Imperial villages : cultures of political freedom in the German lands, c. 1300-1800 / by Beat Kümin.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Kümin, Beat A., author.

Contributor:

Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

Series:

Studies in Central European histories ; volume 65.

Studies in Central European histories, 1547-1217 ; volume 65

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Country life.

Political culture.

Central-local government relations.

Holy Roman Empire--Administrative and political divisions.

Holy Roman Empire.

Holy Roman Empire--Politics and government.

Decentralization in government--Holy Roman Empire.

Decentralization in government.

Europe--Holy Roman Empire.

Central-local government relations--Holy Roman Empmire.

Political culture--Holy Roman Empire.

Country life--Holy Roman Empire.

Administrative and political divisions.

Politics and government.

Physical Description:

xiv, 277 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm.

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, [2019]

Summary:

"Hundreds of rural communities tasted political freedom in the Holy Roman Empire. For shorter or longer periods, villagers managed local affairs without subjection to territorial overlords. In this first book-length study, Beat Kümin focuses on the five case studies of Gochsheim and Sennfeld (in present-day Bavaria), Sulzbach and Soden (Hesse) and Gersau (Switzerland). Adopting a comparative perspective across the late medieval and early modern periods, the analysis of multiple sources reveals distinct extents of rural self-government, the forging of communalized confessions and an enduring attachment to the empire. Negotiating inner tensions as well as mounting centralization pressures, Reichsdörfer provide privileged insights into rural micro-political cultures while their stories resonate with resurgent desires for greater local autonomy in Europe today"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Polities without a prince : an introduction

Origins, evolutions and settings

Domestic affairs : co-operation and conflict

External relations : protectors and predators

Religious life : heaven and earth

Representations and perceptions

Conclusions.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Alumni and Friends Memorial Book Fund.

Other Format:

Online version: Kümin, Beat A., author. Imperial villages

ISBN:

9789004345065

900434506X

OCLC:

1081437452