What Germany's unique abilities represent?

[Haig]

Cheers, love playibg Germany but I wonder what do the 'Free imperial cities' and 'Holy roman emperor' abilities are trying to portrait?

I think Barbarossas ability is about an empire of multi citystates like Germany before unification? Or did he conquer all those cities?

 

[Scaramanga]

Something not holy, Roman or imperial.

 

[Eagle Pursuit]

Barbosa had issues with city-states defying him and had to conquer a few to let them know who is in charge.

 

[Depravo]

Barbosa had issues with city-states defying him and had to conquer a few to let them know who is in charge.

That's why he founded the Hansa and built all those U-boats

 

[Alexander's Hetaroi]

Because Jerusalem is a city-state obviously.
But what Eagle Pursuit said is correct as well as many cities in the HRE had some autonomy and were considered free imperial cities.

 

[Boris Gudenuf]

Because Jerusalem is a city-state obviously.
But what Eagle Pursuit said is correct as well as many cities in the HRE had some autonomy and were considered free imperial cities.

The reason that along the Rhine between Koblenz and Wiesbaden/Mainz there is about one castle for every 2 kilometers on one side of the river or the other is because every two-bit German nobleman considered himself an independent State lording it over everything within a day's ride of his castle and holding up the river traffic or 'taxes'. When Napoleon finally put an end to the HRE in 1806 there were oer 1500 independent political units in Germany ranging from states like Prussia or Bavaria to 'Free Cities' and 'Freeholds' you could ride across in an eye blink.