The Principality of Liechtenstein(Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a monarchy with a hereditary prince, a parliament, the Diet elected in free multi-party elections and a government responsible to the parliament, with the prince having considerable political powers.
395: After the death of emperor Theodosius I, the Roman Empire is partitioned in the (Eastern) Roman Empire and the (Western) Roman Empire. The region becomes part of the Western part of the Empire.
476: After conquests by Germanic tribes the Western Roman Empire is defeated and dissolved. Odoacer becomes king of Italy, including present-day Liechtenstein in what is then known as Churraetia
1342: After a partition Hartman III becomes as Hartmann I count of Vaduz.
1399: The Lord of Brandis acquires Schellenberg.
1416: Wolfhart of Brandis marries Agnes of Montfort-Feldkirch, widow of count Hartmann of Werdenberg-Sargans, and becomes count of Vaduz. He rules it together with Schellenberg.
1477: Count Alwig X of Sulz becomes by marriage with Verona of Brandis count of Vaduz and lord of Schellenberg.
1613: Count Karl Ludwig of Sulz sells Vaduz and Schellenberg to count Kaspar of Hohenems.
1918: 12 of the 15 members of the diet are elected in free multi-party elections on a univeral male suffrage for the first time.
1921: The new constitution introduces that all members of parliament are elected in free multi-party elections elected on a universal male suffrage. The government is responsible to the parliament, but the prince has considerable political powers.
^East Francia and later the Holy Roman Empire consists out of entities with own rulers subject to the emperor. In 1806 under French pressure the Holy Roman Empire is abolished. The German states become sovereign states and the Rhine Confederation is founded with the French emperor Napoléon Bonaparte as protector. Most German states outside Prussia and Austria, including Liechtenstein become member of the Rhine Confederation. After the French defeat the Rhine Confederation is dissolved and the German states join as member the German Confederation, dissolved in 1866.