The period from 1346 to 1410 is characterized not only by numerous crises, such as the plague, but also by fundamental changes in various areas of life. In politics, the unification and organization of different developments since the fall of the Hohenstaufen dynasty contrasted with the innovations in the economy, society, and culture. This included, for example, the clarification of the election of the Holy Roman Emperor with the Golden Bull of 1356, as well as a shift in the exercise of royal and princely power. This volume thoroughly addresses these various aspects of synthesis and new beginnings.