▁these ▁cities ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁ven ue ▁for ▁count less ▁histor ically ▁important ▁events , ▁such ▁as ▁imperial ▁di ets , ▁elect oral ▁di ets , ▁royal ▁elections ▁and ▁pr inc ely ▁wed d ings . ▁ ▁The ▁most ▁important ▁of ▁these ▁events ▁was ▁the ▁Dec laration ▁of ▁Rh ense ▁in ▁ 1 3 3 8 . ▁ ▁Bo pp ard ▁was ▁especially ▁frequently ▁visited ▁ed ▁by ▁German ▁Kings ▁and ▁Em per ors . ▁The ▁r ul ers ▁would ▁then ▁res ide ▁with ▁their ▁ent ou rage ▁in ▁the ▁ ▁(" Ro yal ▁Court "), ▁outside ▁the ▁city ▁gate . ▁ ▁Bach ar ach ▁was ▁a ▁found ing ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Rh ine ▁C ities ▁in ▁ 1 2 5 4 . ▁ ▁King ▁Louis ▁IV ▁the ▁Bav arian ▁res ided ▁in ▁Bach ar ach ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁The ▁painted ▁Vol to ▁Santo ▁by ▁Lu cca ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁St . ▁Peter ' s ▁church ▁is ▁testim ony ▁to ▁the ▁rever ence ▁for ▁the ▁rever ence ▁Louis ▁held ▁for ▁the ▁Lu cca ▁arch et ype ▁and ▁the ▁cultural ▁exchange ▁between ▁imperial ▁Italy ▁and ▁the ▁Middle ▁Rh ine . ▁ ▁Modern ▁Period ▁ ▁Land gra ve ▁by ▁Philip ▁the ▁Magn anim ous ▁of ▁H esse ▁introduced ▁the ▁doctrine ▁of ▁the ▁Re formation ▁in ▁the ▁Kat zen eln b ogn ▁area ▁in ▁ 1 5 2 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 4 5 ▁the ▁Re formation ▁reached ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Elect or ate ▁of ▁the ▁Pal at inate