ABSTRACT
Princes and kings competed for lordship rights and areas, secured their lordship claims or questioned those of others. Their success or failure depended on both internal and external factors. Kingship strongly influenced the political playing field on which the high and princely nobility developed their lordship. The kings awarded fiefs and rights, and also confirmed princes' possessions. They also at times and in specific regions of Reich tried to claim positions of lordship in opposition to princes. Important for development of ecclesiastical territorial lordship – as it was in rivalry and competition with the secular princes – was the Confoederatio cum principibus ecclesiasticis that Frederick II issued in April 1220. Up to mid-fourteenth century the castles and towns played a key role in implementing rights and claims of lordship. Ministeriales governed and defended their princes' castles. Besides this, at first castles were also the places where the court resided and where pomp and festivities of princely lordship took place.
