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| + | The '''Holy Roman Empire '''was a historical state in central Europe, claiming to continue the legacy of the old Western Roman Empire. It was a complex, multi-ethnic union of territories whose internal politics were dominated by the power struggle between the Emperor, the Christian Pope, and the rulers of the various constituent states. |
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| − | {{NationInfo |
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| + | ==Early history== |
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| − | |Timeline=Fidem Pacis |
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| − | |name=Heiligen Römischen Reiches Deutscher Nation |
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| − | |name_en=Holy Roman Empire of the Germanic Nation |
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| − | |name_short=Holy Roman Empire |
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| − | |map= |
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| − | |flag= |
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| − | |CoA= |
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| − | |otl= |
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| − | |language=German |
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| − | |language_other=Czech, Danish, Polish |
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| − | |capital=Aachen |
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| − | |city_largest=Hamburg |
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| − | |city_other=Vienna, Prague, Munich, Cologne, Amsterdam, Copenhagen |
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| − | |HoStitle=Empress |
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| − | |CoGtitle=Chancellor |
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| − | |area=640,857 |
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| − | |area_unit= km² |
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| − | |population=108,518,072 |
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| − | |ind_date=912 |
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| − | |currency=Reichsmark |
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| − | |hos_name = Sophie I |
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| − | |Cname = Angela Merkel |
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| − | |Anthem = |
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| − | |demonym = Germanic |
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| − | |regime = Federal elective monarchy |
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| − | |ind_from = }}The Holy Roman Empire is a sovereign nation in central Europe which consists of a federation of self-governing states. It includes the Jutland Peninsula and the islands of Zealand, and is bordered to the north by the North and Baltic Seas, to the east by Lithuania, to the southeast by Hungary, to the south by Switzerland, Italy and Croatia, and to the west by France. With an area of 640,857 km², the Holy Roman Empire is the second-largest sovereign state in Europe, after Lithuania. |
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| + | [[File:Carolingian_empire_(Fidem_Pacis).png|thumb|320px|The HRE in the Carolingian era]]The Empire has its origins in the conquests of Charles I, Duke of the Franks, commonly known as Charlemagne. During the second half of the 8th century he attacked and subjugated many of the neighbouring tribes and nations, eventually growing strong enough to challenge the Gothic hegemony over Western Europe. In 798 he led a daring raid deep into Hispania, capturing the imperial regalia of the Western Empire and eventually using it to have himself crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope. |
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| − | The Holy Roman Empire is an elective monarchy chosen by the rulers of its constituent states. The Emperor, who can be any Imperial citizen over the age of 40, reigns for life and has nominal responsibility for foreign relations, the armed forces, taxation, the Imperial Court of Justice, and the imperial legislature, or Reichstag - though in practice these duties are usually left to the democratically elected government of the time. State governments have control over most other matters, including state laws, infrastructure, healthcare, public safety and education. The states have varying forms of government, with some being republican in nature and some constitutional monarchies, but all Imperial nationals share a common citizenship and are ultimately subjects of the Emperor. |
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| + | Initially Lyonesse was also a part of the HRE, but it became permanently separated after the extinction of the Carolingian dynasty. In the eastern, mostly German-speaking part, a system of electing future emperors was developed over time by the leaders of several of the most powerful subject states. |
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| − | The Imperial Constitution, enacted in 1815 and last amended in 1921, sets out the relationship between the Empire and the states. Among other things, it obligates state governments to be democratic, guarantees freedom of religion and of movement, and guarantees trial by a jury of randomly-selected peers. The most recent amendment, the Equal Rights Clause, forbids any form of racial, religious or gender-based discrimination based on prejudice, either in law or in society. |
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| + | |||
| + | From the very beginning the Pope was simultaneously the overlord of the HRE, in his role as the leader of Christendom, and one of its vassals as King of the Papal Kingdom. This led to a unique form of power struggle between the Emperor, whose base of support lay in the German lands, and the Pope who was based in central Italy. Northern Italy, which was caught between the two, soon began a process of disintegration into many semi-independent fiefs and city-states, which accelerated after the 12th century Roman conquest of the south. |
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| + | |||
| + | In 1096 the HRE took part in the [[Great Crusade (Fidem Pacis)|Great Crusade]] called by Pope Urban II. However, after the Crusade's defeat at the Battle of Paphos, most of its leaders abandoned the quest and returned home. In 1104 Romania invaded and conquered the Papal Kingdom in retaliation, forcing future Popes to live as guests of the Emperor in Mainz. |
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| + | For the next few centuries Holy Roman Emperors were able to rule mostly unchallenged by the ecclesiastical authorities. |
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| + | ==Islamification and decentralisation== |
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| + | [[File:HRE_map_(Fidem_Pacis).png|thumb|310px|The post-Crusade HRE at its height]]From the 12th century onwards many of the HRE's neighbours began to convert to Islam. Italy and Hungary, after their incorporation into Romania, soon accepted the new religion, as did Poland when it was introduced from Lithuania. However, partly due to Papal pressure, the HRE refused to entertain any non-Catholic thoughts, even going so far as to close the borders and begin an inquisition. |
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| + | However, imperial authority was never absolute, and by the 15th century there were significant Muslim populations in many border regions. In 1544 Sigismund II of Bohemia, who was himself a convert, was selected as Emperor after a very close election. The Pope, as well as the Catholic rulers of Denmark, Saxony and Brandenburg, all denounced the result in the strongest terms and swore to fight Sigismund's investiture with all their might |
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| + | Thus began the Forty Years War, which eventually drew in most of Europe and killed millions from famine and the ravages of war. Sigismund and his Catholic rival both died before the end, but the 1587 Peace of Limburg saw Sigismund's nephew confirmed as Emperor. However, the empire was permanently dismembered in the aftermath, and imperial authority over his subjects was lost for good. |
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| + | ==Dissolution== |
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| + | By the early 20th century the HRE had become almost irrelevant. The remaining states (that hadn't already seceded) acted completely independently of each other, most of the empire's instutitions had been abolished over the centuries, and the imperial dignity itself was little more than an honorific carried by the King of Saxony. In 1962, at the Council of Bergen, it was finally decided to formally dissolve the Holy Roman Empire once and for all. |
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| + | It was succeeded by the Kingdom of Saxony, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Friesland and the Kingdom of Bohemia. Swabia, Bavaria, Austria, Brandenburg and Holland had all seceded at one time or another in the preceding centuries. |
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[[Category:Holy Roman Empire]] |
[[Category:Holy Roman Empire]] |
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| − | [[Category:Fidem Pacis]] |
+ | [[Category:Historic Nations (Fidem Pacis)]] |
Latest revision as of 22:55, 28 October 2013
The Holy Roman Empire was a historical state in central Europe, claiming to continue the legacy of the old Western Roman Empire. It was a complex, multi-ethnic union of territories whose internal politics were dominated by the power struggle between the Emperor, the Christian Pope, and the rulers of the various constituent states.
Early history
.png){kind=link}
The HRE in the Carolingian era
The Empire has its origins in the conquests of Charles I, Duke of the Franks, commonly known as Charlemagne. During the second half of the 8th century he attacked and subjugated many of the neighbouring tribes and nations, eventually growing strong enough to challenge the Gothic hegemony over Western Europe. In 798 he led a daring raid deep into Hispania, capturing the imperial regalia of the Western Empire and eventually using it to have himself crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope.
Initially Lyonesse was also a part of the HRE, but it became permanently separated after the extinction of the Carolingian dynasty. In the eastern, mostly German-speaking part, a system of electing future emperors was developed over time by the leaders of several of the most powerful subject states.
From the very beginning the Pope was simultaneously the overlord of the HRE, in his role as the leader of Christendom, and one of its vassals as King of the Papal Kingdom. This led to a unique form of power struggle between the Emperor, whose base of support lay in the German lands, and the Pope who was based in central Italy. Northern Italy, which was caught between the two, soon began a process of disintegration into many semi-independent fiefs and city-states, which accelerated after the 12th century Roman conquest of the south.
In 1096 the HRE took part in the Great Crusade called by Pope Urban II. However, after the Crusade's defeat at the Battle of Paphos, most of its leaders abandoned the quest and returned home. In 1104 Romania invaded and conquered the Papal Kingdom in retaliation, forcing future Popes to live as guests of the Emperor in Mainz.
For the next few centuries Holy Roman Emperors were able to rule mostly unchallenged by the ecclesiastical authorities.
Islamification and decentralisation
.png){kind=link}
The post-Crusade HRE at its height
From the 12th century onwards many of the HRE's neighbours began to convert to Islam. Italy and Hungary, after their incorporation into Romania, soon accepted the new religion, as did Poland when it was introduced from Lithuania. However, partly due to Papal pressure, the HRE refused to entertain any non-Catholic thoughts, even going so far as to close the borders and begin an inquisition.
However, imperial authority was never absolute, and by the 15th century there were significant Muslim populations in many border regions. In 1544 Sigismund II of Bohemia, who was himself a convert, was selected as Emperor after a very close election. The Pope, as well as the Catholic rulers of Denmark, Saxony and Brandenburg, all denounced the result in the strongest terms and swore to fight Sigismund's investiture with all their might
Thus began the Forty Years War, which eventually drew in most of Europe and killed millions from famine and the ravages of war. Sigismund and his Catholic rival both died before the end, but the 1587 Peace of Limburg saw Sigismund's nephew confirmed as Emperor. However, the empire was permanently dismembered in the aftermath, and imperial authority over his subjects was lost for good.
Dissolution
By the early 20th century the HRE had become almost irrelevant. The remaining states (that hadn't already seceded) acted completely independently of each other, most of the empire's instutitions had been abolished over the centuries, and the imperial dignity itself was little more than an honorific carried by the King of Saxony. In 1962, at the Council of Bergen, it was finally decided to formally dissolve the Holy Roman Empire once and for all.
It was succeeded by the Kingdom of Saxony, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Friesland and the Kingdom of Bohemia. Swabia, Bavaria, Austria, Brandenburg and Holland had all seceded at one time or another in the preceding centuries.