imperial city
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imperial city
A historical term for a city in the Holy Roman Empire that possessed special autonomy and was directly subordinate to the emperor. These cities were not part of a principality.
Nürnberg war im Mittelalter eine bedeutende freie Reichsstadt.
In the Middle Ages, Nuremberg was an important free imperial city.
The word is composed of 'Reich' (empire) and 'Stadt' (city), connected by an 's'. It literally means a 'city of the empire' and refers to the Holy Roman Empire.
Frankfurt am Main war früher eine bedeutende Reichsstadt.
Frankfurt am Main used to be an important imperial city.
This term is used exclusively for history and refers to cities in the Holy Roman Empire (c. 962–1806). It is not used for modern cities or capitals.
Im Geschichtsunterricht lernen wir über die Rolle der Reichsstädte.
In history class, we learn about the role of the imperial cities.
A very common combination is 'freie Reichsstadt' (free imperial city). The adjective 'frei' (free) emphasizes these cities' special autonomy and independence from local princes.
Augsburg war eine freie Reichsstadt und ein wichtiges Handelszentrum.
Augsburg was a free imperial city and an important trading center.
