Sacro Império Romano-Germânico (First Reich) (nov 9, 962 – feb 20, 1806)

Description:

The Holy Roman Empire (Latin: Sacrum Romanum Imperium; German: Heiliges Römisches Reich) was a multi-ethnic complex of territories in Western and Central Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.[3] The largest territory of the empire after 962 was the Kingdom of Germany, though it also came to include the neighboring Kingdom of Bohemia, the Kingdom of Burgundy, the Kingdom of Italy, and numerous other territories.

Back in the year 800, the Pope of the Catholic Church appointed Frankish King Charlemagne the new "Emperor" of Rome as an offence to the Byzantines due to terrible relations that had broke down between the Pope and the Byzantine Empire. This position of Emperor was passed down through Charlemagne's descendents, and after the three-way split of the Frankish Empire the crown was disputed by different rulers in Middle Francia and eventually the Kingdom of Italy. By the 960s the King of East Francia, named Otto was convinced he was the rightful ruler of any "Roman Empire" that existed. He associated himself with the Catholic Church in Italy and eventually in 962 Pope John XII crowned Otto as the new Emperor of Rome.

Otto immediately became ruler of a loose confederation of hundreds of Germanic territories and small kingdoms including those of what-is-now Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, and the northern half of Italy. This new political state was termed the "Holy Roman Empire".

The office of Holy Roman Emperor was traditionally elective, although frequently controlled by dynasties.

The empire never achieved the extent of political unification as was formed to the west in France, evolving instead into a decentralized, limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of sub-units: kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, prince-bishoprics, Free Imperial Cities, and other domains.[6][15] The power of the emperor was limited, and while the various princes, lords, bishops, and cities of the empire were vassals who owed the emperor their allegiance, they also possessed an extent of privileges that gave them de facto independence within their territories. Emperor Francis II dissolved the empire on 6 August 1806 following the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine by emperor Napoleon I the month before.

- Precedido por: 1) Reino da Germânia, 2) Reino Itálico
- Sucedido por: 1) Antiga Confederação Helvética, 2) República das Sete Províncias Unidas dos Países Baixos, 3) Confederação do Reno, 4) Império Austríaco, 5) Primeiro Império Francês, 6) Reino da Prússia

IMPERADOR
O imperador era escolhido por um grupo de príncipes posteriormente conhecidos como príncipes-eleitores, mas, até a sua coroação pelo Papa em Roma, ostentava apenas o título de Rei dos Romanos (Rex Romanorum). Ao receber a coroa imperial, o imperador mantinha o título de rei (título este com funções dadas pelo direito feudal).

O título de imperador tinha conotações religiosas, o que sugeria uma obrigação de proteger a Igreja Católica (o próprio Carlos Magno se arrogava a suprema chefia da Igreja, recebida com o título imperial).

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