Without sovereign mediation, there is no sovereign legitimacy. Whether it was dukes, officials, or court lords: all political actors had to communicate with each other according to formalized rules to give meaning to the construct of the Duchy of Württemberg and ensure its continued existence. Based on a broad range of sources, the study examines the interactions and conflicts among municipalities, ducal officials, and the court in Stuttgart in the 16th century in the offices of Kirchheim/Teck, Schorndorf, and the Unteramt Steinheim/Murr. What upheavals were caused by the expulsion of Ulrich, the Reformation, the Schmalkaldic War, or the famine crises during the reign of Duke Ludwig at the local level? To what extent did this necessitate political innovations that ultimately led to the emergence and consolidation of early modern princely rule?.