The Diet of the Holy Roman Empire is no longer dissolved

For several centuries, the envoys of the sovereign princes and imperial cities of the Holy Roman Empire met at irregular intervals to pass resolutions or enact laws. Whilst the Imperial Diet originally convened at a different location each time, the decision was taken in 1594 that the meeting would always be hosted in Regensburg.

When it convened on 20 January 1663 to address the threat of a Turkish invasion, the Diet quickly stalled due to a disagreement over a constitutional issue. The imperial estates, seeking to regain legislative power, wanted to have a say when a new emperor negotiated his intentions with the electors before an election. As the dispute dragged on for years, delegates eventually decided not to dissolve the assembly at all. The Diet was declared to be a “perpetual” event and was dissolved only when the Holy Roman Empire came to an end in 1806.