TheHeerbann (also formerlyHeermannie,MHGherban,OHG:heriban, Mid. Latin:Heribannus), in theImperial Military Constitution (Reichsheeresverfassung) of theHoly Roman Empire, was the call to all free landowners capable of bearing arms to participate in a military campaign, i.e. in an imperial war (Reichskrieg).
According to the original meaning of the word (OHG:bannan = to 'demand' or 'prohibit', actually 'to speak'),[1] theHeerbann was a 'call of the king or duke to military service;[2] see alsoking's ban.
However, as thefeudal system in the Holy Roman Empire developed in theEarly Middle Ages, theHeerbann became superfluous as a means of raising armies and increasingly fell into disuse after the death ofCharlemagne.
TheHeerbann was particularly onerous for poorer landowners, several of whom had to equip a knight for war (one for every 3hides), so they would attempt to withdraw themselves from his service and place themselves in the service of and under the protection of a more powerful lord, who would assist them in providing the necessary military equipment or even stand them down from military service entirely.
Towards the end of the 10th century, this led to the reshaping of the entire military constitution. The armies of the king now no longer consisted of all free knights, but came from powerful imperial officials orvassals and their entourages; and those who rendered no military service had to pay a campaign tax (Heersteuer).
The necessary organisation of theHeerbann, needed thanks to constant campaigning by Charlemagne, was divided by him into seven levels or "shields of knighthood", the so-calledHeerschilde. The campaigns, which were fought with the aid of theHeerbann, were calledHeerfahrten, the participation of the vassals was known asHeeresfolge.
By the time ofthe Crusades, when the feudal system had reached its height, theHeerbann had almost totally disappeared in all European states.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Meyers Konversations-Lexikon (1888–1890), 4th edition, Leipzig/Vienna: Bibliographisches Institut.
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