Only a few empires in history have risen from the ashes to glory, and the Holy Roman Empire is one of them. Despite its prominence that lasted for around 1000 years, only a few know about this massive empire, which is also one of the greatest empires in history.
Though there’s a lot of scattered information available on the internet, it can be challenging to learn about the Holy Roman Empire in a short period. Therefore here’s some brief information showing a glimpse of this colossal empire.
From the holy roman empire flag to how it all ended, here are four essential things you should know about the Holy Roman empire.
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Name and Origin
The holy roman empire was established by German kings in central and western Europe. It was established in A. D. 500 and lasted till 1450. It was called ‘Holy’ because the emperors said God had established it.
It was called ‘Roman’ because the founding leaders thought of it as a successor to the great ancient Roman Empire, which existed from 27 B. C. to A. D. 476. It once ruled the entire region around the Mediterranean Sea, and the leaders had the same vision for the Holy Roman empire.
Who were Charlemagne and Otto I?
Charlemagne and Otto I are two of the most influential figures in the history of the Holy Roman empire. Many historians consider Charlemagne the founder of the holy roman empire because Pope Leo III crowned him as the Great Emperor of Romans on Christmas Day in A. D. 800.
He was a king of a Germanic tribe called Franks, which lived in western Europe. After the death of Charlemagne in A. D. 814, the title Roman Emperor lost its prominence until Otto I came forward.
Otto I reestablished the Roman empire after more than 100 years. He was crowned as king of Germans in his coronation ceremony held in Aachen in 936. He continued to work on his father, Henry the Fowler’s vision of uniting all German tribes into one kingdom.
The noblemen and dukes who supported his claim to the throne later revolted against him, and he spent his life fighting the rebels. The reason behind the rebellion was believed to be Otto’s appointment of family members in important positions in his kingdom, which significantly reduced the rights of various Dukes who once were equal to the king.
The Holy Roman Empire flag
The Holy Roman Empire flag was an imperial banner used by Roman emperors. It had a black eagle on the golden background. In the early 14th century, the color of the beak and claws were changed to red. Later in the 15th century, the single-headed eagle was replaced by a double-headed eagle.
Many people still use the flags for decoration purposes and flag collectors. You can purchase from an online flag store that sells high-quality Holy Roman Emperor’s Imperial Banners or flags.
Legacy of the Roman Empire
The French ruler Napoleon Bonaparte named himself the successor of Charlemagne. He forced the dissolution of the Roman Empire, making Francis II the last Holy Roman Emperor.
The concept behind the Holy Roman Empire is also compared to the modern European Union, which aspires to bring all the countries in the European Union under one umbrella.