (to 1866) · Free City of Frankfurt (to 1866) · Imperial City of Nuremberg · Free Imperial City of Cologne · Danzig · West Berlin · East Berlin · Duchy of Brabant (with Limburg from 1288) · Duchy of Limburg (to 1288) · County of Flanders · County of Flanders · County of Hainaut · County of Holland and Zeeland · County of Namur · County of Loon (to Liège 1366) · County of Artois · Burgundian → Habsburg → Spanish → Austrian Netherlands · Burgundian → Habsburg → Spanish → Austrian Netherlands · Dutch Republic (1581/1648) → Kingdom of the Netherlands · Dutch Republic (1581/1648) → Kingdom of the Netherlands · Kingdom of Belgium (1830) · Upper Lorraine → Duchy of Lorraine (to France 1766) · Upper Lorraine → Duchy of Lorraine (to France 1766) · County / Duchy of Bar · Alsatian lordships · Reichsland Alsace-Lorraine (1871-1918) · Free County of Burgundy (Franche-Comté) · Savoy (County, Duchy 1416) → Kingdom of Sardinia 1720 · Savoy (County, Duchy 1416) → Kingdom of Sardinia 1720 · Dauphiné of Viennois (to France 1349) · County of Provence (to France 1481-86) · Archbishopric and County of Lyon, Forez (to France 1312) · Orange, Comtat Venaissin and Avignon · County of Montbéliard (Württemberg 1397-1793) · Old Swiss Confederacy → Switzerland · Old Swiss Confederacy → Switzerland · Three Leagues (Grisons) · Three Leagues (Grisons) · Bishopric / Republic of Geneva · Bishopric / Republic of Geneva · Neuchâtel (Prussian 1707-1857) · Neuchâtel (Prussian 1707-1857) · Abbey of St Gall · Counts of Kyburg, Lenzburg, Toggenburg, Gruyère and other Swiss lords · Liechtenstein (Vaduz and Schellenberg) · Liechtenstein (Vaduz and Schellenberg) · Milan · Republic of Venice · Republic of Genoa · northern Italy · Republic of Genoa · Rhône and Provence · Republic of Genoa · northern Italy · Florence → Grand Duchy of Tuscany (1569) · Florence → Grand Duchy of Tuscany (1569) · Republic of Siena (to 1555) · Republic of Pisa (to 1406) · central Italy · Republic of Pisa (to 1406) · Rhône and Provence · Republic / Duchy of Lucca · Republic / Duchy of Lucca · Mantua (Gonzaga; to Austria 1708) · Este: Ferrara, Modena and Reggio · Este: Ferrara, Modena and Reggio · Duchy of Parma and Piacenza · Duchy of Parma and Piacenza · Verona (Scaliger) and Padua (Carrara) (to Venice 1405) · Lombard, Emilian and Tuscan communes and lordships · Lombard, Emilian and Tuscan communes and lordships · Papal States · Papal States · Kingdom of Italy (1861) / Italian Republic · Cisalpine / Italian Republic, Kingdom of Italy · Kingdom of Sicily / Naples · France · Low Countries · France · Low Countries · France · Alpine lands · Denmark · Poland · Poland · Russian Empire / Soviet Union · Prussia proper · Russian Empire / Soviet Union · Silesia · Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia) · Croatia / Hungary-Croatia / Ottoman frontier · North Rhine-Westphalia (1946) · Lower Saxony (1946) · Rhineland-Palatinate (1946) · Saar · Saar · Saxony-Anhalt (1945-52, 1990) · German Democratic Republic (districts, 1952-90) · General Government (German-occupied Poland 1939-45) · Memel Territory (1920-39) · Polabian Slavs · Polabian Slavs · County of Arnsberg (to Cologne 1368) · German Reich: annexed and incorporated territories · Prussia proper · German Reich: annexed and incorporated territories · Lorraine, Alsace, Franche-Comté · German Reich: annexed and incorporated territories · Alpine lands · Imperial Abbey of Corvey · Free Territory of Trieste (1947-54) · Dukes of Merania · Baltic tribes · Grand Duchy of Lithuania / Republic of Lithuania

Events

• 28 Jan 1077, Canossa: Henry IV does penance before Pope Gregory VII, high point of the Investiture Contest.
• 23 Sep 1122, Concordat of Worms: Henry V and Calixtus II end the Investiture Contest; the Empire keeps lay investiture over temporalities.
• 17 Sep 1156, Privilegium Minus: Austria becomes a duchy: At Regensburg Frederick I raises the March of Austria to a duchy for Henry Jasomirgott in exchange for Bavaria.
• 29 May 1176, Battle of Legnano: The Lombard League defeats Barbarossa; Henry the Lion had refused him help.
• 13 Apr 1180, Gelnhausen: Henry the Lion deposed: Duchy of Saxony is broken up (Westphalia to Cologne, Eastphalia to Bernhard of Anhalt), Styria split from Bavaria.
• 26 Sep 1212, Golden Bull of Sicily: Bohemia a hereditary kingdom: Frederick II confirms Ottokar I as hereditary king, with the Bohemian king as an elector-to-be and the lands bound to the Empire.
• 27 Jul 1214, Battle of Bouvines: Philip Augustus beats Otto IV and his allies; Frederick II wins the German crown.
• 26 Aug 1278, Battle on the Marchfeld: Ottokar II killed: Rudolf of Habsburg defeats Ottokar II of Bohemia at Durnkrut, securing Austria for his dynasty.
• 15 Nov 1315, Battle of Morgarten: Schwyz and allies ambush a Habsburg army under Leopold I of Austria.
• 10 Jan 1356, Golden Bull: Charles IV fixes the seven electors and royal election by majority at the Nuremberg diet.
• 9 Jul 1386, Battle of Sempach: Confederates defeat Duke Leopold III of Austria, who is killed.
• 15 Jul 1410, Battle of Tannenberg: Poland-Lithuania crushes the Teutonic Order, which starts its decline.
• 5 Nov 1414, Council of Constance opens: Sigismund's council ends the papal schism and tries Jan Hus.
• 30 Jul 1419, First Defenestration of Prague: Hussite wars begin: Radical Hussites throw councillors from the New Town Hall; years of crusades against Bohemia follow.
• 5 Jan 1477, Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold of Burgundy is defeated and killed by René II of Lorraine and the Swiss; the Burgundian state collapses.
• 7 Aug 1495, Diet of Worms: Perpetual Public Peace: Maximilian I's diet bans private feuds and creates the Imperial Chamber Court and the common penny.
• 31 Oct 1517, Luther's 95 Theses: Posted in Wittenberg, the Theses open the Reformation.
• 18 Apr 1521, Luther before the Diet of Worms: Luther refuses to recant; the Edict of Worms follows.
• 24 Jun 1524, Peasants' War begins in the Black Forest: Revolt spreads over Swabia, Franconia and Thuringia.
• 24 Feb 1525, Battle of Pavia: Charles V captures Francis I.
• 16 May 1525, Battle of Saverne (Peasants' War): Duke Anthony of Lorraine crushes the Alsatian peasant army at Saverne.
• 27 Sep 1529, First siege of Vienna: Ottoman army besieges Vienna for two weeks and withdraws.
• 25 Jun 1530, Augsburg Confession: The Lutheran creed is read to Charles V at the Diet of Augsburg.
• 24 Apr 1547, Battle of Mühlberg: Charles V defeats the Schmalkaldic League; Moritz of Saxony gains the electorate.
• 26 Jun 1548, Transaction of Augsburg: Burgundian Circle: The Seventeen Provinces become an Imperial Circle under Charles V.
• 25 Sep 1555, Peace of Augsburg: Cuius regio, eius religio: princes choose Lutheran or Catholic faith for their lands.
• 23 May 1618, Defenestration of Prague of 1618: Protestant nobles throw imperial governors from Prague Castle, triggering the Thirty Years' War.
• 8 Nov 1620, Battle of White Mountain: The Catholic League destroys Frederick of the Palatinate's army; Habsburg control of Bohemia is made absolute.
• 20 May 1631, Sack of Magdeburg: Imperial troops burn the city and kill most of its inhabitants.
• 12 Sep 1683, Relief of Vienna at Kahlenberg: John III Sobieski and Charles of Lorraine defeat the second Ottoman siege; Habsburg reconquest begins.
• 2 Dec 1805, Battle of Austerlitz: Napoleon defeats Austria and Russia in Moravia; the Empire's end follows in 1806.
• 16 Oct 1813, Battle of the Nations at Leipzig: Napoleon is defeated by Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden.
• 19 Mar 1815, Federal Treaty and Vienna settlement: The Congress of Vienna recognises 22 cantons, adding Geneva, Valais and Neuchatel.
• 9 Jun 1815, Final Act of the Congress of Vienna: Europe is redrawn and the German Confederation is founded.
• 18 Jun 1815, Battle of Waterloo: Wellington and Blücher end Napoleon's rule; the United Kingdom of the Netherlands stands.
• 18 May 1848, Frankfurt Parliament opens: Delegates meet in St Paul's Church to draw up a national constitution.
• 3 Jul 1866, Battle of Königgrätz: Prussia defeats Austria in Bohemia; the German Confederation is dissolved.
• 2 Sep 1870, Battle of Sedan: Napoleon III surrenders to Prussia and its allies.
• 18 Jan 1871, German Empire proclaimed at Versailles: William I becomes German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors.
• 28 Jun 1919, Treaty of Versailles: Germany loses territory, its colonies and army, and accepts war guilt.
• 11 Aug 1919, Weimar Constitution: The National Assembly's constitution takes effect.
• 12 Mar 1938, Anschluss: German troops enter Austria, which is incorporated into the Reich.
• 30 Sep 1938, Munich Agreement: Britain, France, Italy and Germany give the Sudetenland to Germany; occupation starts 1 October, Poland takes Zaolzie 1-2 October.
• 27 Jan 1945, Auschwitz liberated: Soviet troops find the survivors of the largest camp.
• 17 Jul 1945, Potsdam Conference: The Allies agree on occupation zones and the Oder-Neisse line.
• 24 Jun 1948, Berlin Blockade and Airlift: The Soviets close land routes to West Berlin; the Allies supply the city by air for 11 months.
• 23 May 1949, Basic Law promulgated: The Federal Republic of Germany is founded with Bonn as capital.
• 13 Aug 1961, Berlin Wall begins: East Germany seals the border in Berlin.
• 9 Nov 1989, Fall of the Berlin Wall: East Germany opens its border crossings.