The empire set up in western Europe following the coronation of Charlemagne as emperor, in the year 800. Of the

Holy Roman Empire. c.1100 By the end of the 11th century the Holy Roman Emperor was the crowned ruler of Germany, Burgundy, and northern Italy, in addition to his imperial role as temporal leader of Christendom, and the empire was close to its height in terms of cohesion and extent. The degree of power he exercised varied, however, at different times. Within Germany there was constant rivalry between the emperor and the rulers of the margraviates, duchies, and kingdoms.

Source: MAPS IN MINUTES™ © RH Publications (1997)

emperors, after 1250 only five were crowned as such; the title was abolished by Napoleon in 1806. The empire lasted about 1000 years. The creation of the medieval popes has been called the emperors’ greatest mistake; for whereas their intention was to appoint a powerful secular deputy to rule Christendom, in fact they generated a rival. No emperor ever ruled the whole of Christendom, nor was there any substantial machinery of imperial government. From Otto I’s coronation (962) the Empire was always associated with the German Crown, even after it had become a Habsburg/Austrian preserve in the 15th century. Its somewhat mystical ideal was formal unity of government, based on coronation in Rome, memories of the old Roman Empire as well as Charlemagne, and devotion to the Roman Catholic Church.