
The Lower Rhenish–Westphalian Circle (, ) was an
Imperial Circle of the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
. It comprised territories of the former Duchy of
Lower Lotharingia
The Duchy of Lower Lotharingia, also called Northern Lotharingia, Lower Lorraine or Northern Lorraine (and also referred to as '' Lothier'' or '' Lottier'' ,
Frisia
Frisia () is a Cross-border region, cross-border Cultural area, cultural region in Northwestern Europe. Stretching along the Wadden Sea, it encompasses the north of the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany. Wider definitions of "Frisia" ...
and the
Westphalia
Westphalia (; ; ) is a region of northwestern Germany and one of the three historic parts of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It has an area of and 7.9 million inhabitants.
The territory of the region is almost identical with the h ...
n part of the former
Duchy of Saxony
The Duchy of Saxony () was originally the area settled by the Saxons in the late Early Middle Ages, when they were subdued by Charlemagne during the Saxon Wars from 772 CE and incorporated into the Carolingian Empire (Francia) by 804. Upon the 84 ...
.
The circle was made up of numerous small states, however the Counts
De la Marck were able to collect a significant amount of territories, the
United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg from 1521 on. The Empire's largest ecclesiastical territory was held by the
Prince-Bishops of Münster.
Composition
The circle was made up of the following states:
;Transfers
: The
Duchy of Guelders passed to the
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle (, , ) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy (the former administrative region of Franche-Comté), the Burgundian Circle ...
in 1548
: The
Duchy of Luxembourg
The Duchy of Luxembourg (; ; ; ) was a Imperial state, state of the Holy Roman Empire, the ancestral homeland of the noble House of Luxembourg. The House of Luxembourg became one of the most important political forces in the 14th century, comp ...
passed to the
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle (, , ) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy (the former administrative region of Franche-Comté), the Burgundian Circle ...
in 1512
: The
County of Drenthe passed to the
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle (, , ) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy (the former administrative region of Franche-Comté), the Burgundian Circle ...
in 1548
: The
Lordship of Groningen
The Lordship of Groningen (; ) was a heerlijkheid, lordship under the rule of the House of Habsburg between 1536 and 1594, which is the present-day province of Groningen (province), Groningen.
Before 1536
A distinction must be made between th ...
passed to the
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle (, , ) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy (the former administrative region of Franche-Comté), the Burgundian Circle ...
in 1548
: The
Lordship of Overijssel
The Lordship of Overijssel or Overissel (Latin: ''Transisalania''Christyn, Jean Baptiste. Histoire Generale Des Pais-Bas: Contenant la Description Des XVII Provinces : Divisée en IV. volumes, augmentée de plusieurs remarques curieuses, de nouve ...
passed to the
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle (, , ) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy (the former administrative region of Franche-Comté), the Burgundian Circle ...
in 1548
: The
Bishopric of Utrecht passed to the
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle (, , ) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy (the former administrative region of Franche-Comté), the Burgundian Circle ...
in 1548
: The
County of Zutphen passed to the
Burgundian Circle
The Burgundian Circle (, , ) was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire created in 1512 and significantly enlarged in 1548. In addition to the Free County of Burgundy (the former administrative region of Franche-Comté), the Burgundian Circle ...
in 1548
References
Imperial Circles in the 16th CenturyHistorical Maps of Germany
* The list of states making up the Lower Rhenish–Westphalian Circle is based in part on that in the
German Wikipedia article
Niederrheinisch-Westfälischer Reichskreis.
*
List of the imperial circles of 1532
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lower Rhenish-Westphalian Circle
Circles of the Holy Roman Empire
Westphalian Lowland
1500s establishments in the Holy Roman Empire
1500 establishments in Europe