Remembering The Holy Roman Empire

On the subject of Nuremberg today how about a look back at the Holy Roman Empire. While it was not an "empire", in the traditional sense, it has had a tremendous influence on history simply because it lasted for a thousand years. 

It was formed by the Catholic Church in an effort to rein in the wayward eastern Christians, who would later split away to form the Eastern Orthodox Church. Charlemagne was crowned as it's first emperor on Christmas day of the year 800. The Holy Roman Empire would last until finally brought to an end by the conquests of Napoleon.

But it grew beyond the control of the pope and, if anything, was more of a rival to the Catholic Church than an ally. I consider it as no coincidence that the Protestant Reformation, which split the Catholic Church, began in the heart of the Holy Roman Empire. It's boundaries fluctuated and, despite the name, usually didn't include Rome. It didn't have an official capital but if any city can be described as the heart of the Holy Roman Empire it was Nuremberg.

Here is a link to the posting "The Far-Reaching Legacy Of The Holy Roman Empire":

www.markmeeksideas.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-far-reaching-legacy-of-holy-roman.html?m=0