ItwasthegeneralbeliefoftheEmpire，thattheyowedthelongenjoymentofthereligiouspeacemerelytothedifficultiesinwhichtheEmperorwasplacedbytheinternaltroublesinhisdominions，andconsequentlytheywereinnohastetorelievehimfromthem。
AlmostalltheaffairsoftheDietwereneglected，eitherthroughtheprocrastinationoftheEmperor，orthroughthefaultoftheProtestantEstates，whohaddeterminedtomakenoprovisionforthecommonwantsoftheEmpiretilltheirowngrievanceswereremoved。
ThesegrievancesrelatedprincipallytothemisgovernmentoftheEmperor；
theviolationofthereligioustreaty，andthepresumptuoususurpationsoftheAulicCouncil，whichinthepresentreignhadbeguntoextenditsjurisdictionattheexpenseoftheImperialChamber。Formerly，inalldisputesbetweentheEstates，whichcouldnotbesettledbyclublaw，theEmperorshadinthelastresortdecidedofthemselves，ifthecaseweretrifling，andinconjunctionwiththeprinces，ifitwereimportant；ortheydeterminedthembytheadviceofimperialjudgeswhofollowedthecourt。Thissuperiorjurisdictiontheyhad，intheendofthefifteenthcentury，assignedtoaregularandpermanenttribunal，theImperialChamberofSpires，inwhichtheEstatesoftheEmpire，thattheymightnotbeoppressedbythearbitraryappointmentoftheEmperor，hadreservedtothemselvestherightofelectingtheassessors，andofperiodicallyreviewingitsdecrees。Bythereligiouspeace，theserightsoftheEstates，calledtherightsofpresentationandvisitation，wereextendedalsototheLutherans，sothatProtestantjudgeshadavoiceinProtestantcauses，andaseemingequalityobtainedforbothreligionsinthissupremetribunal。
ButtheenemiesoftheReformationandofthefreedomoftheEstates，vigilanttotakeadvantageofeveryincidentthatfavouredtheirviews，soonfoundmeanstoneutralizethebeneficialeffectsofthisinstitution。