Free Imperial City of Ulm Freie Reichsstadt Ulm (German) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1181–1803 | |||||||||
 Coat of arms | |||||||||
 The Free Imperial City of Ulm (lower center) and surrounding area | |||||||||
| Status | Free Imperial City | ||||||||
| Capital | Ulm | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||
| Historical era | |||||||||
• Settlement founded | around 5000 BC | ||||||||
• GainedReichsfreiheit | 1181 | ||||||||
• Großer Schwörbrief | 1397 | ||||||||
| 1530 | |||||||||
| 1647 | |||||||||
• Mediatised toBavaria | 1803 | ||||||||
• Annexed byWürttemberg | 1809 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Germany | ||||||||
TheFree Imperial City of Ulm was aFree Imperial City of theHoly Roman Empire. It is situated on the left bank of theDanube, in a fertile plain at the foot of theSwabian Jura.[1]
Ulm is mentioned as ademesne in 854, and under theCarolingian dynasty it was the scene of several assemblies.[2] It became a town in 1027, and was soon the principal place in theDuchy of Swabia.[2] Although burned down byHenry the Lion, the town soon recovered, becoming aFree Imperial City in 1155.[2] Towards the close of theMiddle Ages it played a leading part several times at the head ofSwabian Leagues[2] of the 14th century and 15th century. Its trade and commerce prospered, peaking in the 15th century, ruling over a district about 300 square miles (780 km2).[2] It became aFree Imperial City with extensive territorial authority, and having a population of about 60,000. It becameProtestant in 1530 and declined after theFrench Wars of Religion of the 16th century and 17th century. In 1802 it lost itsImperial immediacy and passed toElectorate of Bavaria, being ceded toKingdom of Württemberg in 1810. In October 1805 GeneralKarl Mack von Leiberich and his 23,000 Austrian troops capitulated toNapoleon here. Ulm is remarkable in the history ofGerman literature as the spot where theMeistersingers lingered longest, orally preserving the traditionalfolklore of their craft.[2]
| History |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Members | ||
| Ecclesiastical |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Secular | ||
| Prelates | ||
| Counts /Lords |
| |
| Cities | ||
Circles est. 1500:Bavarian,Swabian,Upper Rhenish,Lower Rhenish–Westphalian,Franconian,(Lower) Saxon Circles est. 1512:Austrian,Burgundian,Upper Saxon,Electoral Rhenish · Unencircled territories | ||
