Why go
The empire is the link between Charlemagne, medieval imperial cities, the Reformation, and the many states that later became Germany. It helps explain why a trip through German regions reveals different rulers, religious histories, and urban traditions rather than one continuous royal capital.
The full story
Charlemagne's Frankish empire was divided after his reign. In the eastern realm, Otto I's imperial coronation in 962 marked the start of a political order that lasted until 1806. The Holy Roman Empire extended beyond today's Germany and changed shape repeatedly. Emperors depended on princes, bishops, and cities whose authority could be substantial. Conflicts over the appointment of church leaders weakened imperial control, while settlement and expansion reshaped eastern territories. The empire was also a setting for cultural change. Johannes Gutenberg's movable-type printing spread texts more widely, and artists including Albrecht Dürer worked in its cities. The Reformation further divided religious allegiance. By the eighteenth century, the empire contained a great number of territories. Austria and Prussia competed for influence within German lands. Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars then transformed the map, and the imperial structure ended in 1806. When visiting historic centres, look for evidence of former civic, princely, and church authority: the varied townscapes are part of this political story.