Imperial Cities

ROTHENBURG

Territorial Development

1274:  Rothenburg ob der Tauber secured its status as an imperial city.

1383-1387:  The city bought the stronghold, estates, and appurtenances of Nordenberg from its eponymous lords for 7000 fl.

1385: The city bought the fortress of Landsberg and its dependent villages from Hohenlohe for 5000 fl.

1387:  The city bought the administrative district of Hohenlohe-Endsee, together with villages in the Aischgrund, from Hohenlohe

1387: Acquired the mortgaged imperial territorial court, which sat outside its walls, for 8000 fl.

1388:  Teh city bought the Amter of Gammelsfeld and Eibelstadt from the burgraves of Buremberg for 3000 fl.

1399-1406:  Rothenburg acquired the castle and Amt of Lichtel from the bishops of Wurzburg from 2300 fl.

1400:  The city bought the stewardshiop of Gebsattel from the abbey of Comburg

1404:  The city acquired the fortress of Seldeneck from the burgraves of Nuremberf for 8000 fl.

1404:  Rothenburg finally acquired the most significant purchase of all, the fortress of Gailnau with extensive dependencies bordering the county of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfurst int he south-east from Count Johann of Hohenlohe for 9000 fl.

1500's:  Rothenburg's territory still amounded to around 400 sq. kms..  At that time, its rural subjects numbered betwenn 10,000 and 11,000, a figure at least double the urban population. (Ocker, et. al., pp. 31-32)

References:

Ocker, C., Printy, M., Starenko, P., and Wallace, P. (Eds.) (2007).  Politics and reformations:  Communities, polities, nations, and empires.  Leiden:  Koninklijke Brill NV.