Editing Holy Roman Empire (section)

=== Imperial circles ===
[[File:Map of the Imperial Circles (1512)-en.png|thumb|upright=1.35|A map of the Empire showing division into Circles in 1512]]

As part of the Imperial Reform, six [[Imperial circle]]s were established in 1500; four more were established in 1512. These were regional groupings of most (though not all) of the various states of the Empire for the purposes of defense, imperial taxation, supervision of coining, peace-keeping functions, and public security. Each circle had its own parliament, known as a ''Kreistag'' ("Circle Diet"), and one or more directors, who coordinated the affairs of the circle. Not all imperial territories were included within the imperial circles, even after 1512; the [[Lands of the Bohemian Crown]] were excluded, as were [[Old Swiss Confederacy|Switzerland]], the imperial fiefs in northern Italy, the lands of the [[Imperial Knights]], and certain other small territories like the [[Lordship of Jever]].