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.
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, eventually growing strong enough to challenge the Gothic hegemony over Western Europe.