Austral jurisdiction

Under Austrägalgerichtsbarkeit (Latinized to discharge ) was understood in German-speaking countries since the 14th century a form of arbitration that civilian for the decision of disputes between religious and secular princes , free cities and Reich knights was responsible.

As an instance of amicable jurisprudence between equal sovereign territories, albeit within a common territorial area of ​​application, Austragal jurisdiction has been a specific feature of the Holy Roman Empire with its multitude of sovereigns since the early modern period at the latest and the associated development of the modern nation state as a vertically authoritarian legal unit and semi-sovereign territories over which the emperor had no authority.

After the Congress of Vienna (1814–1815) a renewed Austrägal judicial system regulated legal disputes between the now remaining member states of the German Confederation ; The history of the Prussian-Austrian dualism shows that this institute ultimately failed against the horizon of great politics . The rulers - i.e. the former imperial directors, but gradually mediatized imperial princes and counts since 1803 ( Reichsdeputationshauptschluss ) - were granted a right to jurisdiction over the sovereign states (but usually only in civil matters), which was at least nominally equal with her former colleagues, but above all established the privileged social position that they enjoyed in Germany until 1918.

See also

• German Confederation

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• Austrägal order of the German Confederation of June 16, 1817
• Brockhaus encyclopedia online , sv Austrägalgericht .
• Heinz Gollwitzer : The gentlemen. The political and social position of the mediatized 1815–1918. A contribution to German social history. 2nd, revised and supplemented edition. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1964.