Page "Holy Roman Empire" Paragraph 20

The Hohenstaufen rulers increasingly lent land to ministerialia, formerly non-free service men, which Frederick hoped would be more reliable than dukes.

Initially used mainly for war services, this new class of people would form the basis for the later knights, another basis of imperial power.

Another important constitutional move at Roncaglia was the establishment of a new peace ( Landfrieden ) for all of the Empire, an attempt to ( on the one hand ) abolish private feuds not only between the many dukes, but on the other hand a means to tie the Emperor's subordinates to a legal system of jurisdiction and public prosecution of criminal acts — a predecessor of the modern concept of " rule of law ".

Another new concept of the time was the systematic foundation of new cities, both by the Emperor and the local dukes.

These were partly caused by the explosion in population, but also to concentrate economic power at strategic locations, while formerly cities only existed in the shape of either old Roman foundations or older bishoprics.

Cities that were founded in the 12th century include Freiburg, possibly the economic model for many later cities, and Munich.