An Imperial Circle (Latin: Circulus imperii, plural Circuli imperii German: Reichskreis, plural Reichskreise) 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 circle had a Circle Diet, although not every member of the Circle Diet would hold membership of the Imperial Diet as well.
Read more about Imperial Circle: Formation of The Imperial Circles, Unencirled Territories
Famous quotes containing the words imperial and/or circle:
“All the terrors of the French Republic, which held Austria in awe, were unable to command her diplomacy. But Napoleon sent to Vienna M. de Narbonne, one of the old noblesse, with the morals, manners, and name of that interest, saying, that it was indispensable to send to the old aristocracy of Europe men of the same connection, which, in fact, constitutes a sort of free- masonry. M. de Narbonne, in less than a fortnight, penetrated all the secrets of the imperial cabinet.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (18031882)
“It is a good lessonthough it may often be a hard onefor a man who has dreamed of literary fame, and of making for himself a rank among the worlds dignitaries by such means, to step aside out of the narrow circle in which his claims are recognized, and to find how utterly devoid of all significance, beyond that circle, is all that he achieves, and all he aims at.”
—Nathaniel Hawthorne (18041864)