How did the Holy Roman Empire Work? (Short Animated Documentary)

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anon
How did the Holy Roman Empire work? It was an antiquated mess but it did have a system of government that did work. Sort of. If everyone felt like it.
Sources:
Prussia's Relations with the Holy Roman Empire, 1740-1786 by Peter H. Wilson.
Benjamin Franklin, Student of the Holy Roman Empire: His Summer Journey to Germany in 1766 and His Interest in the Empire's Federal Constitution by Jürgen Overhoff.
The Constitution of the Holy Roman Empire after 1648: Samuel Pufendorf's Assessment in His Monzambano by Peter Schröder.
Bolstering the Prestige of the Habsburgs: The End of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 by Peter H. Wilson.

[@Wanderer628]

As strange as the whole concept was the fact it lasted a thousand years is extremely impressive.

[@aoikemono6414]

It reminds me of when smaller fish swim together so they look bigger and more menacing. Scary from a distance but once you got close and attacked, they will all scatter. So it's basically NATO...

[@manu3733]

It was a lot more unified for most of its history. He picked the HRE at its weakest and most disunified, not long before it'd collapse altogether.

[@sanches9227]

@Nunya Business If thats the case the US is megalodon.

[@andypunkrocker]

The republic of Venice last more than a thousand years

[@maximilianolimamoreira5002]

@@andypunkrockersí, pero, la República de Venecia era mucho menos desorganizada que el Sacro imperio, y tuvieron provincias ultramarinas, una cosa que otros países no podrían tener, con tanta facilidad.

[@Ivan-fn8bf]

Must've been a pain in the ass to colour the HRE map

[@fristnamelastname5549]

It looks like someone throw up.

[@alfredthegreatkingofwessex6838]

I’ve Been laughing at your profile picture and profile name for about two minutes now

[@johannes7238]

@@alfredthegreatkingofwessex6838 But doesn't he have a little too few chins for it to be funny?

[@bigpopparasta8133]

Chinohito I see you’re a HOI4 man of bad AI

[@will6412]

hiss hiss this is Snek yes

[@bandie9101]

"How did the Holy Roman Empire Work?" "It did not." "I hope you enjoyed this episode and thank you for watching and ...."

[@brunitoforrester]

good one

[@TheSci-fiAnarchist42]

That would have made for a great April fools joke. 😄😄

[@DaDunge]

The Holy roman empire was one f the best functioning states in Europe for the first half of it's existence it only became a mess with the advent of the interregnum.

[@johnlewis3891]

@@DaDunge It stop functioning well since the death of the Frederick II in 1250s. After that, the imperial authority was weakened.

[@DaDunge]

@@johnlewis3891 Yes? His death starts the Interregnum which is what I said.

[@rakhafitra8607]

I'm honestly amazed that the HRE was able to make that system work in a time when information travels slowly.

[@navilluscire2567]

That might've actually helped it last as long as it did, information about changes to laws, and especially economic related issues took time to be implemented which caused a gradual change that wasn't too disruptive to the state's apparatuses and its vassals.

[@karlscher5170]

The system didn't work and that was the whole point of it. The Empire was effectively dissolved in 1648

[@johnlewis3891]

That's why they limited their electors to 7. Before the, all princes had the right to vote, which was problematic when you have hundreds of sovereign counts, landgraves, burgraves, margraves, and dukes.

[@EEEEEEEE]

‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎E‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎

[@davidento9611]

Slowly, yes, but not that slow that it would be crippling the whole country. If there was any information that needed to be shared quickly, it would take a maximum of up to a week before all the important people got it. Rested horses can travel insanely fast, and the messengers would pass regular checkpoints with fresh horses waiting for them. And a week was nothing for a world that functioned much slower than what we are used to today.

[@OctagonDinosaur]

Isn't it obvious? You need 50 imperial authority in order to pass reforms.

[@Muhammed552]

LOL cost too much

[@alexfreestyleboy]

My man!

[@eniotanaka2229]

Just abdicate often and you got it

[@burunyaa331]

Is that motherfucking Eu IV reference

[@someinsignificantguy4433]

@Kaiser Wilhelm II but you are a Hohenzollern prussian. So just fuck the emporer and unite Germany by conquest. Thats so boring, because nobody can defeat you...

[@overvieweffect9034]

me before watching the video: "HOW did the Holy Roman Empire Work?" after watching the video: "How did the Holy Roman Empire WORK?"

[@alejandroojeda1572]

the Austrian army Mantained "everyone" in check. That's the most conclusive answer

[@roodborstkalf9664]

It worked better then was suggested in this video. Otherwise it couldn't have lasted for 850 years. My prediction is that the United States of America is not around anymore in the year 2625.

[@adrianatgaming8640]

@@roodborstkalf9664 it could become just as decentralized.

[@thefirstprimariscatosicari6870]

@@roodborstkalf9664 It only lasted so long because its neighbours were busy fighting each other and only occasionally took chunks out of it. As you can see from different maps the HRE only ever shrank, never expanding after the very first few centuries.

[@rationalroundhead6739]

@@thefirstprimariscatosicari6870 After the very first few whatnow? *Centuries* sounds like quite a bit of time to be expanding in.

[@nate742]

Napoleon, 1806: “Wait a minute...This whole thing is Stupid!!!” *HRE has been removed from chat*

[@thunderbird1921]

What's funny is that Francis dissolved the HRE partially because he feared Napoleon would just claim the title for himself. Regardless, the system was pretty much a mess from the beginning. Westphalia being carved out of Germanic and central European land (with Napoleon's younger brother Jerome made its king) basically did it in.

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@thunderbird1921 Well technically it still exists since the Emperor does not have the Constitutional Power to dissolve it. So any Baptised person is a Citizen of the Roman Empire.

[@gutsjoestar7450]

the Austrian called France ennemy humanity in the declaration of the 7th coalition in 1815

[@johnnotrealname8168]

@@gutsjoestar7450 I think it was Napoleon they were worried about.

[@Rauruatreides]

@@johnnotrealname8168 then again, even the Pope isn't really into it any more. Also, when you mean baptized you mean baptized under Catholicism, since y'know, the HRE was Catholic based, and all those Protestants weren't the best for them.

[@mr.markofski4267]

The HRE is the epitome of life: fumbling your way through and somehow barely manage to make it

[@gandalf_thegrey]

And it feels like a thousand years... Wait

[@vincentmalasawmkimajongte7489]

That's a strangely wholesome way to describe it

[@morfy3313]

Then get killed by a Frenchman born in Corsica.

[@ritikshaw5868]

@@morfy3313 French speaking Italian, born in Corsica.* >:(

[@sovietunion7643]

sounds like my highschool experience

[@manuelxcool1997]

Which political system do you prefer? Feudalism Democracy Absolute Monarchy Holy Roman Empire : Yes

[@OHYS]

This comment deserves way more than 9 likes

[@strikefall2218]

Feudalism isnt a political system but more of an economic once that coincides with the monarchy and the nobles in the Middle Ages but ok

[@LuckyBird551]

@@strikefall2218 So is socialism, but people keep saying it is a political system even if it is an economic system. People tend to confuse terms all the time, like the whole theory and hypothesis thing.

[@strikefall2218]

@@LuckyBird551 Those that i have found that confuse Socialism as political are either Social Dems or people who think anything Socialism is Communist, and Communism does have a lot of political aspects to it. Although Socialism and Communism are not the same thing.

[@manuelxcool1997]

@@strikefall2218 oh ok, thanks for correcting me

[@silas__3994]

Title should be, how did the l͟a͟t͟e HRE work. The first few hundred years were much less decentralized, meaning the country could wage wars, also at that point the emperor wasn't just Austria every time.

[@daanwillemsen223]

Important tipping point was the Treaty of Westphalia

[@silas__3994]

@@daanwillemsen223 i agree, the reformation in general weakened the unity by a ton.

[@sephikong8323]

Although it is important to remind that from the XIIIth century and onward the empire was already heavily decentralised and the importance of the Emperor was already declining quite a lot, but it still had a semblance of still being a State before the reformation

[@marvelfannumber1]

@@silas__3994 Although I think the main thing that really weakened the position of Emperor, and which caused the Empire to become so decentralized was due to the lack of many long lasting dynasties early on. The Ottonians were off to a good start in the 10th Century, but then Otto III died suddenly in 1002 at the age of 21 and for a few years there simply wasn't an Emperor. Then after a few years of conflict Henry II, Otto's cousin was made Emperor, but he too died without any children. Things got a bit more stable again under the Salians, however after Henry V died a series of different dynasties fought over the title with numerous interregnums inbetween. As a result, the local nobles learned to take care of themselves without the Emperor, and often didn't even bother choosing a new one. Compare this to France, which had one single, unbroken dynasty since Hugh Capet in the 10th Century until the French Revolution.

[@jonas1015119]

@@daanwillemsen223 though the treaty only ratified what had basically been political reality before, central authority arguably declined starting with the failed ambitions of Charles V. in the 1550s.

[@auraguard0212]

Short Answer: It didn't. Long Answer: The Imperial Eagle was awesome so there's that.

[@coneinggaming6285]

Facts

[@henrik3291]

Came here for this comment

[@USSFFRU]

The Imperial Eagle was so good it kept the Empire united

[@jcsgodmother]

We have a pretty neat bald eagle and our system doesn't work either.

[@arielquelme]

Cool Answer:"Holy Roman" Sounds like badass Warhammer Marine's chapter... I mean, Holy Cow..

[@mardasman428]

It depends on the time. During medieval times the HRE emperor was pretty powerful as a collection of lordships that were somewhat loyal to the emperor, but after the 30-years war he and the HRE structure became almost completely irrelevant, as the religious divisions made the HRE divided and weak.

[@nicolasmarazuela1010]

And the War of the Austrian Succession got rid of the last power.

[@tiringsarcasm]

The power of the HRE as a whole generally grows in power the farther back in time you go.

[@garybessey2184]

Irrelevant notes: 1) The HRE was not necessarily holy. 2) The HRE was not Roman. 3) The HRE was not an empire, as such. Other than that, it was pretty much as it was.

[@mardasman428]

@@garybessey2184 I know. The name only exists because the corrupt popes of the 9th and 10th centuries wanted to become powerful landholders in their own right and needed an ally to give that to them. This ally was a powerful German king called Otto, who fought the Pope's enemies and therefore got this interesting title from the Pope in exchange, thus serving as proof of legitimacy. It is quite laughable and ironic considering that the one who gave away this "holy Roman" title was the religious leader of Rome, while the area it now referred to was none of these three things (maybe apart from the "Empire" thing).

[@robinrehlinghaus1944]

Stop with this Voltaire BS

[@pridelander06]

Did the Holy Roman Empire work? Well yes, but actually no.

[@norr0513]

Mr. P. Enis I was thinking how democratic the voting system was, I just thought Austrians with inbreeding and bribing took majority

[@BLGStudios]

There is no way to explain this in 10 minutes -Quotes by BLGstudios

[@mike3816]

Well yes, but actually who

[@anathemebouffon5983]

What Napoleon did was an act of mecry

[@robertrichard6107]

No, Captain Von Trapp could never get his sea vessel deployed quick enough for gun boat diplomacy because he was propagating up in his mountain estate.

[@loganliss3123]

_I love Germany so much, I prefer to see 1000 of them!_

[@loganliss3123]

You get the point

[@Austrian_Butcher]

Didn't you just say a sentence from an Italian prime Minister "I like Germany So much, I like to see 2 of them"?

[@loganliss3123]

Yes I was referring to that quote

[@Stardust_262]

Österreichischer Patriot You love Germany 3000

[@Austrian_Butcher]

@@Stardust_262 nah I only would want it if Austria would be OME the most powerful of them again.

[@karunyaasribashyam1465]

So wholesome that Napoleon is waving goodbye to an episode about the HRE

[@DENVEROUTDOORMAN]

Nope

[@noujaadw]

When the Habsburg territories were split in 1558 the Netherlands went to the Spanish branch, however the Spanish Netherlands continued to be a part of the HRE, and in their role as the Count of Flanders, Namur, etc. The Spanish Habsburgs were vassals to the HRE. Although Spain itself wasn't a vassal. Therefore when the Dutch revolt happened they were not technically rebelling against the Spanish crown. Just against Phillip II who also happened to be King of Spain.

[@charito1595]

I'm betting that 50% of the work put into this video was to accurately display the HRE then giving up and combining many of the smaller states.

[@gggggggggggggggggg161]

I bet the oxygen reaching your brain is down to 50% when I see your profile pic ;)

[@ericr.malice318]

@@gggggggggggggggggg161 wait, do you think that's the flag of the third reich? Lol, that's just the German Empire with the Iron Cross in the middle. What's your issue with that?

[@jerreu7136]

@@ericr.malice318 It is the flag of the also genocidal German Empire/Kaiserreich which had a great deal to do with the escalating of WWI and which is today used by neo-nazis and so called Reichsbürgern, who are far right conspiracy mythologists, who say that the Federal Republic of Germany doesn't exist because there is no peace treaty with the former allies and other BS. Now the Iron cross is still used in the Bundeswehr, but in combination with the Tricolor of black, white and red, it clearly represents monarchist views, that in the Weimarer Republic were held by right nationalists, such as the DNVP an ally of the NSDAP and which nowadays are held by neo facists and those who don't want to be seen as such but are.

[@ericr.malice318]

@@jerreu7136 they are just twisting the symbol's meaning.

[@Janoip]

@@gggggggggggggggggg161 Shut up

[@thomasturner6980]

Still acted more like the Roman empire than whatever Mussolini was trying to do

[@trlacr1781]

You really are everywhere

[@bogdanbogdanoff5164]

>not holy >not roman >nor an empire ok sweaty

[@vampirevore]

@@thyme8668 how do you quantify holiness anyway

[@gray15780]

Actually it was the Roman empire.

[@vampirevore]

@@gray15780 the roman empire died hundreds of years before the hre died, but it was alive and well when the hre was founded, just based out of constantinople and missing its historic western territories

[@ashleyfestoso4195]

So how many kingdoms are in your empire? HRE: Yes

[@salami_boi3169]

only 1 actually, or 2 depending on the year.

[@DaisyGeekyTransGirl]

I’m surprised this video was only four minutes and not a return to Ten Minute History given how fiendishly complicated this empire is.

[@rfij3268]

"It Just Works"- Charles V.

[@afiffarhati4580]

*KINGU KURIMESON!!!*

[@MikoyanGurevichMiG21]

16 times the taxation!

[@economicapple2609]

Or carlos the first

[@olaff9771]

I'm will become a Holy roman Emperor and everyone will respect me, they were like you dork go back to Spain, who's laughing now? Yes i was the King of Spain.

[@rfij3268]

@@olaff9771 - Todd V of Howard

[@alejandroojeda1572]

"Whose task It was, as prevoously said, to be bribed by the Habsburgs into electing them as emperor" pretty neat 🤣🤣🤣

[@comradneptic4740]

Wish I could have such a task irl, just chill an dbe paid to vote some jobbo who wants to be a ruler with bare minimum authority xD

[@captaincookie2785]

Timestamp for ya: 2:14

[@johnlewis3891]

@@comradneptic4740 I agree. I'd rather be an Elector-prince, ruling my principality and taking bribes for votes, than have to deal with the struggles that came with the imperial 👑.

[@toastbreadz1831]

When you let ai take control of peace treaties on hoi4

[@geoofficial1]

“How did the HRE Work?” “It didn’t.” “I hope you enjoyed this video, thank you for watching and special thanks to James Bisonette and Kelly Moneymaker.”

[@PhadexLXIV_Greece]

Kek

[@ACreative_name]

"Rob water house james, sky shepal, ...."

[@dio609]

It wasn't Holy It wasn't Roman And it wasn't an Empire

[@ACreative_name]

@@dio609 yes since it was actually Unholy Germanic And a Confederation Basically the exact opposite

[@mimamo]

​@@ACreative_name What is "unholy" even supposed to mean? Was it anti-Christian, Satanic? That's nonsense. It was called "holy", because the Pope crowned the Emperor and the Catholic Church held a lot of power in it. To this day Germans have to pay taxes to the church, unless they officially declare they quit the church. Voltaire's silly "It wasn't holy, it wasn't..." is one of history's most ignorant quotes. No wonder, he was French and wanted to malign and mock it.

[@vojintres7181]

No wonder Emperor didn't have authority, since he can't get any Authority from Heretical Princes and the number of Princes.

[@jamesquinton7070]

vojintres eu4😂

[@treerat7631]

The empoer was basically a furiger head that was not able too do anything because the prices had too agree too it . Not HRE has 100's of states

[@aq8048]

tree rat76 Someone doesn’t play EU4

[@treerat7631]

@@aq8048 I dont play game

[@aq8048]

@@treerat7631 That's why you didn't understand the original post

[@genghiskhan5701]

HRE 1800:Who are you? HRE 1200: I am you but is actually an effective state

[@Gentleman...Driver]

Not really.

[@chcookie7890]

Hmm maybe not in the 13. century but the Otto-family did a pretty good job^^

[@jonakolbe4120]

@@chcookie7890 yeah and as soon as the austrians took over it all started to fall apart

[@DonMadruga72]

Austria is very professional in destroying Germany

[@iafozzac]

@Renan_PS dude, be real, it doesn't even make it to the top 10. There are the actual Roman Empire at its peak, various Chinese dynasties, the French, Spanish, Portuguese, and English colonial empires, the US and USSR in recent history, the ancient Persian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the empire of Alexander the Great And you're trying to tell me that the early HRE was more powerful than all of those?

[@jirrocapillo8767]

"Its long term weakness is not all to surprising." *shows Napoleon in the background*

[@thebigmanskeet6969]

"How did the HRE work?" Me: From my personal experience as an amateur CK player, I just let my vassals do whatever they want.

[@rickstinkt9930]

EU4 did a pretty good job at making this in-game

[@DanierCZ]

Rick stinkt At least in the later years... early on it is a bit too decentralised... But I agree otherwise

[@YagizBagdatli]

Couldve been much more complicated like Real life

[@johanrosenberg6342]

It's crazy really. Like sure, the game is based on history, but it must have been abstracted quite a bit, right? And the way they got certain details correct just feels erie to me for some reason. Maybe it's because it makes you question the accuracy of other mechanics?

[@EpikGoat]

Ngl not a big fan of eu4. I like a lot of paradox games just not eu4

[@zucced2087]

@@johanrosenberg6342 certain details like what? I'm curious.

[@AJMerrick]

How this clusterfuck survived for so long is amazing

[@freekmulder3662]

Wasn't a clusterfuck for about 600 years. The rest are amazing though

[@minatodroger7890]

When it started it was simple then yea it boggles the mind even napolean had to say nah fuck this.

[@miguelmontenegro3520]

Nothing with the name Roman in It goes down easely without a fight

[@haldir3120]

For the first couple of hundred years the map looked completely different. You had way less dutchies with separation based on the different tribes. With time the difference in the versions of German started to dimish and the 12 century a process of territorialisation started where borders were not anymore limited to tribial affiliations.

[@haldir3120]

For the first couple of hundred years the map looked completely different. You had way less dutchies with separation based on the different tribes. With time the difference in the versions of German started to dimish and the 12 century a process of territorialisation started where borders were not anymore limited to tribial affiliations.

[@CaptainBohnenbrot]

Talking about the HRE after the 30 years war is like talking about the black death of today. Of course it's still there, and it's kind of interesting, but that's not really what you wanted to hear about, is it?

[@jwil4286]

Quick nitpick: George III was king of Great Britain and King of Ireland in the late 1700s; the U.K. didn’t exist until the 19th century.

[@isaacrandomrussell5630]

The 19th century, or the 1900’s? Because the 19th century is actually the 1800’s, so you would say the 20th century.

[@jwil4286]

The 1800s.

[@xhosagibran370]

“Elections weren’t opened to the public because that would be silly”. It’s sad but true.

[@flamesofchaos13]

@@primuspilusfellatus6501 The Electoral College voted in Trump...The Popular Vote went to Hillary. Same corruption different time and place. Also I don't give a fuck about either side I'm justing saying something like the Electoral College makes the very meaning of Democracy meaningless. Because the public no longer has a say just a few hundred rich bastards that WILL ALWAYS get bribed by someone. The public ain't fucked up the system is and it'll never change as long as fools keep defending it!

[@vampirevore]

tbh the more i think about it the more i feel we shouldn't be led by the winners of essentially a nationwide popularity contest. people in government should be there because they know what they're doing, not because they managed to dupe the general public into buying whatever dreams they happen to have sold on the campaign trail. the majority of voters aren't really informed on actually policy issues beyond the narrow agenda of whatever flavour of corporate media they happen to tune into

[@cv4809]

@@flamesofchaos13 the public shouldn't have a say

[@flamesofchaos13]

@@vampirevore So you'd prefer the rich 1% always winning getting everything they want without a fight or debate...Because that's inherently more logical? Sure there's not countless examples of that form of tyranny in history! The system isn't wrong it's the corruption of it...The news only showing propaganda instead of the truth having been payed off by the rich, the lower class not rising up in any form to combat tyranny, the higher class just bribing this person and that person, the quality of the Character of politicians and presidents no longer meaning anything to the public or rich...Everyone just wants a blowhorn or puppet instead of a true fucking Leader! Extremism on all sides no one willing to compromise or even see their rivals as human beings! Politics are fucked because everyone has failed to keep a logical rational and principled head! EVERYONE...Meaning anyone you put your trust in you've already been played!

[@markdillon7543]

@@flamesofchaos13 Jew

[@ByzantineCapitalManagement]

Finally the Multinational Meme State of Europe which somehow outlasted most modern Nation states.

[@andreacapuano585]

France still outlast the hre by a long shot

[@jacobhess3n327]

It was pretty much a nation state, comprised of mostly the German Nation.

[@meandmetoo8436]

@@andreacapuano585 depends on when you place the birth of France but most would place it at the splitting of Charlemagne's empire. Except most of East and middle-Francia will become part of the HRE while west Francia would become France. The HRE is more recent than France but not by a long shot.

[@andreacapuano585]

@@meandmetoo8436 by outlast i mean france is still there while the hre is not here. but if we use the birth of the france and compare that to the hre then yes, the hre outlast most of the state of that period. until a funny french guy with stomach problem show up

[@freekmulder3662]

@@jacobhess3n327 Back then the Germans could hardly be considered one nation. And even then you had Danes, Dutchies, Flemish, Walloons, Picardians, Swiss, Italians, Polish, etc. etc. I wouldn't call it a nation state by a long shot

[@deplatformedcrowprinceluna6339]

Voltaire: **sighs while gently facepalming** “I told you and yet you never listened.” Napoleon: **pats Voltaire’s back** “Don’t worry, I fixed it.”

[@wilsonelder5277]

Voltaire: The Holy Roman Empire was neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire Also Voltaire: A witty saying proves nothing Tells you all you need to know there.

[@wilsonelder5277]

Also, Napoleon didn't end the HRE. The last emperor Francis II (later Francis I of the Austrian Empire) dissolved the Empire so that Napoleon would not be able to assert control over imperial institutions and thus give his own self-proclaimed title of Emperor of the French more legitimacy.

[@deplatformedcrowprinceluna6339]

@@wilsonelder5277 I know, I’m just making it in a nutshell, jeez.

[@20quid]

It seems like a minor miracle that the entire thing was able to function as a state at all let alone for several hundred years.

[@reddragon100]

1000 year

[@SiirCartierr]

Short Answer: It didn't Long answer: Well, you know it really didn't

[@TheLovescream]

How could it exist for 800 years if it didnt?

[@SiirCartierr]

TheLovescream It was such a mess that no one could dissolve it without fucking conquering it all

[@arawn1061]

@@TheLovescream because it didnt. Or well it did in the beginning under otto but it got decentralized over time It was more of an idea that this is *The* empire that would always remain and as stated in the video the states would join in the protect the whole

[@090giver090]

@@TheLovescream It worked as well as any other feudal empire at the high middle ages. Worked less well after Emperors'stuggle against the Pope undermined imperial authority in late middle ages. It actually stopped working after 30 Years War when system described in the video had to be adopted.

[@Siegbert85]

It worked even in the end as a defensive confederation until Napoleon showed up and messed it up.

[@lunatm.4226]

The HRE was an *EPIC BATTLE ROYALE* for rule over “Germany”

[@fristnamelastname5549]

😆

[@g-forcefgt323]

And Prussia won

[@J-IFWBR]

In the beginning this Roman Empire, It was only called Holy Later, wasn't necessarily German. Tschechs, Sorbes, Frisians, Slavs, Italians, and probably more lived within the Roman Empire. Sure it was dominated and maintained by a german aristocratic elite. But in its earlier stages, It realy was not based on an idea of German Nationality.

[@user-ip5yc7bg2k]

@@g-forcefgt323 Not actually. The HRE was dissolved before Prussia united Germany. It’s more like a battle between the Habsburgs and the Prussians.

[@laurynassedvydis320]

Oh, and it gets more interesting if you go deeper. Quite a lot of constituent states of HRE had their own parliaments with differing power balances between estates. Wurtemburg, for example did not have the nobility in the parliament because the nobility chose to give their allegiance to the Emperor directly sometime in 1516 century, so it only had cities and clergy in the parliament.

[@BloodwolfTico]

I love your videos. The way they are edited, the fact that some are short and to the point (and some longer if you wish to learn more) and there is even some comedy in them!

[@LeDoctorBones]

Napoleon waving in the outro really works for this video.

[@BritishRepublicsn]

He’s waving goodbye to the HRE

[@corinth492]

You have focused on the late HRE when it was just a shell and the position of emperor was essentially ceremonial. Would be have been more interesting to hear more the medieval HRE which had more teeth

[@Dennis-ed4ye]

@sneksnekitsasnek Somehwere during it's conquest Napoleon decided to abandon the HRE

[@lukasosterloher9105]

@sneksnekitsasnek Its hard to pinpoint the start of the decline. The most obvious choices are: 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia and end of the 30-years war, 1618 with the start of the 30-years war or 1517 with the start of the protestan reformation.

[@arx3516]

The HRE basically died with Barbarossa, he was forced to give huge autonomies to the italian cities, wich set a dangerous precedent. That's the reason why his grandson gave up on the empire and focused on the kingdom of Sicily, wich he could actually rule.

[@KaotikBOOO]

The HRE has pretty much always been a mess in which the emperor had to lead his armies in internal conflicts way more than he could in external conflicts Someone could say that it was the same in all of Europe under feudalism which is true but even with the decline of feudalism in other kingdoms and rise of absolutism, the HRE stayed behind, dragging its anachronistic mess with it

[@michaelbayer5094]

I think the better way to view the HRE is as a means of extending Habsburg power, who had the support of scores (if not hundreds) of different Church estates. That hypothesis explains why Catholic France helps Protestant Germans in the 30 Years War, why Napoleon dissolves the HRE, and why Prussia is able to outmaneuver Austria in Germany after HRE is dissolved (and the power of the Church with it).

[@jonyprepperisrael60]

The unholy german confederation

[@jokerguycz]

holy as in it had a lot of holes, roman as in roma like gypsies and empire as in vampire because it sucked the blood of its citisens.

[@quuaaarrrk8056]

"How did the HRE work?" We don't do that here.

[@steelnation5110]

And Tyrion thought this would be a good idea for Westeros, smh 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@alejandroojeda1572]

And worse...there's people Who defend It 🤦

[@090giver090]

@@alejandroojeda1572 it wasn't as bad of idea in GoT-equivalent times (14-15 century). Also United 7 kingdoms would share the fate of Austian Empire otherwise.

[@jonahwiegand827]

@@090giver090 Westeros shares a common language and very similar cultures. The vast majority of Westeros is also united in religion except the North and the Iron Islands (both of which pursued peace). Martin didn't do enough to differentiate the various constituencies of the continent. Austria was an eruption of bile on an ethnic map of terrible geography.

[@a2falcone]

The problem with the HRE wasn't that it was an elective monarchy. The problem was that, however the emperor was chosen, he had almost no authority.

[@napolien1310]

@Metsarebuff 22 actually Ironborn are considered first men. So three ethnicities

[@tf2664]

800-1806 only thousand year Reich ever lmao

[@liolioos]

*Sad skinny mustache noises

[@Mnnvint]

*Grumbling in Coptic*

[@deisk2707]

Adolf: I haven't managed to get mine survived for even 25 years.

[@asdf123311]

Up until now, that is

[@kingt0295]

@@deisk2707 he barely made to to half of 25 years

[@xXdnerstxleXx]

I don‘t think looking at the HRE just a couple of decades before it got dissolved, while it lasted almost a thousand years is an absolute terrible idea. The date you picked is even during the Enlightenment. This is more of an analysis on the death of the HRE than how it actually worked. How about looking at the HRE around 1500 or even before that?

[@alteumaen4820]

0:45 interesting how you can mostly see the borders of modern Germany in the parts not controlled by either

[@manioqqqq]

If you add Burgundy to 'em, then it will be (almost) the same

[@mateuscaldeira-brantaraujo227]

"Holy Roman Empine begins em 962" *Charlemagme wants to know your location*

[@kurniaerfan7307]

Frankish Empire ≠ Holy Roman Empire

[@thibaultletricheur1884]

Francia wasn't the HRE; Charlemagne wasn't Holy Roman Emperor, he was Western Roman Emperor, "Serene Augustus, King of the Franks and the Lombards" HRE was created by Otto the First, Duke of Saxony. In both cases there was a "renovatio imperii" but these two empires were very different from each other.

[@HGRvSBG]

@@kurniaerfan7307 @Kurnia Erfan Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the pope, like many after him. He was the first and founder. Really, either date could be correct. But I just consider it to begin with Charlemagne, since it morphed into the HRE and he was crowned.

[@Siegbert85]

@@thibaultletricheur1884 It's way more nuanced. The Holy Roman Empire wasn't "created". According to contemporaries the Roman Empire never ceased to exist. It just lacked an emperor in the West which it regained with Charlemagne. Otto I. took on the exact same role of Charlemagne. He was seen as the overlord of all of Christian Europe (at least the Catholic sector). It wasn't until much later that the now called "Holy Roman Empire" was mainly associated with the kingdoms the emperor actually ruled over: Germany, Italy, Burgundy.

[@kamanashiskar9203]

The Holy Roman Empire was founded after the collapse of the Frankish Empire.

[@XenoWalkerEVE]

The Virgin Holy Roman Empire vs The Chad Kaiserreich

[@miguelmontenegro3520]

Kaiserreich wished to have at least half the real 1000 years Reich history. Nothing with Roman in its name goes down easely without a fight.

[@mikemcguffey6458]

@@miguelmontenegro3520 Its sucks germany got called into ww1 they should have been nuetral they might have survived longer

[@foooooof]

@@mikemcguffey6458 also, no hitler

[@mikemcguffey6458]

@@foooooof what?

[@foooooof]

@@mikemcguffey6458 If germany had not participated in WW1, it would mean no treaty of versaille for germany, because it didnt lose. No treaty means no angry germans, means no people that would vote for hitler.

[@dmeads5663]

This is a perfect example of something that is obviously broken but defies reality and continues to still run

[@Mr_Socksnjocks]

My favorite period on Holy Roman politics will always be that time where the empire was pretty much split by the Wittelsbachs, Luxembourgs, and Habsburgs. With each one aligning their own princes holding electorates (with the exclusion of the Hapsburgs) and just general dynastic funtimes.

[@Gala-yp8nx]

"How did the Holy Roman Empire Work?" Poorly.

[@miguelmontenegro3520]

So much autonomy to the provinces, Constant war, treachery, crusades and herectics... The real 1000 years Reich was a Wonder to be seen.

[@oc8636]

Not really. The late HRE was garbage but in its early stages it was nearly impossible to invade it. Saying the HRE is shit is like saying: Well the Ottomen were shit because of the last 250 years of their 600

[@carlosmarcial6201]

@@miguelmontenegro3520 wars caused by France, and King Francis I of France allying with Ottomans (Turks) to not allow the growth and the development of the Holy Roman Empire.

[@miguelmontenegro3520]

@@carlosmarcial6201 The old tradition of splitting lands was their doom, sadly. Still held on for a huge spam of time. Germans for sure scare me sometimes.

[@geordiejones5618]

Lasted way longer than most nation states in Europe that exist today.

[@SuperBadadan]

People give the Holy Roman Empire a lot of shit and rightfully so, but it was a major reason why Germany ended up such a powerful nation.

[@Gentleman...Driver]

In fact, it wasnt. The HRE was the main reason why Germany had just little to none colonies in overseas. The nationalist movement was only in the second half of the 19th century really present. Before the people didnt identify themselves even as German, but as Saxons, Bavarians, etc.

[@thunderbird1921]

@@Gentleman...Driver Interesting fact: Many early American colonists, and even after the Revolutionary War, did not see America as a unified state or nation, but rather 13 different lands or republics (and similar to Germans of old, often identified as a Pennsylvanian, Virginian, etc.). Ben Franklin in his autobiography records Pennsylvania as being referred to as "that country" by Massachusetts natives. When I saw how loose the Holy Roman Empire was, I immediately thought of this.

[@robinrehlinghaus1944]

The medieval HRE was a lot better than the later HRE and doesn't deserve that shit

[@Ghreinos]

@@Gentleman...Driver you are right with colonies, but because of the compition between the states, they always wanted to outclass each other. Germany was actually during this time period and during the Kaiserreich the biggest contributer to science, art and phillosophy. Also the Dukes, Counts, Kings, etc. build many universities and a huge industry.

[@Gentleman...Driver]

@@Ghreinos Yes, but without unity it doesnt lead anywhere. ;)

[@spdutahraptor777]

The idea of explaining this clusterfuck in under 5 minuted is simply amazing dude...makes me wanna go play empire total war or something

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff!!!

[@jonahwiegand827]

German Princes: Our ruler is merely first among equals chosen by his peers. Random inbreed guy: You don't vote for Kaisers!

[@michaelj132]

The HRE is a fascinating fantastic mess. This was a great video. If you have the time I would love to see more videos on its history and formation. Thanks!

[@gabrielportillo2534]

Thinking that puting that much kingdoms that are in that its amazing how long it last

[@killingragethrowback]

The more I learn about the HRE, the more I'm amazed the whole thing didn't self destruct sooner.

[@jokerguycz]

it did not self destruct at all though...

[@geraldwagner8739]

Four events killed the HRE. The reformation with the 30 years war in the aftermath, the rivalry between Austria and Prussia and then of course Napoleon, who gave the HRE the rest.

[@PMGF]

I was literally just thinking about this on the toilet then you uploaded the video...

[@alexanderschulz2100]

Hey, me too! 😅

[@ccrozz99]

PMGF i was in the toilet when i got the notification lol

[@kostam.1113]

Liar, give me the proof...

[@someinsignificantguy4433]

Wtf are you thinking on toilett XD

[@jonbaxter2254]

Petition to bring back 10 minute histories every other week

[@ahorrell]

Nah I think I prefer the regular uploads. It took a bit of adjusting, but he clearly prefers this way, and I think I do too now

[@andysorensen1737]

Aaron H It also allows him to do more obscure/deeper topics that wouldn’t justify a full 10 minutes.

[@sadiqar2005]

A little offtopic but who else likes red from overly sarcastic productions big hair when she's in cartoon form.

[@Jiji-the-cat5425]

I feel bad for map makers back then. Had to draw the entire thing out plus no copy machines.

[@Gentleman...Driver]

So, if paid by hours they had enough to do, right? I mean... there was also constant movement of the borders in the Reich, so they could start to redraw the next map.

[@hobowithashotgun48]

Huh, today I learned that the nice little town of Wetzlar that is near the town of Giessen where I went to college is actually significant for something other than having the region's only Ikea store.

[@sirreal2963]

I love how in theory king George could have Been holy roman emperor and king of the uk

[@economicapple2609]

Awesome. Wow.

[@thunderbird1921]

Maybe, but we must remember that unlike his grandfather and great grandfather, George III was born in and lived in Britain his whole life. It would have triggered HUGE controversy or uproar for a seeming outsider to be made the "emperor". I'm not sure if Prussia and Austria would have stood for it.

[@sirreal2963]

Thunderbird 1 yes true thats why I said “In theory”

[@gaymermoment]

And Kaiser Wilhelm II could have also been the british king

[@cs0345]

@@thunderbird1921 Not really. It was extremely common for the ruling dynasty and king to not be from the lands they ruled over because of how succession worked. People generally did not care if the ruler didn't share the same culture as them

[@Santeri349]

1:07 George III was the *Elector* of Hannover. Hannover didn't become a kingdom until the dissolution of the HRE.

[@herrwagnerianer1739]

His official title was "Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg, Arch-Treasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire". A lot of people make this mistake nowadays, but the electoral title was never used in lieu of the actual title the person held for a particular territory. George III was Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg and because of that he was also Elector of the HRE. Frederick II wasn't Elector of Brandenburg but Margrave of Brandenburg and because of that Elector of the HRE. If you wanna talk about the HRE, you must nitpick.

[@kamanashiskar9203]

I have a funny feeling that the British Parliament used this opportunity to weaken its rivals aka, France, Spain.

[@yalelingoz6346]

I had wondered how the AHE was organised. But it was kind of impenetrable. Thanks you for explaining it.

[@eurodoc6343]

One correction. George III wasn't king of Hannover until after the dissolution of the HRE. He was, however, the Prince-Elector prior to this.

[@murielcunningham8703]

I like to think of the HRE as more of a kind of federation than an empire.

[@Astropeleki]

I have recently read a few books about the HRE and their authors wrote entire paragraphs screeching at this definition 😂.

[@Gamerguy826]

It's government was really not suitable to uphold the HRE and it was pretty lacking in terms of political consistency... so, yeah. Calling it a federation sounds sort of accurate to me.

[@stefangrubesic2708]

I would say not even a federation but a confederation 😅

[@shawnv123]

but it was an empire

[@adambergin3957]

And we thought Yugoslavia was diverse 😂😂🤠

[@jurisprudens]

Austria-Hungary: "Hold my Apfelstrudel!"

[@090giver090]

As most of the HRE states were somewhat germans it wasn't as ethnically diverse as Yugoslavia.

[@perfectpREdAtori]

@@090giver090 But it sure was culturally.

[@musiclover148]

Somehow, the HRE lasted many times as long. Maybe because it almost universally shared a common language and religion. Yugoslavia did not.

[@musiclover148]

Compulsory education is no match for the mother tongue spoken in the home and in the local culture, which is the natural "heart language" of every individual. Albanian, Greek, Slovenian, etc. Also, they had the religious tensions: Serbian Orthodox versus Catholic versus Muslim.

[@braindamage1973]

So the history of the Holy Roman Empire can’t be summarized within one year of the Empire. Over the course of it’s existence there were many changes. The fact that it almost lasted 1000 years, whether you see Charlemagne or Otto as the first Emperor, means that the Empire had so many phases it would be impossible to sum it up in even 10-20 minutes.

[@swarren2913]

The HRE so reminds me of the territory system in American Wrestling

[@blakekendall5203]

I like how the entire history of post Roman Europe up until democratic reforms can be summarized as, "Landed elite from various ethnic backgrounds from virtually every part of Europe took turns having absolute power over specific parts of Europe to a greater or lesser extent for about 1000 years".

[@Safinitzine]

HRE: Almost 1000 years, guys! Yeah! Rome: Weakling.

[@patriciabrizuela8074]

Better than what Hitler and El Duche we’re trying to do

[@adrianatgaming8640]

lol rome lasted for 2206 years

[@zarni000]

about the same time Rome itself lasted as caoital of the Roman Empire. we are not counting the eastern roman empire that was totally separated with a different capital.

[@zarni000]

@@adrianatgaming8640 not quite

[@TonyFontaine1988]

@@zarni000 during the western Roman empires lifetime Constantinople was the capital after Constantine. Your anology doesn't make sense

[@zap3231]

How did the Holy Roman Empire work? *It didn't.*

[@markusskram4181]

Great video !

[@JeroenDoes]

The netherlands where part of the HRE at one point. Which i find glorious. I like decentralisation but some aspects, things like defense and today eviroment and economie, need to be handled by a centralised power. Centralised where it must, decentralised where it can. One thing is certain no state must allow for its regions to be able to wage war on it.

[@meandmetoo8436]

Northern Italy was part of it as well.

[@JeroenDoes]

@@meandmetoo8436 I heard from the tv that a large portion of northern Italy still feels more Austrian then Italian.

[@meandmetoo8436]

@@JeroenDoesonly South Tyrol. Which is not a large portion.

[@JeroenDoes]

@@_das_phantom_9808 Oh I agree. local economies can do most of the work themselves. I meant things like international trade agreements and the like. Maybe "economie" was a bit to broad a term to use there.

[@mikemcguffey6458]

@@meandmetoo8436 Then and venice wants free from italy

[@olefredrikskjegstad5972]

Voltaire's quote "Neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire" hit the nail on the head about the state of the HRE _when he said it,_ which was very late on in the HRE's existence. In its early days it could definitely have laid a genuine claim to being an Empire at the very least.

[@daveunbelievable6313]

it had a good claim to the holy bit, at least in the culture of the time, being the pope approved defender of catholicism. Ironic that the empire created in part by the pope so catholicism would be protected ended up giving rise to the reformation.

[@seronymus]

Actually no and I say this as an Orthodox Christian. "Holy" refers to being partly theocratic (eg. sovereign bishops), "Roman" to its imperial pomp and circumstance and cultural claims, "Empire" to a multinational entity under one monarch. Voltaire was a proto-Redditor

[@wilsonelder5277]

Voltaire: The Holy Roman Empire was neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire Also Voltaire: A witty saying proves nothing Tells you all you need to know there.

[@fabrizio.guidi64]

voltarie could have said bullshit. it is history that defined it as the HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE

[@lol-xs9wz]

Voltaire can fuck off. It was holy, Roman and an empire.

[@mivapusa]

I think it best described with an analogy. Imagine you need a shed built. You have 200+ workers, who could built the biggest, best shed in Europe. Problem is, all the workers keep trying to steal each other's lunch, and nothing gets done.

[@oliverdoodoo9991]

The HRE works like a bag of skittles. They move around if you barely touch it, and some taste good and some taste bad.

[@Flight_of_Icarus]

"My name is Hanz and me and my brother Fritz two miles away are both princes in the HRE, and we're going to make drawing maps very difficult for the next couple hundred years or so"

[@Caligulashorse1453]

I’m trying to memorize every single territory in the Holy Roman Empire

[@isaacrandomrussell5630]

@@Caligulashorse1453 you should memorize every island nation first, that would prepare you a bit better.

[@beni5223]

You start as Austria conquer Ottomans add the lands to HRE boom you win

[@phantomlordmxvi]

You start as Ottomans, switch religions and become emperor

[@sharpfang]

You start as Poland, defend Austria from Ottomans, eveyone: Oh, free real estate [subdivides Poland between themselves]

[@friedrichviktorvoneltz9452]

@@sharpfang You start as the Great Horde, get provinces, raze them and return them and do it again. More money and more opinions too then get fucked by russia

[@bendeguzronai4568]

I was trying to understand the HRE and the Habsburgs' role in it for half an hour when I found this, and in 4 minutes I see clearly😅

[@AnimeSunglasses]

"In a word: barely." Best summary yet!

[@lindapgolan7070]

The little characters giving each other side eye, coming down with a case of death, or running through a field of daisies i.e. why these cartoons are so special.

[@benashley2955]

I'd love a video on the hapsburgs. they seem to pop up everywhere and you seem to assume a little knowledge of them from viewers but i'd never heard of them before watching your vids

[@aaronmarks9366]

This would be awesome, the Habsburgs actually have a super interesting history. Among other things they were Cortez and Pizarro's bosses during the conquests in America.

[@seanw8226]

At the time of their demise, the Habsburgs were the longest reigning royal dynasty in Europe. That's if you consider the House of Habsburg-Lothringen as a continuation of the House of Habsburg as most people do. Anyone who studies European history must have heard of them, that's why the narrator doesn't explain it. On a different note, the narrator does refer to the King of Hanover as a member of the HRE, which technically isn't correct as Hanover would have still been an electorate and didn't become a kingdom until after the Congress of Vienna.

[@tigertankerer]

In high school my German teacher was very sad talking about dismantling of HRE.

[@XMehrooz]

Basically, The Holy Roman Empire was neither Holy, nor Roman nor an Empire.

[@thezombiecreeper]

HRE in a nutshell: AAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHH

[@Edmonton-of2ec]

Short Answer: No Long Answer: No, but more nuanced

[@Lyendith]

Teacher: "And now for the geography lesson." Students: * cry in despair *

[@Ralphieboy]

I enjoyed "Danubia - A Personal History of the Hapsburg Europe by Simon Winder. It is highly anecdotal, but it gives a good sense of what the HRE was about, how and where it actually functioned well and why it fell apart.

[@Alpha1200]

2:20 - I was drinking as that joke was made and I almost spit ice tea all over my screen.

[@maoistlily1432]

I've never seen something looking like a painter went to taco bell yet so beautiful as the HRE map.

[@julianusalexander6325]

Lasted longer than ussr, but ok

[@Marcus-Spurius-Furius]

Nice and Clear.

[@mimikyoo]

my favorite part of it is that it was shaped like a head with a big nose and a beard and a crown looking over at france

[@mestre12]

And Tirion though that was a good idea. Yes, if you watched the ending of GoT, that is pretty much where we ended on it.

[@someinsignificantguy4433]

Better than a Democracy like Sam said. That would be silly.

[@jamesoleary2476]

Der Panzerkommandant I know. It's not like we see successful democracies in the free cities or anything

[@janoskovacs4281]

@@jamesoleary2476 The population of free cities was made up of artisans and merchants, while the majority of Westerosi population is peasantry. Also a free city is only so big that you can walk around it in a day, while in Westeros it would take months (if not years) to organise a public election (inform every illiterate peasants across millions of square kms about the date, the candidates, and so on). Today's democracy only works because of mass media (no wonder universal voting right in bigger countries was achieved in the 20th century).

[@jamesoleary2476]

@@janoskovacs4281 Im not saying its the right choice but the way they see it in the show as massively unreasonable when they literally have democracies as there closest neighbor is kind of strange. The free cities also have plenty of poor and illiterate. Remember republicanism and democracy existed for a long time in our world going back to ancient Athens and the Romans over 2500 years ago.

[@toxicwaste159]

Jj O,leary Yes, but Athens was only one city, and in Rome, only the citizens of the capital had voting rights (at least that‘s what I remember) so they were more or less aristocracies.

[@luigithegreat1331]

As my grandfather described it... "It was a BLOODY mess"

[@yoavmor9002]

[in a thick English accent]

[@Frir10]

I kind of wanted a 20 minute video on this (:

[@alexconti7932]

If it lasted close to 1000 years, something must have been working.