Kaisheim Abbey

Imperial Abbey of Kaisersheim
Reichsstift Kaisersheim
1135–1802 (de jure)
1135–1327 and 1656–1802 (de facto)
Coat of arms of Kaisheim Abbey
Coat of arms
Kaisersheim in the 18th century
Kaisersheim in the 18th century
StatusImperial Abbey
GovernmentElective principality
Historical eraMiddle Ages
• Foundation charter
21 September 1135
• Dedicated by Bp Augsburg
1183 1135
• Cty Lechsgemünd extinct
1327
• Immediacy confirmed by
    Emperor Charles IV

1346
• Pfalz-Neuburg inherited
    the County of Graisbach

1505
• Immunity agreed with
    Philip of Pfalz-Neuburg

1656
1802
Preceded by
Succeeded by
County of Lechsgemünd
Electorate of Bavaria
Today part ofGermany
Aerial view of the Kaisheim Abbey

The Imperial Abbey of Kaisersheim (German:Reichsstift Kaisersheim or Kloster Kaisersheim), was a Cistercian monastery in Kaisersheim (now Kaisheim), Bavaria, Germany.

As one of the 40-odd self-ruling imperial abbeys of the Holy Roman Empire, Kaisersheim was a virtually independent state. Its abbot had seat and voice at the Imperial Diet where he sat on the Bench of the Prelates of Swabia. At the time of its secularisation in 1802, the Abbey covered 136 square kilometers and has 9,500-10,000 subjects.[1]

  1. ^ "Reichsstifte in Schwaben – Historisches Lexikon Bayerns".