Abstract
This paper focuses on the princes of the Staufen empire as a highly important elite group, taking a closer look at their self-conception and relationship with ruler and empire. To begin with, the article recapitulates 19th-century controversies among German historians with regard to the princes’ roles in the formation of the nation-state, illustrating opposing interpretations that determined these discussions for a long time. In order to broaden the traditional perspective, the paper looks for ways in which imperial rule generally tried to integrate elites and tie them to the purposes of imperial government. By analyzing the relationship between rulers and elite groups, such as the lawyers of Bologna, it becomes clear that the process of recruiting elites generally involved both sides rather than being a one-sided attempt to utilize and mobilize available forces. However, imperial structures were not always the only point of reference with regard to the protagonists’ symbolic capital. Imperial princes derived their position and authority not merely from the emperor’s allocation, they also considered themselves to be independent pillars of the realm and integral parts of the empire’s ‘body’. In this respect, they differed considerably from other elites who were only occasionally integrated into imperial politics, in many cases in order to promote imperial claims at the peripheries. The emperors of the Staufen dynasty and the high-medieval imperial princes acted on the basis of shared interests and against the backdrop of the imperial order which provided the frame of reference for actions and alliances.