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{{Short description|General proclamation to defend the state in the Holy Roman Empire}}
The '''''Heerbann''''' (also formerly ''Heermannie'', [[Middle High German|MHG]] ''herban'', [[Old High German|OHG]]: ''heriban'', Mid. Latin: ''Heribannus''), in the [[Imperial Military Constitution]] (''Reichsheeresverfassung'') of the [[Holy Roman Empire]], was the call to all free landowners capable of bearing arms to participate in a military campaign, i.e. in an imperial war (''[[Reichskrieg]]'').
According to the original meaning of the word (OHG: ''bannan'' = to 'demand' or 'prohibit', actually 'to speak'),<ref>c.f. the derivations of  [http://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/bannen ''bannen''] at Duden online</ref> the ''Heerbann'' was a 'call of the king or duke to military service;<ref>c.f. [http://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Heerbann ''Heerbann''] at Duden online</ref> see also [[king's ban]].
However, as the [[feudal system in the Holy Roman Empire]] developed in the [[Early Middle Ages]], the ''Heerbann'' became superfluous as a means of raising armies and increasingly fell into disuse after the death of [[Charlemagne]].
The ''Heerbann'' was particularly onerous for poorer landowners, several of whom had to equip a knight for war (one for every 3 [[Hide (unit)|hides]]), so they would attempt to withdraw themselves from his service and place themselves in the service of and under the protection of a more powerful lord, who would assist them in providing the necessary military equipment or even stand them down from military service entirely.
Towards the end of the 10th century, this led to the reshaping of the entire military constitution. The armies of the king now no longer consisted of all free knights, but came from powerful imperial officials or [[vassal]]s and their entourages; and those who rendered no military service had to pay a campaign tax (''Heersteuer'').
The necessary organisation of the ''Heerbann'', needed thanks to constant campaigning by Charlemagne, was divided by him into seven levels or "shields of knighthood", the  so-called ''[[Heerschild]]e''.  The campaigns, which were fought with the aid of the ''Heerbann'', were called ''Heerfahrten'', the participation of the vassals was known as ''Heeresfolge''.
By the time of [[the Crusades]], when the feudal system had reached its height, the ''Heerbann'' had almost totally disappeared in all European states.
{{Meyers 1888–1890}}
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==See also==
* [[Ban (medieval)]], royal power to command, of which the ''Heerbann'' is an example
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Wiktionary}}
[[Category:Military history of the Carolingian Empire]]
[[Category:German feudalism]]