Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a German-based empire in western and central Europe that began in A.D. 962 and lasted until 1806. It was associated with the Roman Catholic Church but often suffered because of disputes between the Holy Roman emperors and the popes. The powerful Habsburg (also spelled Hapsburg) family ruled the empire for nearly 400 years.
From the start, the empire faced serious problems. The emperor's authority was often challenged by powerful German nobles and unfriendly popes. The emperor's difficulties were made worse because he was chosen by election. Until the mid-1400's, strong nobles often disputed the election results, and these challenges sometimes led to civil war. Before 1500, the great size of the empire also made it difficult for the emperors to rule it effectively.
Problems with the popes began in the mid-1000's, when Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII tried to establish authority over each other. Popes and the emperors fought for authority until 1250, when Pope Innocent IV and the Italian city-states gained almost complete independence from the empire.
Excerpt adapted from the "Holy Roman Empire" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999