The Reichsfreiheit or Reichsunmittelbarkeit (adjectives reichsfrei, reichsunmittelbar) was a special, privileged status a city or region could attain in the Holy Roman Empire. A reichsfrei city or territory was under the direct authority of the emperor, without any intermediary liege lords . Advantages were that reichsfrei regions had the right to collect taxes and tolls themselves, and held juridical rights themselves. De facto Reichsfreiheit corresponded to a semi-independence with a far-reaching autonomy.