The free imperial city enclosed only the city of Besançon in the Franche-Comté so for a large part of the time it was controlled those who controlled access across the surrounding land, first by the dukes of Burgundy, and then by the Habsburgs.
Vaba riigilinn hõlmas vaid Besançoni linna Franche-Comtés, nii kontrollisid seda enamuse ajast need, kes kontrollisid ligipääsu ümbritsevatele maadele, esialgu Burgundia hertsogid ja siis Habsburgid.