State
Holy Roman Empire
multi-ethnic complex of territories in Western and Central Europe (800/962–1806)
- This boundary
- 962–1806 CE
- Founded
- 962 CE
- Ended
- 1806
- Capital
- Aachen, Prague, Vienna, Regensburg, Wetzlar
- Government
- elective monarchy, federal monarchy
- Languages
- Latin, German, Italian, Czech, Hungarian, Polish
- Religion
- Catholic Church, Lutheranism, Reformed Christianity
- Preceded by
- Kingdom of GermanyEast Francia
- Succeeded by
- Confederation of the RhineKingdom of PrussiaAustrian Empire
Overview
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity comprising and controlling much of Central Europe and Western Europe, headed by the Holy Roman Emperor and characterized by a decentralized political structure. It developed in the Early Middle Ages (beginning in either 800 or 962), and lasted for a millennium until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. Initially, it consisted of three constituent kingdoms—Germany, Italy, and (from 1032) Burgundy—held together by the emperor's overlordship. By the 15th century, imperial governance had become concentrated in and upon the Kingdom of Germany, as the empire's effective control over Italy and Burgundy had largely disappeared.
All rulers (40)
- Charlemagne800–814 CE
- Charles the Bald875–877 CE
- Guy III of Spoleto889–894 CE
- Lambert II of Spoleto894–898 CE
- Louis the Blind901–905 CE
- Berengar I of Italy915–924 CE
- Otto I the Great962–973 CE
- Otto II973–983 CE
- Otto III996–1002 CE
- Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor1014–1024
- Conrad II1027–1039
- Henry III1046–1056
- Henry IV1084–1106
- Henry V1111–1125
- Lothair III1133–1137
- Frederick Barbarossa1155–1190
- Henry VI1191–1197
- Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor1209–1218
- Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor1220–1250
- Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor1312–1313
- Louis IV of Bavaria1328–1347
- Charles IV1355–1378
- Sigismund1433–1437
- Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor1452–1493
- Maximilian I1508–1519
- Charles V1519–1556
- Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor1556–1564
- Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor1564–1576
- Emperor Rudolf II1576–1612
- Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor1612–1619
- Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor1619–1637
- Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor1637–1657
- Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor1658–1705
- Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor1705–1711
- Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor1711–1740
- Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor1742–1745
- Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor1745–1765
- Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor1765–1790
- Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor1790–1792
- Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor1792–1806
Records (623)
- 844 CE — Battle of ToulouseBattle
- 880 CE — Battle of ThimeonBattle
- 907 CE — Battle of PressburgBattle
- 908 CE — Battle of EisenachBattle
- 919 CE — Battle of PüchenBattle
- 939 CE — Battle of AndernachBattle
- 955 CE — Battle of LechfeldBattle
- 972 CE — Battle of CedyniaBattle · Poland ▸ Germany
- 974 CE — German–Danish War of 974War
- 978–980 CE — Franco-German War of 978–980War
- 982 CE — Battle of StiloBattle
- 983 CE — Battle of BelkesheimBattle · Saxony ▸ Bohemians, Slavs
- 998 CE — Battle of SantAngeloBattle · Germany ▸ Anti-Pope John Crescentius
- 1002–1005 — German–Polish WarWar
- 1003 — Battle of CreussenBattle · Emperor Henry II ▸ Margrave Henry of Schweinfort, Prince Bruno, Ernest of Babenburg
- 1007–1013 — Polish-German WarWar
- 1015 — Battle of FlorennesBattle
- 1015 — Battle of CianiBattle
- 1017 — Siege of NiemczaSiege
- 1018 — Battle of VlaardingenBattle
- 1028–1031 — German–Polish War of 1028-1031War
- 1029 — Siege of BautzenSiege
- 1030–1031 — German–Hungarian WarWar
- 1037 — Siege of MilanSiege
- 1040 — Battle at BrůdekBattle
- 1040 — Battle at ChlumecBattle
- 1041 — Battle of Monte SiricoloBattle · Normans, Lombards ▸ Byzantium
- 1042–1044 — German–Hungarian WarWar
- 1044 — Battle of MénfőBattle
- 1052 — Siege of PozsonySiege
- 1056 — Battle of PritzlawaBattle
- 1060 — Battle of the Theben PassBattle
- 1063 — German invasion of HungaryInvasion
- 1066–1093 — Slavic rebellion of 1066Rebellion
- 1075 — Battle of LangensalzaBattle
- 1075 — Battle of UnstrutBattle · Holy Roman Empire ▸ Saxon Noble Rebels
- 1078 — Battle of MellrichstadtBattle
- 1080 — Battle on the ElsterBattle
- 1080 — Battle of FlarchheimBattle
- 1080 — Battle of Volta MantovanaBattle
- 1080 — Battle of MerseburgBattle · German Empire ▸ Swabia, Zaringen
- 1084 — Sack of RomeBattle
- 1084 — Battle of SorbaraBattle
- 1092 — Battle of BianelloBattle
- 1093 — Battle of SchmilauBattle
- 1096 — Rhineland massacresMassacre
- 1096 — Worms massacreMassacre
- 1096 — Battle of WieselburgBattle · Hungary ▸ Crusaders
- 1101 — Battle of MersivanBattle
- 1101 — Battles of HeracleaBattle
- 1109 — Siege of GłogówSiege
- 1109 — Battle of HundsfeldBattle
- 1109 — German–Polish War of 1109War
- 1113 — Battle of WarmstadtBattle · Germany ▸ Palatinate, Lower Saxony, North Mark, Groitch, Thuringia
- 1114 — Battle of AndernachBattle · German Empire ▸ Dukedom of Saxony, Bishopric of Mainz
- 1115 — Battle of WelfesholzBattle
- 1115 — Battle of WelfesholzeBattle · Saxon Rebels, Thuringian Rebels ▸ Holy Roman Empire
- 1126 — Second Battle of ChlumecBattle
- 1128 — Battle of AlostBattle · William Clito ▸ Theodric of Alsace
- 1141 — Battle of WeinsbergBattle · Conrad Hohenstaufen ▸ Welf of Saxony and Bavaria
- 1147 — Battle of DorylaeumBattle
- 1147 — Battle of ConstantinopleBattle
- 1147 — Battle of LaodiceaBattle
- 1148 — Siege of DamascusBattle
- 1150 — Battle of FlochbergBattle
- 1155 — Siege of TortonaSiege
- 1158 — Siege of MilanSiege
- 1158 — Battle of CassanoBattle · Germany ▸ Milan
- 1159–1214 — Capetian-Plantagenet rivalryWar
- 1159–1160 — Siege of CremaSiege
- 1159 — Battle of SizianoBattle
- 1160 — Battle of CarcanoBattle
- 1161–1162 — Siege of MilanSiege
- 1164 — Battle of VerchenBattle
- 1167 — Battle of Monte PorzioBattle
- 1174–1175 — Siege of AlessandriaSiege
- 1174 — Siege of AnconaSiege
- 1176 — Battle of LegnanoBattle
- 1177 — Battle of SalvoreNaval battle
- 1183 — Peace of ConstanceTreaty
- 1189–1191 — Siege of AcreSiege
- 1190 — Battle of IconiumBattle
- 1190 — Battle of PhilomelionBattle
- 1191 — Siege of NaplesSiege
- 1197–1198 — Siege of ToronSiege
- 1200–1274 — Prussian CrusadeWar
- 1201 — Battle of StellauBattle
- 1206 — Battle of WassenbergBattle
- 1206 — Bruges treaty (1206)Treaty
- 1214 — Battle of BouvinesBattle
- 1218–1219 — Siege of DamiettaSiege
- 1218 — Battle of TrnovoBattle · Ivan Asen ▸ Tsar Boril II
- 1221 — Battle of MansurahBattle
- 1226 — Battle of AvignonBattle · France ▸ Albigensian Heretics
- 1228–1243 — War of the LombardsWar
- 1232 — Battle of AgridiBattle
- 1237 — Battle of CortenuovaBattle
- 1238 — Siege of BresciaSiege
- 1240–1241 — Mongol invasion of PolandWar
- 1240–1241 — Siege of FaenzaSiege
- 1241 — Battle of GiglioNaval battle
- 1243 — Siege of ViterboSiege
- 1246 — Battle of SpelloBattle
- 1248 — Battle of ParmaBattle
- 1249 — Battle of FossaltaBattle
- 1250 — Battle of CingoliBattle
- 1256 — Friso-Hollandic WarsWar
- 1259 — Battle of CassanoBattle · Guelfs ▸ Ghibelines
- 1260 — Battle of MontapertiBattle · Ghibellines ▸ Guelfs
- 1278 — Battle of MarchfeldBattle · Germany, Hungary ▸ Bohemia
- 1288 — Battle of WorringenBattle
- 1289 — Battle of CampaldinoBattle · Florence, Pistoia, Luchese ▸ Arezzo
- 1292 — Battle of WinterthurBattle · Habsburg Empire ▸ Zurich
- 1298 — Battle of GöllheimBattle
- 1298 — Rintfleisch massacresMassacre
- 1298 — Battle of GollheimBattle · Albert of Austria ▸ Adolphus of Nassau
- 1304 — Battle of ZierikseeBattle · France ▸ Flanders
- 1307 — Battle of LuckaBattle
- 1310 — Siege of LyonSiege
- 1313 — Battle of GammelsdorfBattle · Bavaria ▸ Habsburg Empire
- 1315 — Battle of MontecatiniBattle · Germany, Ghibellines, Pisa ▸ Naples, Guelfs, Florence
- 1315 — Battle of MorgartenBattle · Swiss, Bavaria ▸ Austria
- 1318 — Battle of SolothurnBattle · Swiss Burgundian Towns ▸ Duke Leopold of Austria
- 1322 — Battle of MuhldorfBattle · Bavaria ▸ Austria
- 1325 — Battle of AltopascioBattle · Ghibellines ▸ Guelfs
- 1326 — Raid on BrandenburgBattle
- 1339 — Battle of LaupenBattle
- 1339 — Battle of ParabiagoBattle · Milan ▸ Lodrisio Visconti
- 1340 — Siege of TournaiSiege
- 1340 — Battle of FribourgBattle · Bern ▸ Fribourg, Austria, Burgundy
- 1341 — Battle of LuccaBattle · Pisa ▸ Florence
- 1345 — Battle of WarnsBattle
- 1349 — Erfurt massacreMassacre
- 1351 — Battle of ScarperiaBattle · Florence ▸ Milan
- 1352 — Battle of NafelsBattle · Switzerland ▸ Habsburg Empire
- 1356 — Battle of CasorateBattle
- 1371 — Battle of BaesweilerBattle
- 1375 — Battle of FraubrunnenBattle · Switzerland, Bern ▸ Lordship of Coucy, English Mercenaries, French Mercenaries
- 1376 — Battle of UlmBattle · Swabian League ▸ Holy Roman Empire
- 1377 — Battle of ReutlingenBattle · Swabian League ▸ Holy Roman Empire
- 1386 — Battle of SempachBattle · Swiss Confederation ▸ Habsburg Empire
- 1387–1389 — War of the CitiesWar
- 1387 — Battle of CastagnaroBattle · Padua, English Mercenaries ▸ Verona
- 1388 — Battle of DoffingenBattle · German Princes ▸ Swabian League
- 1388 — Battle of NafelsBattle · Switzerland ▸ Habsburg Empire
- 1389–1396 — Hungarian–Ottoman WarWar
- 1391 — Battle of CastellazzoBattle · Milan ▸ County of Armagnac, English Mercenaries
- 1393 — Siege of Castle AltenaSiege
- 1394 — Battle of BeraunBattle · Margravate of Moravia and Brandernburg ▸ Kingdom of Germany
- 1401 — Battle of BresciaBattle · Milan ▸ Germany, Florence
- 1403 — Battle of SpeicherBattle · Schwyz, Glarus, Appenzell ▸ Habsburg Empire
- 1405 — Battle of StossBattle · Switzerland ▸ Habsburg Empire
- 1406 — Battle of PisaBattle · Florence ▸ Pisa
- 1408 — Battle of BregenzBattle · Habsburg Empire ▸ Switzerland
- 1408 — Battle of OtheeBattle · Duchy of Burgundy ▸ Liege
- 1410 — Battle of TannenbergBattle · Poland, Lithuania ▸ Teutonic Knights
- 1416 — Battle of RakersbergBattle · Holy Roman Empire ▸ Ottoman Empire
- 1419 — Battle of NekmířBattle
- 1419–1420 — Battle of VyšehradBattle
- 1419 — Battle of ŽivohošťBattle
- 1420 — Battle of Vítkov HillBattle
- 1420 — Battle of SudoměřBattle
- 1421 — Battle of Kutná HoraBattle
- 1421 — Battle of BrüxBattle
- 1422 — Battle of NebovidyBattle
- 1422 — Battle of DeutschbrodBattle
- 1422 — Battle of ArbedoBattle · Milan ▸ Switzerland
- 1426 — Battle of AussigBattle
- 1426 — Battle of BresciaBattle · Venice, Florence ▸ Milan
- 1427 — Battle of TachovBattle
- 1427 — Battle of Casa-al-SeccoBattle · Milan ▸ Venice, Florence
- 1427 — Battle of GottolengoBattle
- 1427 — Battle of MaclodioBattle · Venice ▸ Milan
- 1427 — Battle of ZwettlBattle · Hussites ▸ Habsburg Empire
- 1428 — Battle of KratzauBattle
- 1431 — Battle of DomažliceBattle
- 1431 — Battle of WaidhofenBattle
- 1431 — Battle of BulgnevilleBattle · Rene of Anjou ▸ Antoine de Vaudement
- 1431 — Battle of CremonaBattle · Milan ▸ Venice
- 1431 — Battle of DomazliceBattle · Polish Hussites ▸ German Crusaders
- 1433 — Battle of HiltersriedBattle
- 1433–1434 — Siege of PilsenBattle
- 1434 — Battle of LipanyBattle · Utraquist Hussites, Catholics ▸ Taborite Hussites
- 1435 — Battle of KretschBattle
- 1438 — Battle of SellnitzBattle
- 1438–1443 — Habsburg-Celje WarWar
- 1440 — Battle of AnghiariBattle · Florence, Papal States ▸ Milan
- 1442 — Siege of LaibachSiege
- 1443 — Battle of St Jakob on the SihlBattle · Swiss Forest Cantons, Glarus ▸ Zurich
- 1444 — Battle of St Jakob en BirsBattle · Armagnac Mercenaries, France ▸ Swiss Confederation
- 1449 — Battle of BorgomaneroBattle · Milan ▸ Savoy
- 1449 — Battle of MilanBattle · Francesco Sforza ▸ Milan
- 1451 — Battle of LucenecBattle · King Ladislav IV ▸ Regent Jan Hunyadi
- 1451 — Battle of SzentkiralyBattle · General Jan Jiskraz ▸ Regent Janos Hunyadi
- 1456 — Battle of BelgradeBattle · Hungary ▸ Ottoman Empire
- 1462 — Battle of SeckenheimBattle
- 1463 — Peace Treaty of Wiener NeustadtTreaty
- 1467 — Battle of BrusthemBattle · Dukedom of Burgundy ▸ Rebels of Liege
- 1468 — Battle of LiegeBattle · France, Burgundy ▸ Liegois Rebels
- 1473–1480 — Cologne Diocesan FeudWar
- 1474 — Silesian War (1474)War
- 1476 — Battle of GrandsonBattle · Swiss Confederation ▸ Burgundy
- 1477–1488 — Austrian–Hungarian WarWar
- 1482 — Siege of HainburgSiege
- 1484 — Battle of LeitzersdorfBattle
- 1485 — Siege of ViennaSiege
- 1486 — Siege of RetzSiege
- 1487–1491 — French–Breton WarWar
- 1487 — Siege of Wiener NeustadtSiege
- 1488–1490 — Frans van Brederode's rebellion of 1488–1490Rebellion
- 1492 — Peace of DoncheryTreaty
- 1499 — Battle of DornachBattle
- 1499 — Battle of FrastenzBattle · Switzerland ▸ Swabian League
- 1499 — Battle of HardBattle · Switzerland ▸ Swabian League
- 1499 — Battle of TriesenBattle · Switzerland ▸ Swabian League
- 1508–1516 — War of the League of CambraiWar
- 1508 — Battle of CadoreBattle
- 1508 — Invasion of CadoreInvasion
- 1509 — Siege of PaduaSiege
- 1509 — Battle of the citadel of VicenzaBattle
- 1510–1517 — Venetian campaigns in Val VestinoCampaign
- 1511 — Siege of TréviseSiege
- 1511 — Siege of TrevisoSiege
- 1511 — Battle of MirandolaBattle · Papal States, Venice ▸ France
- 1513 — Battle of GuinegateBattle
- 1513 — Battle of La MottaBattle
- 1513 — Siege of DijonSiege
- 1516 — Siege of AsolaSiege
- 1520–1523 — Knights' WarWar
- 1521–1526 — Italian War of 1521–1526War
- 1521 — Siege of MézièresSiege
- 1521 — Siege of TournaiSiege
- 1521–1526 — Hungarian–Ottoman WarWar
- 1523 — Siege of MilanSiege
- 1525 — Battle of FrankenhausenBattle
- 1525 — Battle of KönigshofenBattle
- 1525 — Battle of BoblingenBattle · German Lords ▸ German peasants
- 1525 — Battle of FrauenbergBattle · Wurzburg and Franconia ▸ German peasant rebels
- 1525 — Battle of KemptenBattle · German aristocrats ▸ German peasants
- 1525 — Battle of KonigshofenBattle · Georg Truchsess von Waldburg ▸ Rebel Peasants
- 1525 — Battle of LeipheimBattle · Catholic Army ▸ German Peasant Rebels
- 1525 — Battle of WeinsbergBattle · Franconian Peasants ▸ Count Ludwig von Helfstein
- 1525 — Battle of ZabernBattle · Duke Antoine of Lorraine ▸ German peasant rebels
- 1526–1530 — War of the League of CognacWar
- 1526 — Battle of GovernoloBattle
- 1527 — Sack of Rome, 1527Siege
- 1527 — Battle of TarcalBattle
- 1528 — Battle of SzinaBattle
- 1529 — First Turkish Siege of ViennaSiege
- 1529 — treaty of CambraiTreaty
- 1529 — Balkan campaign of 1529War
- 1529 — Battle of LandrianoBattle
- 1530 — Battle of GavinanaBattle
- 1532 — Battle of LeobersdorfBattle
- 1534–1535 — Münster rebellionRebellion
- 1537 — Battle of ĐakovoBattle
- 1541 — Siege of BudaSiege
- 1542–1546 — Italian War of 1542–46 Un penesoteWar
- 1544 — Battle of CeresoleBattle
- 1544 — Battle of SerravalleBattle
- 1546–1547 — Schmalkaldic WarWar
- 1547 — Battle of MühlbergBattle
- 1547 — Battle of DrakenburgBattle
- 1552 — Princes' RevoltRebellion
- 1552 — Battle of SzegedBattle
- 1553 — Siege of MetzSiege
- 1553 — Siege of HofSiege
- 1553 — Siege of ThérouanneSiege
- 1553 — Battle of SieveshausenBattle · Saxony ▸ Brandenburg
- 1554 — Battle of RentyBattle
- 1554 — Battle of SienaBattle · Habsburg Empire ▸ France, Siena
- 1555 — Peace of AugsburgTreaty
- 1558 — Siege of ThionvilleSiege
- 1568 — Battle of JemmingenBattle · Spain ▸ Netherlands
- 1579 — Battle of MaastrichtBattle · Spain ▸ Netherlands
- 1583 — Siege of GodesbergSiege
- 1586 — Destruction of NeussBattle
- 1586 — Junkersdorf massacreMassacre
- 1593–1606 — Long WarWar
- 1593 — Battle of SisakBattle
- 1593 — Battle of SzékesfehérvárBattle
- 1601 — Siege of NagykanizsaSiege
- 1601 — Siege of SzékesfehérvárSiege
- 1605 — Battle of MulheimBattle · Spain ▸ Netherlands
- 1615–1617 — Uskok WarWar
- 1618 — Siege of PilsenBattle
- 1618–1639 — Bündner WirrenWar
- 1618 — Battle of LomniceBattle
- 1619 — Battle of SablatBattle
- 1619 — Battle of WisternitzBattle
- 1619 — Siege of ViennaSiege
- 1620 — Battle of White MountainBattle
- 1620–1623 — Palatinate campaignCampaign
- 1620 — Battle of RakovníkBattle
- 1621 — Battle of Neu TitscheinBattle
- 1622 — Battle of WimpfenBattle
- 1622 — Battle of MingolsheimBattle
- 1622 — Battle of FleurusBattle
- 1622 — Battle of HöchstBattle
- 1622 — Siege of HeidelbergSiege
Facts from Wikidata (CC0), HCED (CC0) and Cliopatria (CC BY 4.0); overview excerpted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).