The past rediscovered: 34 imperial cities in the focus of research

The past rediscovered: 34 imperial cities in the focus of research

The Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has started an important long-term project that deals with research into the small and medium-sized imperial cities in southwest Germany. Loud presse.uni-mainz.de Within nine years, the documents from 34 former imperial cities will be indexed and made available to the public.

The project is entitled “Regesta Civitatum Imperialium – Regesten as the basis for research into the small and medium-sized southwest German imperial cities in the late Middle Ages (until 1521)” and is led by Prof. Dr. Jörg Rogge and Prof. Dr. Steffen Krieb directed. The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding the first three-year phase with around one million euros.

Research background

A central goal of the project is the detailed investigation of the role and function of smaller cities within the imperial constitution. The focus is on aspects such as networks, communication systems, conflict management and securing political status. Previous research has been limited primarily to larger imperial cities, which creates a research gap regarding smaller cities that should now be closed.

The 34 selected cities from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg represent a unique field of research. The JGU experts collect documents such as documents, letters, court orders and council minutes in order to summarize them in regestas. These summaries are collected in a database and made available online.

Challenges and objectives

According to those responsible, a key challenge is the recording of communal traditions. Special recording techniques often have to be used on site to obtain the required data. Early conclusions from previous research raise open questions, such as the passivity of these imperial cities and the everyday living conditions of the people living there.

The results of the project are intended to shed light on the political, economic and social development of smaller towns in the 15th century and help to develop a better understanding of their role in the late Middle Ages.

The “Regesta Civitatum Imperialium” project is carried out in close accordance with the successful “Regesta Imperii” program, which comprehensively documents the German imperial documents since the Carolingian period. Here is Prof. Dr. Steffen Krieb was not only a project manager, but also for the regests of Emperor Frederick III. which will be processed until 2033 and already captures over 40,000 documents.

The Regesta Imperii serves as an international source work on German and European history of the Middle Ages, records important news about kings and emperors from the Carolingian period to modern times and has been completely available online since 2006. Approximately 196,000 entries are documented in the digital database, improving the accessibility and use of these historical sources ( middle ages.history.uni-mainz.de ).

Digital innovation and open access

The digital provision of historical data has experienced rapid progress since the 1990s. The Regesten database includes current works and older holdings, which are now accessible in open access. This research is supported by the collaboration of renowned experts, including a team from the Academy of Sciences and Literature ( regesta-imperii.de ).

With advancing digitalization and the creation of structured, accessible data, the project promises not only intensive source development, but also a broader scientific discussion about the often underestimated importance of small and medium-sized cities in a historical context.