Electorate of Baden explained

Conventional Long Name:Electorate of Baden
Common Name:Baden
Era:Napoleonic Wars
Status:Electorate
Status Text:State of the Holy Roman Empire
Empire:Holy Roman Empire
Government Type:Enlightened despotism
Religion:Roman Catholic
Today:Germany
Year Start:1803
Year End:1806
P1:Margraviate of Baden
Flag P1:Banner of Baden (1^1).svg
S1:Grand Duchy of Baden
Flag S1:Flagge Großherzogtum Baden (1891–1918).svg
Image Map Caption:Electorate of Baden
Capital:Karlsruhe
Common Languages:German
Leader1:Karl Friedrich, Elector of Baden
Year Leader1:1803-1806
Title Leader:Elector of Baden

The Electorate of Baden (German: Kurfürstentum Baden) was a State of the Holy Roman Empire from 1803 to 1806. In 1803, the Imperial diet bestowed the office of Prince-elector to Charles Frederick, but in 1806, Francis II dissolved the Empire. Baden then achieved sovereignty, and Charles Frederick became Grand Duke.

History

The French Revolution began in 1789, and at its onset the Margraviate of Baden was united under Charles Frederick, but it did not form a compact territory. Its total area was only about, consisting of a number of isolated districts lying on either bank of the upper Rhine. Charles Frederick endeavored to acquire the intervening stretches of land, so as to give territorial unity to his country. His opportunity to do so came during the French Revolutionary Wars. When war broke out between the French First Republic and the Holy Roman Empire in 1792, the Margraviate of Baden fought for the House of Habsburg. However, their country was devastated as a result, and in 1796 the Margrave was compelled to pay an indemnity and to cede his territories on the left bank of the Rhine to the French First Republic.

Fortune, however, soon turned his way. With the German Mediatisation of 1803, and largely owing to the good offices of Alexander I of Russia, Charles Frederick received the Bishopric of Constance, part of the Electorate of the Palatinate, and other smaller districts, together with the prestige of being named a Prince-elector. In 1805 he changed sides and fought for Napoleon. As a result, later in 1805, when the Peace of Pressburg occurred, he obtained Breisgau and other territories at the expense of the Austrian Empire (see Further Austria). In 1806, the Electorate of Baden signed the Rheinbundakte, joining the Confederation of the Rhine. Upon the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, Charles Frederick declared sovereignty and thus created the Grand Duchy of Baden, receiving other territorial additions as well.