The Aulic Council (Latin: Consilium Aulicum; German: Reichshofrat; literally "Court Council of the Empire", sometimes abbreviated in academic writing as "RHR") was one of the two supreme courts of the Holy Roman Empire, the other being the Reichskammergericht (Imperial Chamber Court). Unlike the Reichskammergericht, which was tied to the Imperial estates, the Aulic Council was tied directly to the Emperor.

It had not only concurrent jurisdiction with the Reichskammergericht, but in many cases exclusive jurisdiction: the Aulic Council had exclusive jurisdiction in all "feudal" processes, and in criminal affairs, over the immediate subjects of the Emperor and in affairs which concerned the Empire, and more (see Responsibilities section below). It did not have a single set seat, rather, it was bound with the Emperor's residences. Prague, Wels, and Frankfurt, were all sites of the court, but the most important seat of the Aulic Council was at the Hofburg residence of the Habsburg emperors in Vienna.

Since 1960, the Aulic Council has been extensively researched in academia, with some of its former court files (of which there are more than 100,000 that still exist) stored at the Austrian State Archives. It played a major role in the constitutional, legal, and political history of the Holy Roman Empire, and is considered one of the most prominent supreme courts in early modern Europe. In particular, the court helped stabilize the balance of power in the Empire and provided a forum for legal diplomacy, rather than violence. Historians often use the term "juridification" (Verrechtlichung) to describe this process of increased legal resolutions rather than violent resolutions in the Empire. As historian Eva Ortlieb puts it, "Like the Rota Romana and the Parlement de Paris, [the Aulic Council] ranks among the most significant supreme courts of Europe."

To see responsibilities of the Aulic Council, go to the Responsibilities section. This section mainly goes over the development of the Aulic Council.

The Aulic Council (from the Latin aula, court in feudal language, in antiquity a Hellenistic type of grand residence, usually private) was originally an executive-judicial council for the Empire. Originating during the Late Middle Ages as a paid Council of the Emperor, it was organized in its later form by Maximilian I by decree in 1498. It was meant as a rival to the separate Reichskammergericht, which the Imperial Estates had established at the Diet of Worms two years before. Maximilian emphasized the fact that the Emperor embodied supreme legal authority and would continue to answer legal requests addressed to him. There is also the possibility some of the Imperial estates wanted to create a court directly beholden to the Emperor so they could appeal to the Emperor directly. These developments are all considered part of a greater Imperial Reform movement, known as Reichsreform.

During the reign of Charles V, the Aulic Council responded to hundreds of petitions, as the Emperor was often absent from the Empire. The Aulic Council did not serve as a state council however. Important political questions were sent to the Emperor's privy council (Geheimer Rat), which would propose decisions. Research suggests that during Charles V's reign, the Aulic Council was reformed with new councilors and presidents every time the Emperor visited the Empire. However, it is possible that councilors travelled with Charles outside the Empire in order to help with German affairs. Charles V's brother, Archduke Ferdinand (the future Emperor Ferdinand I), who served as the Habsburg "viceroy" (later King of the Romans), maintained his own council too. In 1541, the Aulic Council was consolidated into a more permanent body. It received an ordo consilii in 1550, and when Charles V abdicated, Ferdinand's council was implemented as the new Aulic Council, receiving an ordinance in 1559, and continued some of Charles's court traditions.

In the late 1500s and early 1600s, particularly during Emperor Rudolf II's reign, the Aulic Council was frequently tasked to deal with conflicts that could not be settled by the Imperial Diet or by arbitration. An interesting note to make is that during this time, the Aulic Council often dealt with religious disputes. The council likely sided with the Catholic side more often than not, which was critiqued by Protestant princes. The use of the Aulic Council for judicial matters also greatly increased in the late 1500s.

The relationship between the Aulic Council and the Reichskammergericht is described as both competitive but also cooperative, depending on the situation. For most cases, litigants could choose between both courts. From 1620 onward, the Aulic Council began to significantly out produce the Reichskammergericht in terms of numbers of litigations. It is also during this time the Aulic Council underwent large reforms. The court would appoint Fiskal, special attorneys (see more information in Composition section), and established advocates to represent any litigants.