The Holy Roman Empire

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This annotation presents a fresh interpretation of the Holy Roman Empire, challenging the notion that it was a failed state. Emerging in the Middle Ages as a loosely integrated union of German states under an emperor, the empire formalized around 1500 with key institutions like the Reichstag and Imperial Chamber Court, which persisted until its dissolution by Napoleon in 1806. Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger offers a concise history that reexamines the empire's political culture and enduring institutions. Instead of comparing it to modern states or entities like the European Union, she highlights its unique characteristics: lacking a standing army, clear boundaries, general taxation, or bureaucracy. The empire functioned as a heterogeneous association grounded in tradition and shared purpose, held together by personal loyalty and rituals. Spanning three centuries, the narrative covers significant events from the sixteenth-century reform era to the Reformation crisis, the consolidation of the Peace of Augsburg, the devastation of the Thirty Years' War, and the conflict between Austria and Prussia, culminating in the empire's decline during the French Revolution. This authoritative yet accessible work serves as an exceptional introduction to this pivotal period in European history.