Holy Roman Empire

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Holy Roman Empire

Q: How was the Holy Roman Empire formed?

Though the term “Holy Roman Empire” was not used until much later, the empire traces its beginnings to Charlemagne , who took control of the Frankish dominion in 768. The papacy ’s close ties to the Franks and its growing estrangement from the Eastern Roman Empire led to Pope Leo III ’s crowning of Charlemagne as “emperor of the Romans” in 800.

Q: Where was the Holy Roman Empire located?

The Holy Roman Empire was located in western and central Europe and included parts of what is now France , Germany , and Italy . Its boundaries changed over time.

Q: What was the Holy Roman Empire known for?

The Holy Roman Empire ruled over much of western and central Europe from the 9th century to the 19th century. It envisioned itself as a dominion for Christendom continuing in the tradition of the ancient Roman Empire and was characterized by strong papal authority.

Q: Why did the Holy Roman Empire fall?

The Holy Roman emperor ’s power was chipped away gradually, starting with the Investiture Controversy in the 11th century, and by the 16th century the empire was so decentralized that it was little more than a loose federation. The empire came to an end in 1806, when Francis II abdicated his title as Holy Roman emperor in the face of Napoleon ’s rise to power.

historical empire, Europe

Also known as: Heiliges Römisches Reich, Sacrum Romanum Imperium

Written by Geoffrey Barraclough

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Dec 20, 2024 • Article History

Quick Facts

German:: Heiliges Römisches Reich

Latin:: Sacrum Romanum Imperium

Date:: 800 - 1806

Major Events:: French Revolutionary wars; War of the Spanish Succession; Investiture Controversy; Peace of Westphalia; Peace of Augsburg

Key People:: Charlemagne; Johannes Kepler; Charles V; Frederick II; Frederick I

How was the Holy Roman Empire formed?

Where was the Holy Roman Empire located?

What was the Holy Roman Empire known for?

Why did the Holy Roman Empire fall?

Holy Roman Empire, the varying complex of lands in western and central Europe ruled by the Holy Roman emperor, a title held first by Frankish and then by German kings for 10 centuries. The Holy Roman Empire existed from 800 to 1806. For histories of the territories governed at various times by the empire, see France; Germany; Italy. The precise term Sacrum Romanum Imperium dates only from 1254, though the term Holy Empire reaches back to 1157, and the term Roman Empire was used from 1034 to denote the lands under Conrad II’s rule. The term “Roman emperor” is older, ...(100 of 6653 words)

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