Germany, States: Aachen, Free City, 12 Heller – 1792

Description

The imperial capital of Carlomagno, would remain as a free imperial city within the Holy Empire, therefore only subject to the control of the emperor itself. Contrary to other free cities of the empire, Aachen never had influence to control the nearby areas, restricting its influence to Burscheid”s abbey. In 1598, Emperor Rodolfo II invaded the city using Spanish troops from neighbors, forcing Protestant officials to leave the city. The city was progressively losing influence. First, emperors stopped crowning, becoming in Frankfurt and subsequently the wars of religion and the great fire of 1656 that destroyed the city largely. The end of its free city status came in 1794 with the invasion of French troops of the Republic.