Sacrum Romanum Imperium Nationis Germanicae
Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation
Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation

Empire
← 800 – 1806 → →
Imperial Eagle Coat of arms of Maximilian II
The extent of the Holy Roman Empire in c.1630, superimposed over modern European state borders
Capital	none
Language(s)	Latin, German, many others
Religion	Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, Calvinism
Government	Monarchy
Emperor
- 800 - 814	Charlemagne
- 1792 - 1806	Francis II
Legislature	Reichstag
History
- Charlemagne crowned	25 December 800
- Treaty of Verdun	843
- Otto I crowned	2 February 962
- Peace of Augsburg	25 September 1555
- Peace of Westphalia	1648
- Dissolved	12 July 1806

The Holy Roman Empire was a mainly Germanic conglomeration of lands in Central Europe during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It was also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from the late 15th century onwards. It originated with the coronation of Charlemagne by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day, AD 800, and lasted until the abdication of Emperor Francis II in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. After the partition of the Frankish Empire by the Treaty of Verdun in 843, the de facto sovereignty of the Emperors became confined first to the central and later (and for most of the Empire's subsequent history) to the eastern portion of the former Frankish dominions. The Frankish Empire was the territory of the Franks, from the 5th to the 10th centuries, from 481 ruled by Clovis I of the Merovingian Dynasty, the first king of all the Franks. ... Image File history File links Sin_bandera. ... Events December 25, Rome, coronation of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) as emperor by Pope Leo III. Celtic monks begin work on the Book of Kells on the Island of Iona. ... 1806 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Image File history File links Medaille_rheinbund_472. ... The Confederation of the Rhine or Rhine Confederation (Rheinbund in German; in French officially États confédérés du Rhin but in practice Confédération du Rhin) lasted from 1806 to 1813 and was formed from sixteen German states by Napoleon after he defeated Habsburgs Francis II... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Habsburg_Monarchy. ... Anthem: Volkshymne (Peoples Anthem) Capital Vienna Language(s) German Religion Roman Catholic Government Monarchy History  - Established 1804  - Disestablished 1867 Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy The Crown of the Austrian Emperor The Austrian Empire (German: ) was an empire centred on what is modern day Austria that officially lasted from 1804... Image File history File links Flag_Germany_Emperors_Banner. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3586x2792, 2924 KB) Beschreibung Das Heilige Römische Reich mit seinen Fürstentümern. ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... Image File history File links Holyromanempire. ... This is a list of national capitals of the world in alphabetical order. ... Latin was the language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ... Lutheranism is a movement within Christianity that began with the theological insights of Martin Luther in the 16th century. ... Calvinism is a theological system and an approach to the Christian life that emphasizes Gods sovereignty in all things. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A monarchy, from the Greek μονος, one, and αρχειν, to rule, is a form of government that has a monarch as head of state. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ... Francis I in Austrian coronation regalia, 1832 Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (German language: Franz II, Heiliger Römischer Kaiser) also referred to as Franz I, Emperor of Austria (February 12, 1768 – March 2, 1835) was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until August 6, 1806, when the... A legislature is a type of deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ... The Reichstag (German for Imperial Diet) was the parliament of the Holy Roman Empire, the North German Confederation, and of Germany until 1945. ... A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... Events December 25, Rome, coronation of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) as emperor by Pope Leo III. Celtic monks begin work on the Book of Kells on the Island of Iona. ... Geopolitical divisions according to the Treaty of Verdun. ... Events Treaty of Verdun divides the Carolingian empire between the 3 sons of Louis the Pious. ... For others with the same name, see Otto I (disambiguation). ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events February 2 - Pope John XII crowns Otto I the Great Holy Roman Emperor. ... Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Aragon and Castile. ... September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Russia breaks 60 year old truce with Sweden by attacking Finland February 2 - Diet of Augsburg begins February 4 - John Rogers becomes first Protestant martyr in England February 9 - Bishop of Gloucester John Hooper is burned at the stake May 23 - Paul IV becomes Pope. ... Ratification of the Treaty of Münster The Peace of Westphalia refers to the pair of treaties (the Treaty of Münster and the Treaty of Osnabrück) signed in October and May 1648 which ended both the Thirty Years War and the Eighty Years War. ... 1648 (MDCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... The Confederation of the Rhine or Rhine Confederation (Rheinbund in German; in French officially États confédérés du Rhin but in practice Confédération du Rhin) lasted from 1806 to 1813 and was formed from sixteen German states by Napoleon after he defeated Habsburgs Francis II... July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 172 days remaining. ... 1806 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... In political geography and international politics a country is a geographical entity, a territory, most commonly associated with the notions of state or nation. ... Central Europe The Alpine Countries and the Visegrád Group (Political map, 2004) Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The early modern period is a term used by historians to refer to the period in Western Europe and its first colonies, between the Middle Ages and modern society. ... A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ... Leo III (died June 12, 816) was Pope from 795 to 816. ... Events December 25, Rome, coronation of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) as emperor by Pope Leo III. Celtic monks begin work on the Book of Kells on the Island of Iona. ... Francis I in Austrian coronation regalia, 1832 Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (German language: Franz II, Heiliger Römischer Kaiser) also referred to as Franz I, Emperor of Austria (February 12, 1768 – March 2, 1835) was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until August 6, 1806, when the... 1806 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants Allies: Austria[1] Portugal Prussia[1] Russia[2] Spain[3] Sweden United Kingdom[4] Ottoman Empire[5] French Empire Holland Kingdom of Italy Kingdom of Naples Duchy of Warsaw Bavaria[6] Saxony[7] Denmark [8] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack von Leiberich Gebhard von Blücher Karl... The Frankish Empire was the territory of the Franks, from the 5th to the 10th centuries, from 481 ruled by Clovis I of the Merovingian Dynasty, the first king of all the Franks. ... Geopolitical divisions according to the Treaty of Verdun. ... Events Treaty of Verdun divides the Carolingian empire between the 3 sons of Louis the Pious. ...

At its post-Carolingian peak, the Holy Roman Empire encompassed the territories of present-day Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Belgium, and the Netherlands as well as large parts of modern Poland, France and Italy. At the time of its dissolution it consisted of its core German territories and smaller parts of France, Italy, Poland, Croatia, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Map of Carolingian Empire The term Carolingian Empire is sometimes used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the dynasty of the Carolingians. ...

Government

Organizational structure of the Holy Roman Empire. From the Nuremberg Chronicle (1493)

The Reich (empire) was an elective monarchy whose Emperor was crowned by the Pope until 1508. For most of its existence the Empire lacked the central authority of a modern state and was more akin to a loose religious confederation, divided into numerous territories ruled by hereditary nobles, prince-bishops, knightly orders, and free cities. These rulers (later only a select few of them known as Electors) would elect the Emperor from among their number, although there was a strong tendency for the office of Emperor to become hereditary. The House of Habsburg and the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine, for example, furnished an almost continuous line of Emperors from 1452. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2408x1712, 1870 KB) Structure of the Empire of the Holy Roman Empire Illustrations from the Nuremberg Chronicle, by Hartmann Schedel (1440-1514) Struktur des Reiches, dargestellt als Quaterionen Source: http://www. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2408x1712, 1870 KB) Structure of the Empire of the Holy Roman Empire Illustrations from the Nuremberg Chronicle, by Hartmann Schedel (1440-1514) Struktur des Reiches, dargestellt als Quaterionen Source: http://www. ... Depiction of God creating the world Juvenal The Nuremberg Chronicle is one of the best documented early printed books. ... 1493 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...   (IPA: ; German: IPA: ), is the German word for realm or empire, cognate with Scandinavian rike/rige, Dutch rijk and English ric as found in bishopric. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... 1508 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A state is a set of institutions that possess the authority to make the rules that govern the people in one or more societies, having internal and external sovereignty over a definite territory. ... Prince-Bishop was the title given bishops who held secular powers, beside their inherent clerical power. ... Christian military orders appeared following the First Crusade. ... A city-state is a region controlled exclusively by a city. ... The prince-electors or electoral princes of the Holy Roman Empire — German: Kurfürst (singular) Kurfürsten (plural) — were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Emperors of Germany. ... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ... Habsburg - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

The concept of the Reich not only included the government of a specific territory, but had strong Christian religious connotations (hence the holy prefix). The Emperors thought of themselves as continuing the function of the Roman Emperors in defending, governing and supporting the Church. This viewpoint led to much strife between the Empire and the papacy. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ...

Nomenclature

The Holy Roman Empire was a conscious attempt to resurrect the Western Roman Empire, considered to have ended with the abdication of Romulus Augustulus in 476. Although Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Imperator Augustus on 25 December 800, and his son, Louis the Pious was also crowned as Emperor by the Pope, the Empire and the imperial office did not become formalized for some decades, due largely to the Frankish tendency to divide realms between heirs after a ruler's death. It is notable that Louis first crowned himself in 814, upon his father's death, but in 816, Pope Stephen V, who had succeeded Leo III, visited Rheims and again crowned Louis. By that act, the Emperor strengthened the papacy by recognising the importance of the pope in imperial coronations. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The British Isles in the year 802 Medieval Britain is a term used to suggest that there is a unity to the history of Great Britain from the 5th century withdrawal of Roman forces from the province of Britannia and the Germanic invasions, until the 16th century Reformations in the... Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. ... Kievan Rus′ was an early, mostly East Slavic[1] state dominated by the city of Kiev from about 880 to the middle of the 12th century. ... This article describes the history of the Czech lands in the Middle Ages. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Early Medieval era in Ireland, from 800 to 1166 is characterised by Viking raids, then settlement, in what had become a stable and wealthy country. ... This is the history of Italy during the Middle Ages. ... In the first centuries of its existence, the Polish nation was led by a series of strong rulers who converted the Poles to Christendom, created a strong Central European state, and integrated Poland into European culture. ... // Main article: Romania in the Dark Ages The Dark Ages in what is now Romania ended around the 11th century, following the period in which the Romanian lands had been part of the First Bulgarian Empire (802-1018). ... Dunnottar Castle in the Mearns occupies one of the best defensive locations in Great Britain. ... After the disorders of the passage of the Vandals and Alans down the Mediterranean coast of Hispania from 409, the history of Medieval Spain begins with the Iberian kingdom of the Arian Visigoths (507 – 711), who were converted to Catholicism with their king Reccared in 587. ... Byzantine monumental Church mosaics are a crowning glory of Medieval Art. ... Medieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages (encompassing the one thousand years from the fall of the Western Roman Empire ca. ... Medieval poetry was often preserved by mere happenstance. ... This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Church of the Intercession on the Nerl(1165) - an archetypal example of early Russian architecture. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The first European medieval institutions generally considered to be universities were established in Italy, France, and England in the late 11th and the 12th centuries for the study of arts, law, medicine, and theology. ... The history of science in the Middle Ages refers to the discoveries in the field of natural philosophy throughout the Middle Ages - the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history. ... During the 12th and 13th century in Europe there was a radical change in the rate of new inventions During the 12th and 13th century in Europe there was a radical change in the rate of new inventions, innovations in the ways of managing traditional means of production, and economic... This article is becoming very long. ... The Western Roman Empire is the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 286. ... Romulus Augustus (460s/470s - after 511) was the last of the Western Roman Emperors. ... Leo III (died June 12, 816) was Pope from 795 to 816. ... A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ... The Latin word imperator was a title originally roughly equivalent to commander during the period of the Roman Republic. ... Augustus (plural augusti) is Latin for majestic or venerable. The feminine form is Augusta. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 6 days remaining in the year. ... Events December 25, Rome, coronation of Charles the Great (Charlemagne) as emperor by Pope Leo III. Celtic monks begin work on the Book of Kells on the Island of Iona. ... Louis the Pious, contemporary depiction from 826 as a miles Christi (soldier of Christ), with a poem of Rabanus Maurus overlaid. ... Stephen V, Pope from June 816-January 817, succeeded Leo III, whose policy he continued. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ... The Pope is the Catholic Bishop and patriarch of Rome, and head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches. ...

Contemporary terminology for the Empire varied greatly over the centuries. The term Roman Empire was used in 1034 to denote the lands under Conrad II, and Holy Empire in 1157. The use of the term Roman Emperor to refer to Northern European rulers started earlier with Otto II (Emperor 973–983). Emperors from Charlemagne (768-814) to Otto I the Great (Emperor 962–973) had simply used the phrase Imperator Augustus ("August Emperor"). The precise term Holy Roman Empire (German: Heiliges Römisches Reich listen (help· info); Latin: Sacrum Romanum Imperium) dates from 1254; the final version Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation (German Heiliges Römisches Reich deutscher Nation) appears in 1512, after several variations in the late 15th century.^[1] Scholars debate about what exactly constitutes an Empire (from the Latin imperium, denoting military command within the ancient Roman government). ... Events April 11 - Empress Zoe of Byzantium marries her chamberlain and elevates him to the throne of the Eastern Roman Empire as Michael IV. Franche-Comté becomes subject to the Holy Roman Empire. ... Conrad II (circa 990 - June 4, 1039) was the son of count Henry of Speyer. ... Events Births September 8 - King Richard I of England (died 1199) Leopold V of Austria (died 1194) Hojo Masako, wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo (died 1225) Deaths August 21 - King Alfonso VII of Castile (born 1105) Agnes of Babenberg, daughter of Leopold III of Austria Sweyn III of Denmark Yury... Northern Europe is marked in dark blue Northern Europe is a name of the northern part of the European continent. ... Otto II ( 955 – December 7, 983, Rome), was the third German ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty. ... A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ... Otto I at his victory over Berengar of Friuli Grave of Otto I in Magdeburg Otto I the Great ( November 23, 912 - May 7, 973), son of Henry I the Fowler, king of the Germans, and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of the Germans and arguably the... The Latin word imperator was a title originally roughly equivalent to commander during the period of the Roman Republic. ... Image File history File links De-Heiliges Römisches Reich-pronunciation. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ... 1512 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ...

Contemporaries did not quite know how to describe this entity. In his famous 1667 description De statu imperii Germanici, published under the alias Severinus de Monzambano, Samuel Pufendorf wrote: "Nihil ergo aliud restat, quam ut dicamus Germaniam esse irregulare aliquod corpus et monstro simile ..." ("We are therefore left with calling Germany a body that conforms to no rule and resembles a monster"). // Events January 20 - Poland cedes Kyiv, Smolensk, and eastern Ukraine to Russia in the Treaty of Andrusovo that put a final end to the Deluge, and Poland lost its status as a Central European power. ... Samuel Pufendorf (January 8, 1632 - October 26, 1694), was a German jurist. ...

In his Essai sur l'histoire generale et sur les moeurs et l'espirit des nations (1756), the French essayist and philosopher Voltaire described the Holy Roman Empire as an "agglomeration" which was "neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire". 1756 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... For the sport horse, see Voltaire (horse). ...

In Faust I, in a scene written in 1775, the German author Goethe has one of the drinkers in Auerbach's Cellar in Leipzig ask "Our Holy Roman Empire, lads, what still holds it together?" Goethe also has a longer, not very favourable essay about his personal experiences as a trainee at the Reichskammergericht in his autobiographical work Dichtung und Wahrheit. It has been suggested that Faust Part One, Faust Part Two be merged into this article or section. ... Year 1775 (MDCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...  , IPA: , (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832), commonly known as Goethe, was a German poet, novelist, theorist, and scientist who is considered one of the giants of the literary world. ... Sculptures depicting the events at Auerbachs Keller at the cellars entrance in Mädlerpassage Auerbachs Keller (Auerbachs Cellar in English) is the best known and second oldest restaurant in Leipzig. ...   [] (Sorbian/Lusatian: Lipsk) is the largest city in the federal state of Saxony in Germany with a population of over 504,000. ... The Reichskammergericht was the highest judicial institution in the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1495 by the Reichstag in Worms. ... Aus meinem Leben: Dichtung und Wahrheit (Out of my Life: Poetry and Truth) (1811-1833) (note: the German word Dichtung also means fiction in English, which indicates through an ingenious ambiguity a humourous notion that perhaps not all aspects are unfolded truthfully therein), is a story related in part to...

Institutions

From the High Middle Ages onwards, the Reich was stamped by an uneasy coexistence of the Empire with the struggle of the dukes of the local territories to take power away from it. To a greater extent than in other medieval kingdoms such as France and England, the Emperors were unable to gain much control over the lands that they formally owned. Instead, Emperors were forced to grant more and more powers to the individual nobles in their respective territories. This process began in the 12th century and was more or less concluded with the 1648 Peace of Westphalia. Several attempts were made to reverse this degradation of the Reich's former glory, but failed. The cathedral Notre Dame de Paris, a significant architectural contribution of the High Middle Ages. ...   (IPA: ; German: IPA: ), is the German word for realm or empire, cognate with Scandinavian rike/rige, Dutch rijk and English ric as found in bishopric. ... A duke is a nobleman, historically of highest rank and usually controlling a duchy or dukedom. ... Much of the recent sociological debate on power revolves around the issue of constraining and/or enabling nature of power. ... Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right)1 Capital Winchester, then London from 11th century. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... 1648 (MDCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Ratification of the Treaty of Münster The Peace of Westphalia refers to the pair of treaties (the Treaty of Münster and the Treaty of Osnabrück) signed in October and May 1648 which ended both the Thirty Years War and the Eighty Years War. ...

Formally, the Reich comprised the King, to be crowned Emperor by the pope (until 1508), on one side, and the Reichsstände (imperial estates) on the other.

King of the Romans

The crown of the Holy Roman Empire (2nd half of the 10th century), now held in the Vienna Schatzkammer

Becoming Emperor required becoming King of the Romans (Rex romanorum/römischer König) first. Kings had been elected since time immemorial: in the 9th century by the leaders of the five most important tribes: the Salian Franks of Lorraine, the Riparian Franks of Franconia, and the Saxons, Bavarians, and Swabians, later by the main lay and clerical dukes of the kingdom, finally only by the so-called Kurfürsten (electing dukes, electors). This college was formally established by a 1356 decree known as the Golden Bull. Initially, there were seven electors: the Count Palatine of the Rhine, the King of Bohemia, the Duke of Saxony, the Margrave of Brandenburg, and the Archbishops of Köln, Mainz, and Trier. During the Thirty Years' War, the Duke of Bavaria was given the right to vote as the eighth elector. In order to be elected king, a candidate had to first win over the electors, usually with bribes or promises of land. Download high resolution version (1712x1958, 749 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1712x1958, 749 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Etching of the Crown of the Holy Roman Empire by Johann Adam Delsenbach The Imperial Crown (in German: Reichskrone), is the crown of the Kings and Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages. ... Vienna (German: , see also other names) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... Schatzkammer in German translates as Treasury (Chamber/Vault). ... King of the Romans (Latin: Rex Romanorum) was a title used by the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire before their coronation by the Pope, and later also by the heir designate of the Empire. ... Time immemorial is time extending beyond the reach of memory, record, or tradition. ... The Salian Franks were a subgroup of the Franks. ... The Ripuarian Franks (river Franks) were a subgroup of the Franks. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The geographic region and Free State of Bavaria (German: Freistaat Bayern), with an area of 70,553 km² (27,241 square miles) and 12. ... Germany. ... The prince-electors or electoral princes of the Holy Roman Empire — German: Kurfürst (singular) Kurfürsten (plural) — were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Emperors of Germany. ... Events January 20 - Edward Balliol surrenders title as King of Scotland to Edward III of England April 16 — the King of the Serbian Kingdom of RaÅ¡ka Stefan DuÅ¡an is proclaimed Tsar (Emperor) of all Serbs, Arbanasses and Greeks in Skopje by the Serbian Orthodox Christian Patriarch of a... The Golden Bull of 1356 was a decree issued by a Reichstag in Nuremberg headed by Emperor Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor (see Diet of Nuremberg) that fixed, for a period of more than four hundred years, an important aspect of the constitutional structure of the Holy Roman Empire. ... A palatinate is an area administered by a count palatine, originally the direct representative of the sovereign but later the hereditary ruler of the territory subject to the crowns overlordship. ... The Lands of the Bohemian Crown (Czech Země koruny české, Latin Corona regni Bohemiae) (e. ... List of Dukes, Electors, and Kings of Saxony, 880-1918 The original Duchy of Saxony was in Northern Germany, roughly corresponding to the modern German state of Lower Saxony and Westphalia. ... Historically the Margrave of Brandenburg was one of the most powerful titles in the Holy Roman Empire in being one of the 4 temporal electors and so being one of only 7 lords in the empire with a say in who became the next emperor. ... Köln may refer to: Cologne (German: Köln), the fourth largest city in Germany and largest city of the North Rhine-Westphalia state German Cruiser Köln that served from 1930-1945 mostly for the Kriegsmarine German Frigate Köln (1961-1982), a F120 Köln class frigate of... Mainz is a city in Germany and the capital of the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. ... Trier (French: ; Luxembourgish Tréier) is a city in Germany on the banks of the Moselle River. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The following is a list of rulers of Bavaria: Dukes of Bavaria, 889-1623 Liutpolding Dynasty Liutpold 889-907 Arnulf the Bad 907-937 Eberhard 937 Berthold 938-947 Liudolfing (Ottonian) Dynasty Henry I 947-955 Henry II the Quarrelsome 955-976 Otto I 976-982 Liutpolding Dynasty Henry III...

Until 1508, the newly-elected king then travelled to Rome to be crowned Emperor by the Pope. In many cases, this took several years while the King was held up by other tasks: frequently he first had to resolve conflicts in rebellious northern Italy or was in quarrel with the Pope himself. 1508 was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

At no time could the Emperor simply issue decrees and govern autonomously over the Empire. His power was severely restricted by the various local leaders: after the late 15th century, the Reichstag established itself as the legislative body of the Empire, a complicated assembly that convened irregularly at the request of the Emperor at varying locations. Only after 1663 would the Reichstag become a permanent assembly. (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... The Reichstag (German for Imperial Diet) was the parliament of the Holy Roman Empire, the North German Confederation, and of Germany until 1945. ... // Events Prix de Rome scholarship established for students of the arts. ...

Imperial estates

An entity was considered Reichsstand (imperial estate) if, according to feudal law, it had no authority above it except the Holy Roman Emperor himself. They included: Feudal law describes a political system which placed men and estates under the hierarchical distinctions of lords and vassals. Feudalism refers to the relations and interdependence between lord and vassal, based on the fief, or ownership of land. ...

• Territories governed by a prince or duke, and in some cases kings. (Rulers of the Holy Roman Empire, with the exception of the King of Bohemia (an elector), were not allowed to become King within the Empire, but some had kingdoms outside the Empire, as was, for instance, the case in the Kingdom of Great Britain, where the ruler was also the Prince-elector of Hanover from 1714 until the dissolution of the Empire.)
• Feudal territories led by a clerical dignitary, who was then considered a prince of the church. In the common case of a Prince-Bishop, this temporal territory (called a prince-bishopric) frequently overlapped his—often larger—ecclesiastical diocese (bishopric), giving the bishop both worldly and clerical powers. Examples include the three prince-archbishoprics: Cologne, Trier, and Mainz.
• Imperial Free Cities

The number of territories was amazingly large, rising to several hundred at the time of the Peace of Westphalia. Many of these comprised no more than a few square miles, so the Empire is aptly described as a "patchwork carpet" (Flickenteppich) by many (see Kleinstaaterei). For a list of Reichsstands in 1792, see List of Reichstag participants (1792). Scotland, England, (Great) Britain and United Kingdom see British Isles (terminology). ... The prince-electors or electoral princes of the Holy Roman Empire — German: Kurfürst (singular) Kurfürsten (plural) — were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Emperors of Germany. ... Capital Hanover Head of State King of Hanover Hanover (German: ) was a historical territory in todays Germany, at various times a principality, an electorate of the Holy Roman Empire, a kingdom and a province of Prussia and of Germany. ... The term Prince of the church is nowadays used nearly exclusively for Roman Catholic Cardinals. ... Prince-Bishop was the title given bishops who held secular powers, beside their inherent clerical power. ... This article should be transwikied to wiktionary Ecclesiastical means pertaining to the Church (especially Christianity) as an organized body of believers and clergy, with a stress on its juridical and institutional structure. ... In some Christian churches, the diocese is an administrative territorial unit governed by a bishop, sometimes also referred to as a bishopric or episcopal see, though more often the term episcopal see means the office held by the bishop. ... The Archbishopric of Cologne was one of the major ecclesiastical principalities of the Holy Roman Empire. ... The Archbishopric of Trier was one of the important ecclesiastical principalities of the Holy Roman Empire. ... Between 780–82 and 1802 the Archbishop of Mainz was an influential ecclesiastic and secular prince in the Holy Roman Empire. ... In the Holy Roman Empire, an Imperial Free City (in German: Freie Reichsstadt) was a city formally responsible to the Emperor only — as opposed to the majority of cities in the Empire, which belonged to a territory and were thus governed by one of the many princes and dukes... Ratification of the Treaty of Münster The Peace of Westphalia refers to the pair of treaties (the Treaty of Münster and the Treaty of Osnabrück) signed in October and May 1648 which ended both the Thirty Years War and the Eighty Years War. ... Kleinstaaterei, a German word for the occurence of (many) petty states is a polyvalent term, mainly used for the internal state of Germany (and neighbouring regions) during the Holy Roman Empire, especially in its late phase, when it was officially known as Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation. ... The Holy Roman Empire was one of the strangest political structures in the world. ...

Reichstag

Main article: Reichstag (institution)

The Reichstag was the legislative body of the Holy Roman Empire. It was divided into three distinct classes: The Reichstag (German for Imperial Diet) was the parliament of the Holy Roman Empire, the North German Confederation, and of Germany until 1945. ... The Reichstag (German for Imperial Diet) was the parliament of the Holy Roman Empire, the North German Confederation, and of Germany until 1945. ...

• The Council of Electors, which included the Electors of the Holy Roman Empire.
• The Council of Princes, which included both laypersons and clerics.
  • The Secular Bench: Princes (those with the title of Prince, Grand Duke, Duke, Count Palatine, Margrave, or Landgrave) held individual votes; some held more than one vote on the basis of ruling several territories. Also, the Council included Counts or Grafs, who were grouped into four Colleges: Wetterau, Swabia, Franconia, and Westphalia. Each College could cast one vote as a whole.
  • The Ecclesiastical Bench: Bishops, certain Abbots, and the two Grand Masters of the Teutonic Order and the Order of St John had individual votes. Certain other Abbots were grouped into two Colleges: Swabia and the Rhine. Each College held one collective vote.
• The Council of Imperial Cities, which included representatives from Imperial Cities grouped into two Colleges: Swabia and the Rhine. Each College had one collective vote. The Council of Imperial Cities was not fully equal to the others; it could not vote on several matters such as the admission of new territories. The representation of the Free Cities at the Reichstag had become common since the late Middle Ages. Nevertheless, their participation was formally acknowledged only as late as in 1648 with the peace of Westphalia ending the Thirty Years' War.

The prince-electors or electoral princes of the Holy Roman Empire — German: Kurfürst (singular) Kurfürsten (plural) — were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Emperors of Germany. ... The term prince, from the Latin root princeps, is used for the member of the highest aristocracy. ... The title of Grand Duke (Latin, Magnus Dux; German, Großherzog, Russian, Великий князь) used in Slavic, Baltic, and Germanic countries, is ranked in honour below King but higher than a sovereign Duke (Herzog) or Prince (Fürst). ... A duke is a nobleman, historically of highest rank and usually controlling a duchy or dukedom. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Margrave is the English and French form (recorded since 1551) of the German title Markgraf (from Mark march and Graf count) and certain equivalent nobiliary (princely) titles in other languages. ... ... A count is a nobleman in most European countries, equivalent in rank to a British earl, whose wife is also still a countess (for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). ... Graf is a German noble title equal in rank to a count (derived from the Latin Comes, with a history of its own) or a British earl (an Anglo-Saxon title derived from the Viking title Jarl). ... The Wetterau is a fertile undulating tract, watered by the Wetter, a tributary of the Main, in German region of Hesse, between the hilly province Oberhessen and the north-western Taunus mountains. ... Germany. ... Franconia (German: Franken) is a historic region in modern Germany, which today forms three administrative regions of the German federal state of Bavaria: Lower Franconia (Unterfranken), Middle Franconia (Mittelfranken), and Upper Franconia (Oberfranken). ... Westphalia (German: Westfalen) is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Bielefeld, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Münster, and Osnabrück and included in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. ... Teutonic Knights, charging into battle. ... The Knights Hospitaller (also known as the Sovereign Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, Knights of Malta, Knights of Rhodes, and Chevaliers of Malta) is an organization that began as an Amalfitan hospital founded in Jerusalem in 1080 to provide care for poor and sick... 1648 (MDCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... Ratification of the Treaty of Münster The Peace of Westphalia refers to the pair of treaties (the Treaty of Münster and the Treaty of Osnabrück) signed in October and May 1648 which ended both the Thirty Years War and the Eighty Years War. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Imperial courts

The Reich also had two courts: the Reichshofrat (also known in English as the Aulic Council) at the court of the King/Emperor (that is, later in Vienna), and the Reichskammergericht (Imperial Chamber Court), established with the Imperial Reform of 1495. 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 Holy Roman Empire. ... Vienna (German: , see also other names) is the capital of Austria, and also one of the nine States of Austria. ... The Reichskammergericht was the highest judicial institution in the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1495 by the Reichstag in Worms. ... In 1495, an attempt was made at a Reichstag in the city of Worms to give the disintegrating Holy Roman Empire a new structure, commonly referred to as Imperial Reform (in German: Whether this reform can be considered successful depends on how one defines its goals; today, many scholars believe... 1495 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Imperial circles

As part of the Reichsreform, six Imperial Circles were established in 1500 and extended to ten in 1512. These were regional groupings of most (though not all) of the various states of the Empire for the purposes of defence, imperial taxation, supervising of coining, peace keeping functions and public security. Each circle had its own Kreistag ("Circle Diet"). In 1495, an attempt was made at a Reichstag in the city of Worms to give the disintegrating Holy Roman Empire a new structure, commonly referred to as Imperial Reform (in German: Whether this reform can be considered successful depends on how one defines its goals; today, many scholars believe... A map of the Imperial Circles as at the beginning of the 16th century. ... 1500 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1512 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

History

From the East Franks to the Investiture Controversy

Following the Frankish custom, Charlemagne had intended to divide his territories between his sons. As it happens he was survived by only one son, Louis the Pious. Louis accordingly inherited all his father's dominions and the imperial title. Louis's resolution to break with tradition and pass on his lands inviolate to only one of his sons led to the series of civil wars which were ended by the partition of 843. It is important to distinguish (in theory if not always in fact) between the Eastern Frankish Kingdom created by the partition of Charlemagne’s territories in 843 and the Empire itself. This distinction is not aided by the fact that the German word Reich is so lacking in specificity. The imperial title was initially conceded to Lothar I the eldest son of Louis the Pious and thereafter passed around various branches of the Carolingian dynasty, often being held by no more than minor northern Italian potentates. The Eastern Frankish Kingdom developed as a separate entity until a non-Carolingian was elected as its king at the beginning of the 10th century. The subsequent coronation of his son and successor Otto I as Emperor marks the beginning of the association of the Eastern Frankish Kingdom with the Imperial title which then continued unbrokenly down to the abdication of Francis II in 1806. A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ... Louis the Pious, contemporary depiction from 826 as a miles Christi (soldier of Christ), with a poem of Rabanus Maurus overlaid. ... Events Treaty of Verdun divides the Carolingian empire between the 3 sons of Louis the Pious. ... A portrait of Charlemagne by Albrecht Dürer that was painted several centuries after Charlemagnes death. ... Events Treaty of Verdun divides the Carolingian empire between the 3 sons of Louis the Pious. ...   (IPA: ; German: IPA: ), is the German word for realm or empire, cognate with Scandinavian rike/rige, Dutch rijk and English ric as found in bishopric. ... Lothar (in older English texts, sometimes Lothair) (795 - March 2, 855), Holy Roman Emperor, was the eldest son of the emperor Louis the Pious and his wife Irmengarde (Ermengarde), daughter of Ingramm (Ingerman), the Duke of Hesbaye. ... Louis the Pious, contemporary depiction from 826 as a miles Christi (soldier of Christ), with a poem of Rabanus Maurus overlaid. ... Francis I in Austrian coronation regalia, 1832 Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (German language: Franz II, Heiliger Römischer Kaiser) also referred to as Franz I, Emperor of Austria (February 12, 1768 – March 2, 1835) was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until August 6, 1806, when the... 1806 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

With the split of the Frankish realm in the Treaty of Verdun in 843, the Carolingian dynasty continued independently in all three sections. The eastern part fell to Louis the German, who was followed by several leaders until the death of Louis the Child, the last Carolingian in the eastern part. Geopolitical divisions according to the Treaty of Verdun. ... Events Treaty of Verdun divides the Carolingian empire between the 3 sons of Louis the Pious. ... Also see: France in the Middle Ages. ... Louis the German (also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian or German Ludwig der Deutsche) (804 – August 28, 876), the third son of the emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye, was the king of Bavaria from 817, when his father partitioned the empire... The last true Carolingian ruler of East Francia, Louis the Child (893–20 or 24 September 911) was the only legitimate son of the Emperor Arnulf and his wife, Ota, a member of the Conradine Dynasty. ...

The leaders of Alemannia, Bavaria, Francia and Saxonia elected Conrad I of the Franks, not a Carolingian, as their leader in 911. His successor, Henry (Heinrich) I the Fowler (r. 919–936), a Saxon elected at the Reichstag of Fritzlar in 919, achieved the acceptance of a separate Eastern Empire by the West Frankish (still ruled by the Carolingians) in 921, calling himself rex Francorum Orientalum (King of the East Franks). He founded the Ottonian dynasty. Conrad I (or Konrad), duke of Franconia, was king of the East Franconian Kingdom from 911 to 918, the first and only king of the Conradine (Franconian) dynasty. ... Events Autumn - Charles the Simple argees to the Treaty of St. ... Heinrich I depicted as The Bamberg Knight Henry I, the Fowler (German: Heinrich der Finkler or Heinrich der Vogler) (876 - July 2, 936), was Duke of Saxony from 912 and king of the Germans from 919 until his death in 936. ... Fritzlar is a small German town (pop. ... West Franks. ... Ottonian dynasty is a name sometimes given to a ruling dynasty of German kings, sometimes regarded as the first dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire, (though Charlemagne is commonly viewed as the original founder. ...

Henry designated his son Otto, who was elected King in Aachen in 936, to be his successor. A marriage alliance with the widowed queen of Italy gave Otto control over that nation as well. His later crowning as Emperor Otto I (later called "the Great") in 962 would mark an important step, since from then on the Eastern-Frankish realm Рand not the West-Frankish kingdom that was the other remainder of the Frankish kingdoms Рwould have the blessing of the Pope. Otto had gained much of his power earlier, when, in 955, the Magyars were defeated in the Battle of Lechfeld. Oche redirects here; in darts the oche is the line from which players must throw. ... Events King Taejo of Goryeo (Wanggeon) defeats Hubaekje. ... Otto I at his victory over Berengar of Friuli Grave of Otto I in Magdeburg Otto I the Great ( November 23, 912 - May 7, 973), son of Henry I the Fowler, king of the Germans, and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of the Germans and arguably the... Events February 2 - Pope John XII crowns Otto I the Great Holy Roman Emperor. ... Events August 10 - Otto I the Great defeats Magyars in the Battle of Lechfeld Edwy becomes King of England. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Combatants East Francia Magyars Commanders Otto the Great harka Bulcs̼; chieftains L̩l and S̼r Strength 10,000 heavy cavalry 50,000 light cavalry Casualties about 3,500 about 30,000 fell in the battle about 5,000 killed by local farmers maybe 5,000 fleeing Magyars killed by...

The Empire in 1000

In contemporary and later writings, this crowning would also be referred to as translatio imperii, the transfer of the Empire from the Romans to a new Empire. The German Emperors thus thought of themselves as being in direct succession of those of the Roman Empire; this is why they initially called themselves Augustus. Still, they did not call themselves "Roman" Emperors at first, probably in order not to provoke conflict with the Roman Emperor who still existed in Constantinople. The term imperator Romanorum only became common under Conrad II later. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1500x1785, 3891 KB) Rex Germanus Tesi samanunga is edele unde scona 10:19, 27 May 2006 (UTC) Edited the appearance of a file already in commons. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1500x1785, 3891 KB) Rex Germanus Tesi samanunga is edele unde scona 10:19, 27 May 2006 (UTC) Edited the appearance of a file already in commons. ... The term translatio imperii, Latin for transfer of rule, typically refers to the passing of the crown of the Roman emperor. ... Map of Constantinople. ... Conrad II (c. ...

At this time, the eastern kingdom was not "German" but a "confederation" of the old Germanic tribes of the Bavarians, Alemanns, Franks and Saxons. The Empire as a political union probably only survived because of the strong personal influence of King Henry the Saxon and his son, Otto. Although formally elected by the leaders of the Germanic tribes, they were actually able to designate their successors.

This changed after Henry II died in 1024 without any children. Conrad II, first of the Salian Dynasty, was then elected king in 1024 only after some debate. How exactly the king was chosen thus seems to be a complicated conglomeration of personal influence, tribal quarrels, inheritance, and acclamation by those leaders that would eventually become the collegiate of Electors. Henry II with his wife Cunigunde of Luxemburg Saint Henry II (972 – 13 July 1024), called the Holy or the Saint, was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty. ... This article is about the year. ... Conrad II (c. ... The Salian Dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire was founded by Conrad II (c. ... This article is about the year. ... The prince-electors or electoral princes of the Holy Roman Empire — German: Kurfürst (singular) Kurfürsten (plural) — were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Emperors of Germany. ...

Already at this time the dualism between the "territories", then those of the old tribes rooted in the Frankish lands, and the King/Emperor, became apparent. Each king preferred to spend most time in his own homelands; the Saxons, for example, spent much time in palatinates around the Harz mountains, among them Goslar. This practice had only changed under Otto III (king 983, Emperor 996–1002), who began to utilize bishopries all over the Empire as temporary seats of government. Also, his successors, Henry II, Conrad II, and Henry III, apparently managed to appoint the dukes of the territories. It is thus no coincidence that at this time, the terminology changes and the first occurrences of a regnum Teutonicum (German Kingdom) are found. Palatinate or Pfalz (German) can refer to: the Palatinate or Electoral Palatinate (German: Kurpfalz), a historic state within the Holy Roman Empire. ... The Harz is a mountain range in northern Germany. ... Coordinates: Time zone: CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) Administration Country: Germany State: Lower Saxony District: Goslar City subdivisions: 12 districts Lord Mayor: Henning Binnewies (SPD) Basic Statistics Area: 92. ... Otto III in a medieval manuscript Otto III (980 – January 23, 1002, Paterno, Italy) was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty. ... Henry II with his wife Cunigunde of Luxemburg Saint Henry II (972 – 13 July 1024), called the Holy or the Saint, was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty. ... Conrad II (c. ... Henry III, from a miniature of 1040. ...

The Empire in 1097

The glory of the Empire almost collapsed in the Investiture Controversy, in which Pope Gregory VII declared a ban on King Henry IV (king 1056, Emperor 1084–1106). Although this was taken back after the 1077 Walk to Canossa, the ban had wide-reaching consequences. Meanwhile, the German dukes had elected a second king, Rudolf of Swabia, whom Henry IV could only defeat after a three-year war in 1080. The mythical roots of the Empire were permanently damaged; the German king was humiliated. Most importantly though, the church was clearly an independent player in the political system of the Empire, not subject to imperial authority. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2314x1805, 724 KB)Map of Kurdistan and Mediterranean and European lands anout 1097. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2314x1805, 724 KB)Map of Kurdistan and Mediterranean and European lands anout 1097. ... The Investiture Controversy was the most significant conflict between secular and religious powers in medieval Europe. ... Pope Gregory VII (c. ... HEINRIC·IMP[ERATOR], Emperor Henry Henry IV (November 11, 1050 – August 7, 1106) was King of Germany (Holy Roman Empire) from 1056 and Emperor from 1084, until his abdication in 1105. ... Events January 26 - Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor visits Pope Gregory VII as a penitent, asking him remove sentence of excommunication Robert Curthose instigates his first insurrection against his father, William the Conqueror Seljuk Turks capture Nicaea Süleyman I of Rüm becomes the leader of the Sultanate of... In 1077, the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV, asked the Pope, Gregory VII, for forgiveness during the Investiture Controversy, a conflict inspired, at least in part, by Gregorian Reform. ... Rudolf of Rheinfelden (also Rudolf of Swabia), died October 15, 1080, was Duke of Swabia (1057–1077) and German Antiking (1077–1080). ... Events William I of England, in a letter, reminds the Bishop of Rome that the King of England owes him no allegiance. ...