| abstract | - A strong and independent young empire who don't need no man.
- The empire's territory lay predominantly in Central Europe and at its peak included territories of the Kingdom of Germany, Kingdom of Bohemia, Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Burgundy. For much of its history, the Empire consisted of hundreds of smaller sub-units, principalities, duchies, counties, Free Imperial Cities and other domains. The Holy Roman Empire explicitly proclaimed itself to be the continuation of the Western Roman Empire under the doctrine of translatio imperii ("transfer of rule" via a succession of singular rulers vested with supreme power). In 962 Otto I was crowned Holy Roman Emperor (Imperator Romanus Sacer), although the Roman imperial title was first restored to Charlemagne by the Pope in 800. Otto was the first emperor of the realm who was not a member of the earlier Carolingian dynasty. The last Holy Roman Emperor was Francis II, who abdicated and dissolved the Empire in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
- The map at right shows the official extent of the Holy Roman Empire circa 1600, superimposed over today's national borders. Not all areas shown in purple were effectively part of the Empire. The Swiss Confederacy was de facto independent, as was the Dutch Republic. Other parts of the Netherlands were controlled by Spain, as was the part of northern Italy shown in purple.
- The Holy Roman Empire have the power of Dominion. They replace the French.
- The founding of the Empire happened shortly after the decline of the Soviet Union. After the death of former Soviet President Velken, his son Justinian whom had recently been named leader of his nation rounded up the remaining un aligned former Soviet states and began pulling everyone together to form a new more unified Empire. It wasn't long before conflicts began with the self-proclaimed Emperor Louis XXI over the leadership of the Empire, however Justinian managed to gain majority of the support of the other nation leaders and Louis was overthrown. Justian was crowned the new Holy Roman Emperor and from their he began by drafting up a Charter for the governing laws of the new Empire. His supporters followed his lead as the divine Empire began to grow.
- There are approximately one kajillion states in the Holy Roman Empire. Once a year, they gather together in the Grand Wigwam to elect an Emperor. This man is usually over 80 and balding or severely deformed due to inbreeding.
- Holy Roman Empire is a formable nation in Europa Universalis IV. Holy Roman Empire is unique in that, it can't be made via decision on conquest but instead through the HRE Interface for the last decision. The land that will be gained into forming the HRE is dependent on what nations supported your decision to form the HRE.
- Well let's take the name apart first. 'Holy'? Didn't all monarchs claim they got their powers from God?? Yes but here the 'Holy' bit comes with the extra bonus that this 'Holy' realm has been especially blessed by the Pope with a coronation in Rome (malarial fever permitting). It was a title that was theoretically open for anyone to apply, but as long as they were a 'straight' Catholic and defended the church from all enemies. However, over the centuries these job requirements had been effectively narrowed to one family, the Hapsburgs. They had also by then dispensed with the Pope bit, proclaiming that they were 'elected' emperors and not 'selected' by the Catholic church. Not that the elections for emperor were that exciting, besides only having one family to chose from (except for one brief administrative error when someone else got in), the electorate was just seven men. It later went up to eight and then nine but at this rate, the population's chance of voting for their emperor would have been waiting when the Sun exploded. So if the Holy Roman Empire wasn't 'Holy' anymore, where was Rome in this set up? Well as outlined earlier, emperors had been required to go to Rome to receive their imperial upgrade. This however became more and more difficult as the Italians made it expensive and dangerous to drive down their roads to the eternal city. So emperors preferred to stay at home. These faux imperialists would claim to be 'emperor' when in reality they were only just a puffed up archduke. The other European monarchs accepted their central European neighbour as 'Emperor' if he wanted to be called that. It wasn't worth going to war for. Now we come to the 'Empire' bit. The French writer Voltaire who first made this analysis said that bit was the most farcical element. It didn't even have a proper border with some states like Prussia and Austria crossing both sides of the border but other bits like Hanover being in part of the British Empire. Then there was Belgium then known as the 'Austrian Netherlands' - in comparison to the Dutch-Netherlands and Denmark holding on to Schleswig-Holstein. The rest were a patchwork of various micro states or 'Free Cities', independent bishoprics. Some looked more compact like Bavaria or Saxony but all were in a flux of petty bickering and occasional wars. The Emperor was the top political banana with special status in this fruit salad but he had no powers to tax anyone, impose central authority or even persuade anyone to defend the empire's borders. It was a mess and by 1789 looked like a house about to fall down but how did Germany end up like this?
- A Holy Roman Empire that actually IS an empire, instead of a collection of bickering kingdoms. From Alternate Cartography site.
- Holy Roman Empire (神聖ローマ, Shinsei Rōma) is a character in the series Hetalia: Axis Powers.
- The Holy Roman Empire (of the German Nation) (in Latin, Sacrum Romanum Imperium Nationis Germanicae) is a country in Central Europe and is the second-largest kingdom in the Renaissance Kingdoms with 18 counties of different cultures and languages. The leader of the Empire is elected by the Counties of the Empire - that means that the Ruler can be someone from Holland or from the Franche-Comté. Reichsbulle of the German Kingdom within the Holy Roman Empire I. Introduction II. The German Kingdom III. Structure and Stewardship*1. The German King 2. Established Church 3 Estates of the Empire 4. Composition of the Reichstag 5. The Reichstag 6. The Privy Council 7. The Arch Chancellor 8. The Institutions 9. The Imperial Curia IV. Treaty*1. The Unity of the German Kingdom 2. Existing and emerging provinces 3. Acknowledgement of treaties, laws and institutions 4. Support 5. High treason against the German Kingdom V. Annotation – Additional Regulations*1. Members of the imperial organs 2. Roleplay 3. Laws 4. Legislative Procedure I. Introduction The Reichsbulle is the foundation of the regime and the stewardship of the German Kingdom. The constitution was made at the behest of the Emperor, LongJohnSilver I., and grants a sovereign government and administration to the German Kingdom within the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. Furthermore a consistent and mutual development of the villages and provinces of the German Kingdom are to be assured. Through mutual support and advice the economic as well as the military power shall consolidated and provide unity and peace within the empire. The imperial constitution was worked out by the first convent of Ravensburg by the assigned members of Baden and Württemberg Graufang, Hugbald, JayJay89, Lancaster, Meleen, RichardvonBranden, Starkimarm, Vampir_Shadar und XNight in 1455. The Reichsbulle was adapted by a Royal Comission, which was appointed by Queen Alane von Hohenmortenau at 12.08.1455 and later by King Sirron von Hollenfels, to fit the new circumstances of the Kingdom. The Reichsbulle is the highest law of the Holy Roman Empire and can only be changed by the Emperor himself or by the Reichstag. Laws and bills passed by the imperial organs stand above the ones of the provinces. II. The German Kingdom The German Kingdom is the geographical and cultural central part of the Empire, which is Holy Roman Empire. The Reichsbulle is bounded to the German Kingdom. The German Kingdom is composed of all provinces with only German as their official language and of all provinces of the Holy Roman Empire that join it. The bases of the empire are the three social estates: the clergy, the nobility and the bourgeoisie. This assembly of the estates each delegate members to the Reichstag. The Reichstag is in charge of passing laws, approving the Privy Council and appointing part of the imperial curia. Head of the Kingdom is the German King, elected by the imperial curia. To him aside stands the Privy Council in advisory activity. The Privy Council gets selected by the King and acknowledged by the Reichstag. They are in charge of the institutions as procurator of the King. The Arch Chancellor, assigned by the King, presides over the Privy Council. The unity of the Kingdom is assured by the oath of loyalty the regents of the provinces swear in behalf of their landsmen to the King. The provinces of the Holy Roman Empire which border on the German Kingdom get the chance to join the German Kingdom. For that they have to render homage to the German King and swear the oath of loyalty on the Reichsbulle. The provinces of the German Kingdom have the duty to standby the Kingdom and each other. III. Struktur und Verwaltung 1. The German King The King is the highest regent of the German Kingdom and the representative of the Emperor. By proxy of the Emperor the King is the highest regent of the Kingdom. He only stands under the control of the Emperor and only has to give account to him, but acts in contemplation with God and in all conscience. The King gets elected by the imperial curia and crowned by the leader of the German Church. He maintains King until his death, his abdication, his deduction by the Emperor or the unanimously decision of the Reichstag. When being discharged by Emperor or Reichstag he can’t be elected by the imperial curia again. The king represents the Emperor in the affairs of the kingdom, unless he himself operates. The king is responsible for the unity of the country, listens to the concerns of his subjects and cares about their welfare. The King represents the emperor's supreme authority in all institutions of the Reich and the supreme commander of the army. He represents the German kingdom to the outside and is its highest representative. The king is allowed to appeal decisions and enactments in the German parliament. This will cause a revision of the laws they want to pass. A reason for this isn't needed, but welcomed. The Arch chancellor and four members of the imperial curia are appointed by the king. The members of the Privy Council are proposed by the king and must be confirmed by the Reichstag, The king can depose the Arch chancellor and the members of the Privy Council. The dismissal must be confirmed by a two-thirds majority of the Reichstag. When new provinces are established, the King chooses the members of a transitional counil that leads the official duties up to the first election. When the castles was conquered the King can aprove the counterattack. After a counterattack he confirms the new regent and appoints the new council. After our majesty Longjohnsilver the king is the highest liege lord of our Kingdom and he is allowed to ennoble his subalterns in his sole discretion. 2. Established Church The Established Church of the German Kingdom is the Holy Aristotelian Church. All other creeds are tolerated as long as they do not threaten public order. 3. Estates of the Empire a. First Estate: Clerus All dignitaries of the Holy Aristotelian Church and the head of allowed churchly order of knights belong to the class of the Church. b. Second Estate: Nobility All Nobles with a title and a fiefdom, all leaders in allowed knighthoods (after the Codex Primorus) and the reeves of the knighthoods of the German Kingdom belong to the estate of nobility. The elected or after a counterattack appointed or in case of a new province appointed councils of the provinces of the German Kingdom belong for the time of their mandate to the estate of noble. This does not regard to the members of a council who have gained their power through an unauthorized attack of a castle. Bought nobility (in game) from the second month and limited to the duration of the nobility also belongs to the estate of noble, but does not have any franchise. c. Third Estate: Citizen To this Estate belong all citizen of the German Kingdom. They are represented by the elected and legitimate mayor of towns and villages of the German kingdom and members of the guilds, which have been at least two months actively, represented the interests of their professions. Former mayors may be accommodated by the state of assembly as a member. The Third Estate can be divided up for consideration into a town and a guild council. The election for the Reichstag takes place in the congregation of the third estate. Each state and its councils have to make a statute which is approved by the Reichstag by a simple majority. Within the statute the presidency, the membership, the election procedure and the dismissal of members of the Reichstag have to be regulated. Any formal amendment of the statutes of the three estates requires the approval of the Reichstag. 4. Composition of the Reichstag: a. Delegates of the first estate: The First State sends 6 delegates to the Reichstag. b. Delegates of the second estate: The titled Nobility with title and fiefdom elects 4 representatives from their own ranks into the Reichstag. The province councils elect 4 delegates from their own ranks into the Reichstag. The regents shall be entitled to speak in the Reichstag. c. Delegates of the third estate: All members of the third estate elect the 4 delegates from the guilds and the 4 delegates from the villages into the Reichstag. d. Delegates of the Privy council: The privy council sends the Arch Chancellor, the Goring, the Chamberlain, the Imperial Chancellor and one of all members of the privy council elected delegate into the Reichstag. The King has the right to send other members of the Privy Council as alternative. 5. The Reichstag The Reichstag is set together of the members of the different estates. The delegates are send to the Reichstag after the elections, which take place at the end of every second month. If there is no election in time, the affected members lose their mandates. Only after a subsequent election the seats are assigned again. The exclusion of a member from the Reichstag requires a two thirds majority of the current Reichstag. Each appointed member of the Reichstag has the right of seat and vote. All members are equal regardless of their rank. The members shall elect a chairman out of their ranks for a term of three month. The election takes place on the first ballot by a two thirds majority. If this majority is not reached and there is no clear decision in favor of one candidate a simple majority is enough for the second ballot. The chairman is in charge of the Reichstag and its conferences, he or she represents the Reichstag to the outside. He or she also is the connection between the Privy Council, the different institutions and the King. If the chairman withdraws from the Reichstag before the expiry of three month, the Reichstag immediately elects a successor for three month. The Reichstag generally meets in public. With a simple majority motion, the King can allow to treat a topic confidential. Every member of the parliament can hand in a motion for a new law, with an appropriate draft. Laws that directly interfere with existing provincial legislation, require a two thirds majority, other laws only a simple majority. All imperial laws are in all provinces equally valid. For any amendments to the constitution, a 3 / 4 majority of votes with a attendance of more than half of the members is required. The Reichstag elects three of the seven members of the imperial curia by two-thirds majority. The Privy Counselors, which are proposed by the king, are to be confirmed by the Reichstag by a simple majority. The appointment of the arch chancellor by the King, can be countered by the Reichstag with a two thirds majority. The chief judge, who is proposed by the Imperial justice officer, is confirmed by the Reichstag by simple majority. If the proposal of the Imperial justice officer gets declined, the current chief judge maintains its duties, but highest two weeks over his regular tenure. If by then there still is no knew cheif judge, the Reichstag appoints one by simple majority. 6. Privy Council Privy Council serves as advisor of the King and the Reichstag. The Privy Counselors preside over, depending on their qualifications, the different institutions. An exception is the representative of the Church, who is not a head of a royal institution, but an ecclesiastical adviser to the King. The Privy Counselors are proposed by King and approved by the Reichstag by a simple majority for a period of three months. The following are the members of the Privy Council: Empire Justice Officer - Imperial Courts – Justice Empire Dean - Royal University - Education Goring - Imperial Army - Military Court Chancellor – Court Chancellor - heraldry Imperial Culture and Health Officer - Office of Culture and Health - Health and Culture Imperial Chamberlain - Treasury - Finance, Economy and Trade Chancellor – Chancellery - Diplomacy Representative of the church – Church 7. Arch Chancellor The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the king. For a rejection a two-thirds majority of the Reichstag is required. The Lord Chancellor is appointed for a term of six months. The Lord Chancellor heads and presides over the Privy Council. He represents the Privy Council is the connection to the outside, the Reichstag and the King. The Arch Chancellor acts for the King while his absence and only has to give account to him. The voice of the arch-chancellor shall decide a tie in the council. 8. The Institution The institutions are the administration of the German Kingdom. The following institutions exist within the kingdom: Imperial Justice Officer / Imperial Court The Imperial Justice Officer advises the king and members of the Privy Council in legal matters. He is responsible for the structural design and development of the Imperial Chamber and for personnel decisions within the imperial court. The Imperial Court is the highest organ of adjudication in the German Kingdom. Its responsibilities are defined in the statute of the RKG. The Chief Justice presides over the RKG and is responsible for organizing the Imperial Supreme Court. Royal University Responsible for the education of the German Kingdom. Higher authority for the coordination of deans and professors and the contact with foreign universities. Imperial Army The supreme command of all armies in the German kingdom, responsible for the coordination of the provincial armies and comprehensive strategies and tactics. Likewise, the army leadership is responsible for building up an Imperial Army. Imperial Court Chancellor Responsible for all aspects of the nobles, feudal system and the vassalage. Office of Health and Culture Responsible for overall cultural highlights, coordinating interprovincial events and ensuring a comprehensive health care. Treasury Chamber Responsible for the management of finances, the control of trade in the kingdom and with third parties and the coordination of economic cycles. Chancellery The Chancellery leads diplomatic operations, negotiates international agreements, establishes contacts and keeps them up. Church The church is not an institution of the German kingdom, the representative of the church in the Privy Council serves as an advisor to the king and the Reichstag in church matters. The development of the organization, structure, competence and the rules of appointing members is incumbent upon the concerning members of the Privy Council. An exception it the Imperial court in reference to the Empire Justice Officer and the Highest Judge. After the approval of the Privy Council and the Reichstag the results are entered in the constitution or/and the accordant laws. 9. The Imperial Curia The Imperial Curia elects the German king. The election is secret and it requires a unanimous result. The appeal of the Imperial serves only the purpose of electing a king. The members of the Curia cannot be elected to King, but everyone is free to reject an appeal to the Imperial Curia. The imperial curia consists of seven members who have the title of the elector. The Electorate title is gained when the Curia was named and ends on the day a new Curia is appointed. The new Curia will be appointed as soon as the King declares withdrawal or otherwise resigned from his duties. If the King rejects his office, the Curia remains the same until they elected a new King. Vacant positions in this case shall be filled by a majority decision of the Privy Council. The electors will receive one of the seven electorates as a fief. The electorates Cologne, Saxony and Trier are assigned by the Reichstag. The outgoing king awards the electorates of Bohemia, Brandenburg, Mainz and the Palatinate of the Rhine. Bohemia and the Palatinate of the Rhine shall be awarded only to regents or former regents, Mainz, Trier and Cologne may only be awarded to dedicated members of the Holy Aristotelian Church. IV. Imperial Treaty 1. The Unity of the German Kingdom Satisfaction, a sense of solidarity and unity of the provinces are an unconditional requirement for a strong, independent and autonomous German Kingdom. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent disputes, disagreements and feuds between the provinces and within the kingdom or to resolve them quickly. All inhabitants of the empire - vagabonds, farmers, bourgeois, their representatives in the villages and the regents of the provinces - have to understand the aim of a united German Kingdom. Everybody has to vouch for this goal: a strong, independent and self-containing Kingdom, which provides its inhabitants with reliability, prosperity and a home. 2. Existing and emerging Provinces To unify existing and emerging provinces within the German Kingdom the accordant regents (as the representative of the Councils and the People) have to swear an oath of allegiance that to the King (as representative of the emperor) that binds them to the German Kingdom. In the event of default of the oath a process will be initiated to depose the regent from his office. With this oath the loyalty (obsequium) of the province to the German Kingdom is expressed, the Empire is granted assistance (auxilium) and advice (consilium). 3. Acknowledgement of treaties, laws and institutions All laws passed by the imperial institutions, regulations and decrees, and all contracts concluded with third parties are valid throughout the whole German Kingdom. All residents, all governments, every public officer and every guest who stays in the German Kingdom, have to adhere to it. These laws are above the laws and decrees of the various provinces, villages or other associations. All provinces of the German Kingdom recognize with their affiliation the institutions of the German Kingdom and bow to their decisions. A non-acknowledgment is a declaration of war. 4. Support All provinces of the German Kingdom are committed to each other and to the German Kingdom in times of war and have to give necessary assistance. Necessary assistance, which can be of economic, military or other nature, has to be given of maximum coverage, highest potential and unbureaucraticly. The assistance primarily will be used to avoid damage (loss of territory, depredation, famine, economic collapse of the concerning provinces) to the Kingdom. In a war of aggression, only the provinces involved in the planning are required to the full assistance to achieve the war aims. If because of this war of aggression a risk accrues for the Kingdom, all provinces of the German Kingdom are required to give full assistance. In times of peace the provinces has to assist economical. But no province is committed to help beyond their limits of ability. The donee of the economical aid has to repay the assistance in the same value as provided as sons as it is able to. Military assistance only has to be (partly) financially repaid if the success of a war enriched the receiving province. A refusal of assistance is considered high treason against the German Kingdom. 5. High Treason against the German Kingdom High treason is the attempt and the effort to destroy or undermine the constitutional order of the German Kingdom. High treason against the German Kingdom can be avenged by death, proscription and banishment. High treason does not prescribe. The Imperial Court has to treat all cases of high treason with a high priority. If a regent or a council of a province commits high treason he has to immediately resign from his office. If he does not resign from his office, the province army is released from its oath to the regent and the council. The King can take over the direct supreme command over the armies. The province army has the duty to depose the council with an attack on the castle, to convey it to its penalty and to arrange reelections. If the army does not comply with this duty, it is to be found guilty of high treason itself. Council orders of a province, which maintain the consequence of disavowal of an Imperial Institution, the affiliation to the Empire, the Reichbsulle or the lawful elected King are treated as high treason against the German Kingdom. Because of their clearness the degradation of the province council by the province army should be preceded before the hearing of the Imperial Court starts. Such a procedure must be authorized by the King or by the Reichstag with a 2/3 majority of those who are entitled to vote. If the King demands the degradation of the province council, his petition can be turned down by the Reichstag with a 2/3 majority. In reverse: If the Reichstag demands the degradation of the province council, the King can use his right of veto against the enactment of the Reichstag. The degradation of the council does not require a conviction of the Imperial Court. V. Annotation – Additional Regulations 1. Members of the Imperial Organs Every avocation, appointment or election by the estates, the Reichstag, the Privy Council, the institutions or by the king can be accepted or rejected. The concerned person should, however, be aware of the responsibility he takes upon himself and which it has to bear against the people of the German kingdom. With a covenant he pledges himself to an active collaboration within the concerning board. If, however, circumstances should occur that that make it impossible to continue the work productively, he has to hand in his resignation and has to help his replacement with entering his duties. Also one can abdicate the automatic membership in the assembly of estates. Such abandonment, however, is for good and can only be annulled by the Reichstag. The capacities in the boards of the Imperial Organs are confiding positions. Their members are committed to act accordingly. Statements and activities are to be done with intent on the own reputation within the association. One cannot abandon and establish one’s office and lordliness by any time. Also the people have to respect for the dignitaries of the German Kingdom. Confidential issues should be treated accordingly. The propagation of information, which are categorized as confidential, will be punished accordingly. 2. Roleplay The imperial institutions have at this state of time in-game functions. It mainly works trough Roleplay (Rp). Because of that the members of the Imperial Organs act to the outside world in Rp-form. Everybody who is addressing the representatives of the Imperial Organs should bethink oneself of this and perpetuate this Rp-form. We believe that an RP character can only represent one opinion - whether as an officer or a private individual. A determination “within” a person would be schizophrenic. The members of the Imperial Organs should therefore refrain from saying “I don’t say that as a member of the Imperial Organ, but as XY”. The only legitimate differentiation that is allowed is between rp-character and User. 3. Laws The Primary duties of Imperial Organs will be the Imperial Laws. Overall Imperial Laws, which directly impact the right of provinces, are only to be passed in suggestive cases, such as the law of nobility, the regulation of the court of appeal etc. In any case, it is not the aim to disseize the provinces of their sovereignty or to regulate their actions negatively. The Imperial Organs, however, will work out and offer solutions and proposals to standardize the legal situation. 4. Legislative Procedure All members of the Reichstag and the Privy Council and the King himself have the right to introduce bills. First of all the Imperial Court looks over the legislative proposals and proves it of its plausibility. If necessary the Imperial Court reworks the bill with the agreement of the person who handed in the bill. Approved drafts are given to the Reichstag for consultation and acclamation. The Reichstag deliberates the draft and hold a vote on this. For the enacting of laws, which disruptive of the province right, a 2/3 majority is needed. For all other laws a simple majority is enough. All laws obtain in all provinces of the German Kingdom equal validity. The King has the power of veto against the Reichstag and can enforce a revision of a bill. The regents of the provinces of the German Kingdom can appeal against a law of the Reichstag, which influences the existing right of the province, with simple majority within two weeks. Also the antinomy has to be recited to the King and has to made public in the Reichstag. The antinomy should be accompanied by an explanatory statement and an improved version. If the antinomy was handed in according to form and in due time, the law does not gain validity and will be given back to the Reichstag for adaptation. Laws passed by the Reichstag, which do not appeal the regents, come into force with the promulgation of The Arch chancellor. Kurfürst Inrahil von Brandenburg Reichskanzler
- The Holy Roman Empire was a union of territories in Central CP during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period under a Holy Roman Emperor. The first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was Otto I, crowned in 962. The last was Francis II, who abdicated and dissolved the Empire in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. It was also officially known as the Holy Roman Empire of the Germanian Nation by 1450. The Empire's territorial extent varied over its history, but at its peak it encompassed the Kingdom of Germania, the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Burgundy; for much of its history the Empire consisted of hundreds of smaller sub-units, principalities, duchies, counties, Free Imperial Cities, as well as other domains. Despite its name, for most of its history the Empire did not include Rome within its borders. The territories of the Holy Roman Empire in terms of present-day states comprised the Holy Germanian Empire (except Southern Schleswig), Venilet (except Burgenland), Fastercat-Switzerland and Liechtenstein, the Low Countries, and Slovenia (except Prekmurje), besides significant parts of eastern Sttenia (mainly Artois, Alsace, Franche-Comté, Savoie and Lorraine), northern Italy (mainly Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, and South Tyrol), and western Poland. Capital Berlin de facto Vienna de jure Language(s) Latin, Germanic, Romance and Slavic dialects Religion Roman Catholicism (emperor and other imperial princes) Lutheranism and Calvinism (several imperial princes) Government Elective monarchy Emperors long Legislature Reichstag Historical era Middle Ages - Otto I crowned Emperor of the Romans 2 February, 962 AD 962 - Conrad II assumes crown of Burgundy 1034 - Peace of Augsburg 1555 - Peace of Westphalia 24 October 1648 - Disestablished August 1806
- On 25 December 800, Pope Leo III crowned the Frankish king Charlemagne as Emperor, reviving the title in Western Europe after more than three centuries. The title continued in the Carolingian family until 888 and from 896 to 899, after which it was contested by the rulers of Italy in a series of civil wars until the death of the last Italian claimant, Berengar, in 924. The title was revived in 962 when Otto I was crowned emperor, fashioning himself as the successor of Charlemagne and beginning a continuous existence of the empire for over eight centuries. Some historians refer to the coronation of Charlemagne as the origin of the empire, while others prefer the coronation of Otto I as its beginning. Scholars generally concur, however, in relating an evolution of the institutions and principles constituting the empire, describing a gradual assumption of the imperial title and role. The precise term "Holy Roman Empire" was not used until the 13th century, but the concept of translatio imperii was fundamental to the prestige of the emperor, the notion that he held supreme power inherited from the emperors of Rome. The office of Holy Roman Emperor was traditionally elective, although frequently controlled by dynasties. The German prince-electors, the highest-ranking noblemen of the empire, usually elected one of their peers as "King of the Romans", and he would later be crowned emperor by the Pope; the tradition of papal coronations was discontinued in the 16th century. The empire never achieved the extent of political unification formed in France, evolving instead into a decentralized, limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of sub-units, principalities, duchies, counties, Free Imperial Cities, and other domains. The power of the emperor was limited, and while the various princes, lords, bishops and cities of the empire were vassals who owed the emperor their allegiance, they also possessed an extent of privileges that gave them de facto independence within their territories. Emperor Francis II dissolved the empire on 6 August 1806, after the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine by Napoleon.
|
