 The family yearned for the added power a seat in the Imperial government would bring, and therefore sought to acquire lands that would be "reichsunmittelbar", or held without any feudal personage other than the Holy Roman Emperor himself having rights on the land.After some time, the family was able to arrange the purchase of the minuscule "Herrschaft" ("Lordship") of Schellenberg and countship of Vaduz (in 1699 and 1712 respectively) from the Hohenems.Tiny Schellenberg and Vaduz possessed exactly the political status required