The division and fragmentation of political sovereign entities that took place in the history of the Holy Roman Empire has resulted in the use of a German word, Kleinstaaterei that describes a "state of affairs", and an associated sense of dysfunction. This dysfunction is understood as having been inevitably produced by a crazy patchwork of borders, boundaries and systems, in those territories that we now know as Germany, and that resulted from what is termed feudal fragmentation.
Kleinstaaterei (German: [ˌklaɪnʃtaːtəˈʁaɪ], "small-state-ery") is a pejorative German word, mainly used to denote the territorial fragmentation in Germany and neighboring regions during the Holy Roman Empire (especially after the end of the Thirty Years' War) and during the German Confederation in the first half of the 19th century. It refers to the large number of virtually sovereign small and medium-sized secular and ecclesiastical principalities and Free Imperial cities, some of which were little larger than a single town or the grounds of the monastery of an Imperial abbey. Estimates of the total number of German states at any given time during the 18th century vary, ranging from 294 to 348 or more.
Furthermore, many German states were composed of two or more non-contiguous parts, often politically united through a marriage. Most states had at least one or two enclaves or exclaves, and some considerably more. In the summer of 1789, young Wilhelm von Humboldt and some friends, leaving Brunswick, capital of the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, for France to observe the revolutionary events unfolding in Paris, would need to enter and exit six duchies, four bishoprics and one Free Imperial City (Aachen) before reaching the French border.
Perhaps this term is evidence that history can be a danger to the forces leading to political fragmentation as much as it also a danger to the concept of the nation?
The sources of power driving this fragmentation were vested in the feudal system of ruling and political classes, so this was a top down instigation of division and fragmentation.
What is driving the tendency in Europe now that is producing particular forces moving towards various forms of political fragmentation, or "Balkanisation", and are rising up in particular regions and localities, and from the grass roots, rather than the political classes?
The Peasants State in Dithmarschen - an anarcho-communist confederacy?
Remember that scene in Monty Python’s Holy Grail when King Author runs into a couple of peasants spouting Marxist class analysis?
Crazy as it sounds, that scene actually has a historic basis: the small imperial province of Dithmarschen. Located on the far northern border of the sprawling, loosely organised Holy Roman Empire, Dithmarschen managed to escape feudalism a little earlier than its neighbours. In 1144 the people of Dithmarschen rose up against the count imposed on them by their Saxon overlords. The province was eventually handed over to a local archbishop, but the Ditmarsians didn’t stop there. Over the years, church rule became more and more decentralised, and by the 15th Century Dithmarschen was basically just a collection of semi-autonomous parishes. Each parish was its own little peasant democracy. In 1434, the various parishes of Dithmarschen confederated into a single republic, ruled by 48 elected regents.
In other words, it was basically an anarcho-communist confederacy.
Technically speaking, Dithmarschen was never its own fully independent nation. It remained part of the Holy Roman Empire, meaning it was officially under the authority of the emperor. Moreover, throughout its history, Dithmarschen was constantly under threat from its feudal neighbours, who repeatedly tried to force a ruler on the freedom-loving Ditmarsians (as they’re apparently called). The most famous example of this was in 1500, when the Danish King John suffered a humiliating defeat at Hemmingstedt to a Ditmarsian peasant army. Dithmarschen managed to survive for a few more decades by allying with merchant republics like neighbouring Lubeck, but the hungry imperialists couldn’t be kept at bay forever. In 1559, the Danes finally got their revenge, and forced Dithmarschen to split in two and accept feudal rule. Centuries later, the region was annexed into Prussia, and is today part of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.
Europa Universalis IV
Europa Universalis IV is a grand strategy video game in the Europa Universalis series, developed by Paradox Development Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. The game was released on 13 August 2013. It is a strategy game where players can control a nation from the Late Middle Ages through the Early modern period (1444 to 1821 AD), conducting trade, administration, diplomacy, colonization and warfare. The game has been formed to begin historically, with real events occurring in real time.
The game itself is an interactive map of Earth divided into the provinces that compose nations. Each of these provinces contribute to their country either positively or negatively, as provinces can both provide resources to a nation and serve as a point of unrest and rebellion.
One of these provinces is the Dithmarschen. The significant event is the Battle of Hemmingstedt that took place in 1500.
Dithmarschen is a member state of the Holy Roman Empire situated in the far north of the Empire. It starts as an independent one province nation bordering Flag of Denmark Denmark in the north and Flag of Holstein Holstein in the east. Dithmarschen has the unique republican government type of "Peasant Republic" and exists from the game start at 1444 to 1559, after which it becomes a part of Denmark. It is capable of forming Westphalia and Hanover in addition to Germany.
The time lapse video shows a game plan expansion of this Peasant Republic into an Empire that stretches across northern Europe.
Dithmarschen starts in a difficult position with few expansion opportunities. Its neighbor to the north, Denmark, is far too strong to expand into early on. Other attractive expansion targets such as Hamburg or Lubeck quickly become free cities (protected by the emperor) or part of a trade league. Expansion is further hampered by increased aggressive expansion within the HRE, and as such will have to be slow and deliberate. Additionally, unless an alliance with the emperor is secured, demands for unlawful territory are likely and may lead to an attack by the emperor.
An ideal first target is East Frisia, which is the only small country nearby that can be attacked and that is not in the empire (thus no unlawful territory). Taking it will allow fabricating on more countries in the area as well. Saxe-Lauenburg may also be feasible, depending on alliance situations. It is important to note that speed of attack and military access play very important roles in the early game - the player may easily defeat two countries on their own, if they can overpower the first target without the second target being able to intervene in time.
Developing provinces (with the Common Sense.png DLC) may be beneficial to both strengthen the economy and trade power, and to spawn institutions if needed.
Initial alliances should be based on the player's rivals, and an alliance and high relations with the emperor (likely Austria) should be sought as soon as possible to avoid demands for unlawful territory and/or being declared war upon with the Imperial Liberation casus belli. As a republic, Dithmarschen is unable to form royal marriages, which makes it a little more difficult to build and keep alliances with bigger nations. It may also be beneficial to join a trade league in the beginning for defensive purposes.
Once Dithmarschen has grown into a regional power, it should be time to take on Denmark, ideally with the help of their rivals (likely to include England, Poland or Muscovy). It is also beneficial to support the independence of Sweden in order to both weaken Denmark significantly and to allow controlling Sweden's growth (in case the player is going for the "Lessons of Hemmingstedt" achievement). Further expansion should be in northern Germany and further to the south and east if feasible, and may even include Dutch territories - however, the player needs to be aware of the Dutch revolts happening between 1550 and 1650 with large and recurring rebel armies. This can be avoided by changing the culture of conquered Dutch provinces before 1550, or waiting with conquering until after 1650.
The player may form Westphalia; this requires becoming an elector, a prerequisite for which is being a monarchy, thus having to abandon the unique Peasant's Republic.
Map with two bird's-eye plans by Braun and Hogenberg: Heide and Meldorf.
A short history
In medieval times the marshland villages of Dithmarschen enjoyed remarkable autonomy. Neighbouring princes often tried to bring Dithmarschen under their control.
After 1180 Prince-Archbishop Siegfried ceded Dithmarschen, which was supposed to belong to his Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, to his brother Bernhard III, Duke of the younger Duchy of Saxony. In his new position of Duke of Saxony he held the Land of Hadeln, opposite of Dithmarschen on the southern bank of the river Elbe. Adolf III of Schauenburg, Count of Holstein, at enmity with the Ascanians, had de facto taken a loose possession of Dithmarschen. So it was up to Bernhard to regain the territory, but he failed, he could only force Adolf to accept his overlordship in Dithmarschen.
Prince-Archbishop Hartwig II prepared a campaign into Dithmarschen, religiously belonging to the Archdiocese of Bremen, represented by its subsidiary chapter at Hamburg Concathedral, but rejecting Bremian secular princely overlordship. He persuaded Adolf III to waive his claim to Dithmarschen in return for regular dues levied from the to be subjected Ditmarsians. In 1187 and 1188 Hartwig and his ally Maurice I, Count of Oldenburg, heading their troops, invaded Dithmarschen. The free peasants promised to pay him dues, only to mock about Hartwig, once he and his soldiers had left. The Ditmarsians gained support by Valdemar, steward of the Duchy of Schleswig and Bishop of Schleswig. Hartwig, owing dues to Adolf III and the soldiers' pay to Maurice I, was trapped and could not afford to wage a second war.
In 1192 the Bremian Chapter elected Valdemar as its new Prince-Archbishop. Valdemar welcomed his election, hoping his new position could be helpful in his dispute with Duke Valdemar of Schleswig and his elder brother Canute VI of Denmark. Before entering the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen he won the support of Dithmarschen.
In the 15th century the Ditmarsians confederated in a peasants' republic. Several times neighbouring princely rulers, accompanied by their knights and mercenaries tried to subdue the independent ministate to feudalism, however, without success. In 1319 Gerhard III was repelled in the Battle of Wöhrden. After Eric IV, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg had raided Dithmarschen, the Ditmarsians blamed his son-in-law, Albert II, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg, of complicity, who then used this as a pretext for his own unsuccessful conquest attempt in 1403, dying during the campaign from inflicted injuries. In 1468 Dithmarschen allied with Lübeck to protect their common interest as to commerce and containing the spreading feudalism in the region. Ditmarsians had established trade with Livonia and neighbouring Baltic destinations since the 15th century, based on the Hanseatic obligations and privileges since the pact with Lübeck. Both parties renewed their alliance several times and it thus lasted until Dithmarschen's final defeat and Dano-Holsatian annexation in 1559.
In 1484 Magnus of Saxe-Lauenburg, then vicegerent of the Land of Hadeln, failed to subject the free Frisian peasants in the Land of Wursten, de facto an autonomous region in a North Sea marsh at the Weser estuary under the loose overlordship of the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. This foreshadowed a series of feudal attempts to subdue regions of free peasants, an alarming signal for the Ditmarsians and the free peasants in other marshes in the area.
In April 1499 Count John XIV of Oldenburg invaded the Weser and North Sea marshes of Stadland and Butjadingen, to both of which the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen claimed its overlordship, in order to subject their free peasants.[5] Bremen's prince-archbishop Johann Rode then tried to form a war alliance to repel these and prevent further invasions, first gaining the cities of Bremen, Hamburg and Stade, which considered the areas downstream the rivers Elbe and Weser their own front yard essential for their free maritime trade connections. Rode further won the Ditmarsians for a defensive alliance in favour of Wursten, concluded on 1 May 1499.
On 1 August the allies, now also including Buxtehude, committed themselves to supply 1,300 warriors and equipment to defend Wursten and / or invade Hadeln. Already on 24 November 1498 John V and his son Magnus of Saxe-Lauenburg had allied with Henry IV the Elder of Brunswick and Lunenburg, Prince of Wolfenbüttel to conquer Wursten. Henry IV obliged to send 3,000 landsknechts, who should gain their payment by ravaging and plundering the free peasants of Wursten, once successfully subjected.
Rode then waged feud against John V of Saxe-Lauenburg on 9 September 1499. The allied forces, with the Ditmarsians invading crossing the Elbe, easily conquered the Land of Hadeln, defeating Magnus and even driving him out of Hadeln.
While the cities wanted a peaceful front yard without powerful influence of whomsoever, the Ditmarsians were more in favour of autonomy of free peasants. Hamburg and the Ditmarsians fell out with each other. On 16 September a landsknecht hired by Hamburg slayed Cordt von der Lieth, a member of Bremian ministerialis, causing the Otterndorf Strife (Otterndorfer Streit). The landsknecht rumoured a Ditmarsian had slain von der Lieth and fled. Hamburg's landsknechts then attacked the uninvolved Ditmarsians and slayed 76 men in their military camp near Otterndorf. Thus Dithmarschen cancelled its alliance with Rode, Bremen and Hamburg and the Ditmarsians returned home. Hamburg aimed at reestablishing its rule in Hadeln, as wielded between 1407 and 1481 when Saxe-Lauenburg had pawned Hadeln to Hamburg as security for a credit. The relationship between Dithmarschen and Hamburg then turned icy, Ditmarsians captured wrecked ships of Hamburg and their freight, foundered near or at the shores of Dithmarschen, according to the traditional wrecking custom, which earlier Hamburg and Dithmarschen had already replaced by a reward for rescuing ships, freight and crew. The parties only reconciled in 1512.
By 20 November 1499 Magnus hired the so-called Great or Black Guard of 6,000 ruthless and violent mostly Dutch and East Frisian mercenaries, commanded by Thomas Slentz, prior operating in the County of Oldenburg. The Black Guard invaded the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, crossing through and ravaging areas in the Prince-Bishopric of Verden and the Brunswick-Lunenburgian Principality of Lunenburg-Celle, leaving behind a wake of devastation on the countryside and especially in the looted monasteries.
Finally on Christmas Eve arriving downstream the Weser in Lehe the Black Guard tried to invade Wursten, however, the free peasants there repelled their attack near Weddewarden on 26 December. So the Guard turned northeastwards, looting Neuenwalde Nunnery underways, into Hadeln, repressing the joint forces of Rode and the cities – lacking support by Bremian knights and the Ditmarsians –, recapturing it for Magnus in early 1500.
Rode then converted Henry IV the Elder to his column, with Henry the Elder and his troops then hunting the Black Guard. Magnus, unable to pay the mercenaries so that they turned even the more oppressive for the local population, was like the Sorcerer's Apprentice, who could not get rid of "the spirits that he called". By mid-January 1500 King John of Denmark hired the Guard and guaranteed for its safe conduct first southeastwards via Lunenburg-Cellean Winsen upon Luhe and Hoopte, crossing the Elbe by Zollenspieker Ferry to the Hamburg-Lübeckian bi-urban condominium (Beiderstädtischer Besitz) of Bergedorf and Vierlande.
From there the Black Guard headed northwestwards again through Holstein in order to join more of King John's forces recruited in Holstein and by the Kalmar Union. These forces then invaded Dithmarschen in order to subject the free Ditmarsians. The Ditmarsians took a vow to donate a monastery in honour of the then national patron saint Mary of Nazareth if they could repel the invasion.
The Battle of Hemmingstedt in a history painting of 1910 by Max Friedrich Koch, assembly hall of the former District Building in Meldorf.
On 17 February 1500, in the Battle of Hemmingstedt, the outnumbered Ditmarsians, led by Wulf Isebrand, defeated the invading armies and thus destroyed King John's dream of subjecting Dithmarschen.
In 1513 the Ditmarsians founded a Franciscan Friary in Lunden fulfilling their vow, however, the Hamburg concathedral chapter, holding the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, demanded its say in appointing the prebendaries. After years of dispute, the Council of the 48, the elected governing body of the farmers' republic of Ditmarsh, decided to found a Gallicanist kind of independent Catholic Church of Dithmarschen in August 1523, denying Hamburg's capitular jurisdiction in all of Dithmarschen. The chapter could not regain the jurisdiction, including its share in ecclesiastical fees and fines levied in Dithmarschen. After violently repelling the first preaching of proponents of the Reformation, slaying Henry of Zutphen in December 1524, Lutheranism nevertheless started to win over Ditmarsians. In 1533 the Council of the 48 turned the Ditmarsian Catholic Church into a Lutheran state church.
After the victory of Hemmingstedt Dithmarschen regularly sent its delegates to the Hanseatic Diets (Hansetage).
In 1554 the Hanseatic Diet confirmed, that free Ditmarsian peasants doing business cannot be considered equal to merchants being burghers of free or autonomous cities, but are, nevertheless, accepted as enjoying all Hanseatic advantages. Thus Ditmarsian merchants, along with those from Teutonic Prussia, were the only beneficiaries of a quasi membership within the Hanse, although lacking the background of citizenship in an autonomous or free city.
It was not until 1559 and the Last Feud between the King of Denmark and the Ditmarsians that the free peasants were forced to give up their political and religious autonomy by the successful invasion commanded by Count Johan Rantzau from Steinburg, one of the best strategists of the time. Since then the coat of arms of Dithmarschen has shown a warrior on horseback, representing a knight of Rantzau. This knight has later been identified with Saint George, then considered to be the patron of Dithmarschen.
The conquerors – King Frederick II, Duke Adolf, and Duke John II the Elder – divided Dithmarschen into two parts: the south became a part of Holstein in personal union with Denmark while the north came into the possession of the other Duke of Holstein.
From 1773 all of Holstein was united in personal union with Denmark and remained so until 1864, when, following the Second Schleswig War, the Duchies of Holstein and of Schleswig became an occupied territory of the German Confederation.
Two years later, following the Austro-Prussian War, Dithmarschen became part of the Kingdom of Prussia, which annexed Holstein and Schleswig making them subsequently the Province of Schleswig-Holstein.
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