The Holy Roman Empire
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About This Book
Voltaire's description of the Holy Roman Empire as "neither holy, nor Roman, nor an empire" is often cited to underline its worthlessness. German historians traditionally despised it because it had allegedly impeded German unification. Since 1945 scholars have been more positive but the empire's history and significance is still largely misunderstood.In this Very Short Introduction Joachim Whaley outlines the fascinating thousand-year history of the Holy Roman Empire. Founded in 800 on the basis of Charlemagne's Frankish kingdom, its imperial title went to the German monarchy which became esta...
Chapters (369)(click to expand)
- THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE.
- PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION.
- CONTENTS.
- APPENDIX.
- DATES OF SEVERAL IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE HISTORY OF THE EMPIRE.
- CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE of EMPERORS AND POPES.
- CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY.
- CHAPTER II. THE ROMAN EMPIRE BEFORE THE INVASIONS OF THE BARBARIANS.
- CHAPTER III. THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS.
- CHAPTER IV. RESTORATION OF THE WESTERN EMPIRE.
- CHAPTER V. EMPIRE AND POLICY OF CHARLES.
- CHAPTER VI. CAROLINGIAN AND ITALIAN EMPERORS.
- CHAPTER VII. THEORY OF THE MEDIÆVAL EMPIRE.
- CHAPTER VIII. THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE GERMAN KINGDOM.
- CHAPTER IX. SAXON AND FRANCONIAN EMPERORS.
- CHAPTER X. STRUGGLE OF THE EMPIRE AND THE PAPACY.
- CHAPTER XI. THE EMPERORS IN ITALY: FREDERICK BARBAROSSA.
- CHAPTER XII. IMPERIAL TITLES AND PRETENSIONS.
- CHAPTER XIII. FALL OF THE HOHENSTAUFEN.
- CHAPTER XIV. THE GERMANIC CONSTITUTION: THE SEVEN ELECTORS.
- CHAPTER XV. THE EMPIRE AS AN INTERNATIONAL POWER.
- CHAPTER XVI. THE CITY OF ROME IN THE MIDDLE AGES.
- CHAPTER XVII. THE RENAISSANCE: CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER OF THE EMPIRE.
- CHAPTER XVIII. THE REFORMATION AND ITS EFFECTS UPON THE EMPIRE.
- CHAPTER XIX. THE PEACE OF WESTPHALIA: LAST STAGE IN THE DECLINE OF THE EMPIRE.
- CHAPTER XX. FALL OF THE EMPIRE.
- CHAPTER XXI. CONCLUSION.
- APPENDIX.
- NOTE A. On the Burgundies.
- NOTE B. On the Relations to the Empire of the Kingdom of Denmark, and the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein.
- NOTE C. On certain Imperial Titles and Ceremonies.
- NOTE D. Lines contrasting the Past and Present of Rome.
- INDEX.
- FOOTNOTES:
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