Part 8/13:
As the Empire ventured into the 12th and 13th centuries, the ruling Staufer dynasty intensified the entwinement of feudal obligations and governance. Waging wars required considerable resources, leading the Emperors to surrender more power to the nobility to secure military support. This “Feudalization of the Empire” entrenched the hereditary nature of fiefs while undermining the Emperor’s control over cities and territories.