Estates of Württemberg

The Estates of Württemberg (Württembergische Landstände) was the Estates of the Duchy of Württemberg, lasting from 1457 to 1918 except for 1802-15. After the creation of the Kingdom of Württemberg the 1815 reestablished estates became a bicameral parliament by 1819.

The parliament raised taxes for the counts, dukes and then kings of Württemberg, and discussed matters of public policy more widely in its later years.

The parliament comprised two chambers since 1819 - 1918:

• The "Kammer der Standesherren" from the hereditary nobility or "First Chamber", and
• The "Kammer der Abgeordneten" from the commoners

It was succeeded in 1919-33 by the Landtag of the "Free People's State of Württemberg", a part of the Weimar Republic.

The first assembly of the Estates, called a Landtag, occurred in Leonberg in 1457 when Count Ulrich V summoned the notables of the towns to counterbalance the knights (Ritterschaft) who attended the Diet. Two years later, the second Diet was called in Tübingen when the Count sought to have the majority of his son, Eberhard V, recognized by the Diet and was attended by the town's bailiff and judge as well as officials from 13 other towns.^[1]

See also

• List of Presidents of the First Chamber of the Estates of Württemberg
• List of Presidents of the Second Chamber of the Estates of Württemberg
• History of Württemberg

Citations

References

• Marcus, Kenneth H. (2000). Politics of Power: Elites of an Early Modern State in Germany. Mainz, Germany: Verlag Philipp von Zabern. ISBN 3-8053-2534-7.