Estates Structure, Province Finances and Reformation

Abstract

In the Reformation time, the estates of Carniola (prelates; lords; knights and gentry; towns) counted a hunderd (1543) to 150 (1577) members. half o them being knights and lower gentry. A considerate number of those members, however, had no interest to take part in the diet. Protestants dominated in three secular estates. As long as the mechanism of taxation approval was functioning, the estates could, to the benefit of Reformation, exert pressure on the (catholic) provincial prince. This situation changed in 1578, when the estates of Inner Austrian provinces (Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, Gorizia), in return for the uncertain religions concessions under the pressure of Turkish danger, contracted firm financial obligations concerning the defense and later on, however, even their direct paying out (Carinthia and Carniola 1625 and 1628). The more financial obligations were firm, the weaker political power of the estates was, and this fact facilitated the victory of the provincial prince absolutism.