!!!Landstände

Estates, Provincial (Landstaende), system of estates in the provinces, 
social groups in the Middle Ages and in the early Modern Age, had 
local powers over all subjects with the exception of the 
sovereign´s demesne. Therefore assemblies of Estates (Landtage) 
were representatives of the rural population from the end of the 
14%%sup th/%  century onwards and represented by officials with local 
powers. Landstaende had different structures in the provinces. In 
Austria (which was separated in 1451 into Austria below River Enns and 
Austria above River Enns), Styria and Carinthia they consisted of 
prelates (bishops, abbots, provosts), noblemen (counts and barons, 
manorial landowners), knights and representatives of towns and market 
towns. In Tirol, prelates, noblemen and peasants´ courts formed 
Landstaende; in Salzburg 7 prelates, knights (as representatives of 
the nobility), towns and market towns formed the Landstaende, in 
Vorarlberg the Ammaenner (high officials of the 3 towns and of the 21 
peasants´ courts) formed the Landstaende.

!Literature
H. Hassinger, Die Landstaende der oesterreichischen 
Laender, Jahrbuch fuer Landeskunde von Niederoesterreich 36, 1964.


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