Presenting these pages to the reader's court, I feel some excitement. The topic illuminated in the book is so complicated that it may even seem boring. But how can I imagine it clearly, without going into excess and not distorting reality? To pave a French garden alley in the forest, you have to cut so many beautiful trees!

Indeed, the history of the German Holy Roman Empire of Walking from Paradoxes. Was this empire really sacred? She began to be considered from the moment her rulers accepted the papacy. Was this Empire of Roman, if the eternal city was considered her capital in the strict sense of this word only a short time, unfortunately those who did such an attempt? Finally, this empire could not be considered pure German. According to its definition, she had to be comprehensive, stand over all the people subject to it. Of course, the connection of the empire with Germany was very strong. The Germans perceived themselves as a single nation, because, as, having long leaving their lands in pursuit of the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating great EmpireThey realized their community. However, the king elected by them is not called the King of German peoples, but the Roman king, because he was supposed to be an emperor, just as the son of the French emperor Napoleon once had to become the ruler of Rome. The German kingdom and the supranational empire is so closely connected with each other that german language There is only one word - Reich - to designate both of these concepts, in Latin, on the contrary, distinguish kingdomand empire.

If the logic of historical events seems to us contradictory, then this is because we do not perceive the story as something holistic, but rather we are looking for those in it with some basic, stripping idea, "one of the dominant topics of humanity." The core idea inherited by the Roman intelligentsia in the Greek philosophers was the community of people in a universal sense, community, unity and protection of which provided the state created by the Romans. After the adoption by Konstantin Christianity Roman Empire ( orbis Romanus.) turned into an empire of Christian ( orbis Christianus.), the patron of which was God, and the governor on Earth is the emperor that combines political and religious power. When the hordes of the barbarians destroyed the Western Roman Empire, its idealized image became even brighter. In the world where the unbridled strength and cruelty dictated their laws, the memory of the rule of law was supported as a guarantee of the best future. So it was born "The myth about the Roman Christian community, which gained the territory, which had long dreamed of, and a single faith." The clergy fully supported this idea, since his teaching was drawn to the past, which seemed to them particularly beautiful for the reason that weapons in those times, as they believed, served only by the right case. In society, where the rules are now military force, they felt defenseless. Not in their power was to revive the empire. And only active, powerful, insightful and ambitious rulers could penetrate this myth and embody it into life. Or more correctly say, try to do this, as the task was not from the lungs. Sophisticated political conditions did not allow to act freely, the state, only distantly resembling the empire, always needed in strong, knowledgeable people who have exceptional abilities. These qualities, unfortunately, were not inherent in all and manifested themselves in different ways. Some rulers, yielding to gust, reached the extremes in their desire to embody this utopia. For other, more pragmatic, no size of the empire was more important, but its power. The acts of each of them carried the imprint of their personality. The history of the empire becomes thus the history of its emperors.

The most famous of them, Karl the Great, it would seem, should not appear in the portrait gallery that we are going to imagine. Sacred Empire It was founded in 962, approximately after a half century after his death. However, Otton, and all his successors sought to follow his footsteps. They all wanted to climb on the throne in the court church in Aachen and be crowned in the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome, as Karl the Great, whose coronation took place for Christmas 800. Memories of it turned into a legend, giving a dream about the Great Empire another line, past through the century, is the idea of \u200b\u200bthe chosenness of the people who are intended to find unity. After the Romans, this destination passed to francs. Moreover, it became impossible to claim the empire, without being a descendant of the most significant Frankish birth. The empire was almost inevitably divided into two parts. Two cities embodied her duality - first of all Rome, but to the same degree and Aachen.

And although the memory of Charlem Great survived the century, created by him the empire turned out to be short-lived. In 843 she broke up. More than ever lands of Eastern Francs, the current Germany, and Western francs, the current France is not combined. In a short time, the fact that was previously the common generality of the West, it was contemplated with countless principalities and kingdoms. At the beginning of the X century, the imperial crown was only an ornament displayed with small -coming princes. For the last time it was thrown off in 924. Otton picked it up on February 2, 962. Him, the ruler of East Frankia, was also subordinated to Lombardy and Lorraine, the lands of which stretched to Maas. The victory over the Hungarian conquerors significantly strengthened his influence, and he found that he was worthy to revive the empire. His possessions were very extensive, but the funds that allowed them to keep them in obedience remained quite average. The power of Carroling east of the Rhine was limited, and besides, in all other lands, her mechanism was poorly established. The dukes who erected Ottone to the throne were by no means a bad performers of his will. Ethnic distruting of the peoples that are part of the Empire made it difficult to manage it, and even the peoples who spoke in one German language did not constitute a single nation. To replenish your treasury, Otton enjoyed his power of the emperor. As Karl the Great and all Christian emperors, he was considered a governor of God on Earth. In his hands was concentrated both spiritual and secular power, so he could count on full support of the church. The clergy was a certain frame of society, more like an organism, devoid of nerves and bones. Many problems and dramatic situations prevented the development of this structure, which still had to survive brutal tests, but the symbiosis of religion and politics was viable. Ottone successors did everything possible to preserve such a system. She contributed to the rapid development of the empire and allowed her to achieve a peak of its development in the middle of the X century.

Later, this magnificent design has been shaken. Pope realized that they were responsible before all christian peace And that serious abuses were pushed. To change the situation required complete freedom of action. It was not enough to put at the head of the empire of a secular ruler, who would constantly intervene in the cases of the Church. The situation in which the emperor would claim the role of a new Messiah and appointed bishops in his impact, was absolutely unacceptable. Most of all announced the dad that the emperor had an unshakable power. The conflict was inevitable; The struggle became merciless. The unhealthy situation that established in the state threatened to him. After half a century fierce struggle, consent was achieved. The empire came out of the crisis significantly weakened. Prelates ceased to be officials, turning into vassals. The state is no longer the right to demand absolute subordination from them. Friedrich Gogenshtaofen, nicknamed Barbarosse, extradited a lesson from these changes and introduced a well-organized feudal system, which became one of the pillars, on which the monarchy was resting. The clergy took her niche in it, and the empire began to be called the sacred. But Barbarossa wanted to take advantage of the wealth, which Italy abounds. The marriage of his son Henry Vi with the heiress of Normans in Sicily was to provide Gogenstaofen power on the peninsula. This decision was made, despite the desire of Lombard cities to independence, with whom Pope, who did not want to get into steel ticks, concluded a solid alliance. The premature death of Heinrich VI and the troubled times followed by her allowed the Holy See to achieve invisible opportunities, leaving the emperor only the right of Peter's heir. Taking as the basis of the Sicilian state, which was inherited from the mother, the grandson Barbarossa Friedrich II, on the contrary, declared himself a full-fledged rulers, "the embodiment of the law on earth." Brutal confrontation resumed with a new force, but, despite mutual efforts, it did not lead to anything. Frederick II remained invincible, but he was fighting the disease in 1250. The news about his death served as a signal to Smoot. Everything was destroyed almost at one point, and a complete anarchy came, almost twenty years old. The puppet emperors did not have enough strength to put this end.

Francis Rappa

"The Sacred Roman Empire of the German Nation: from Ottone the Great to Karl V"

In memory of my mentor Rider Folz

Introduction

Presenting these pages to the reader's court, I feel some excitement. The topic illuminated in the book is so complicated that it may even seem boring. But how can I imagine it clearly, without going into excess and not distorting reality? To pave a French garden alley in the forest, you have to cut so many beautiful trees!

Indeed, the history of the German Holy Roman Empire of Walking from Paradoxes. Was this empire really sacred? She began to be considered from the moment her rulers accepted the papacy. Was this Empire of Roman, if the eternal city was considered her capital in the strict sense of this word only a short time, unfortunately those who did such an attempt? Finally, this empire could not be considered pure German. According to its definition, she had to be comprehensive, stand over all the people subject to it. Of course, the connection of the empire with Germany was very strong. The Germans perceived themselves as a single nation, because, as long ago, leaving their lands in pursuit of the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating the Great Empire, they realized their community. However, the king elected by them is not called the King of German peoples, but the Roman king, because he was supposed to be an emperor, just as the son of the French emperor Napoleon once had to become the ruler of Rome. The German kingdom and the supranational empire is so closely connected between themselves that in German there is only one word - Reich - to designate both of these concepts, in Latin, on the contrary, distinguish kingdom and empire.

If the logic of historical events seems to us contradictory, then this is because we do not perceive the story as something holistic, but rather we are looking for those in it with some basic, stripping idea, "one of the dominant topics of humanity." The core idea inherited by the Roman intelligentsia in the Greek philosophers was the community of people in a universal sense, community, unity and protection of which provided the state created by the Romans. After the adoption by Konstantin Christianity Roman Empire ( orbis Romanus.) turned into an empire of Christian ( orbis Christianus.), the patron of which was God, and the governor on Earth is the emperor that combines political and religious power. When the hordes of the barbarians destroyed the Western Roman Empire, its idealized image became even brighter. In the world where the unbridled strength and cruelty dictated their laws, the memory of the rule of law was supported as a guarantee of the best future. So it was born "The myth about the Roman Christian community, which gained the territory, which had long dreamed of, and a single faith." The clergy fully supported this idea, since his teaching was drawn to the past, which seemed to them particularly beautiful for the reason that weapons in those times, as they believed, served only by the right case. In society, where the rules are now military force, they felt defenseless. Not in their power was to revive the empire. And only active, powerful, insightful and ambitious rulers could penetrate this myth and embody it into life. Or more correctly say, try to do this, as the task was not from the lungs. Sophisticated political conditions did not allow to act freely, the state, only distantly resembling the empire, always needed in strong, knowledgeable people who have exceptional abilities. These qualities, unfortunately, were not inherent in all and manifested themselves in different ways. Some rulers, yielding to gust, reached the extremes in their desire to embody this utopia. For other, more pragmatic, no size of the empire was more important, but its power. The acts of each of them carried the imprint of their personality. The history of the empire becomes thus the history of its emperors.

The most famous of them, Karl the Great, it would seem, should not appear in the portrait gallery that we are going to imagine. The sacred empire was founded in 962, about a century after his death. However, Otton, and all his successors sought to follow his footsteps. They all wanted to climb on the throne in the court church in Aachen and be crowned in the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome, as Karl the Great, whose coronation took place for Christmas 800. Memories of it turned into a legend, giving a dream about the Great Empire another line, past through the century, is the idea of \u200b\u200bthe chosenness of the people who are intended to find unity. After the Romans, this destination passed to francs. Moreover, it became impossible to claim the empire, without being a descendant of the most significant Frankish birth. The empire was almost inevitably divided into two parts. Two cities embodied her duality - first of all Rome, but to the same degree and Aachen.

And although the memory of Charlem Great survived the century, created by him the empire turned out to be short-lived. In 843 she broke up. More than ever lands of Eastern Francs, the current Germany, and Western francs, the current France is not combined. In a short time, the fact that was previously the common generality of the West, it was contemplated with countless principalities and kingdoms. At the beginning of the X century, the imperial crown was only an ornament displayed with small -coming princes. For the last time it was thrown off in 924. Otton picked it up on February 2, 962. Him, the ruler of East Frankia, was also subordinated to Lombardy and Lorraine, the lands of which stretched to Maas. The victory over the Hungarian conquerors significantly strengthened his influence, and he found that he was worthy to revive the empire. His possessions were very extensive, but the funds that allowed them to keep them in obedience remained quite average. The power of Carroling east of the Rhine was limited, and besides, in all other lands, her mechanism was poorly established. The dukes who erected Ottone to the throne were by no means a bad performers of his will. Ethnic distruting of the peoples that are part of the Empire made it difficult to manage it, and even the peoples who spoke in one German language did not constitute a single nation. To replenish your treasury, Otton enjoyed his power of the emperor. As Karl the Great and all Christian emperors, he was considered a governor of God on Earth. In his hands was concentrated both spiritual and secular power, so he could count on full support of the church. The clergy was a certain frame of society, more like an organism, devoid of nerves and bones. Many problems and dramatic situations prevented the development of this structure, which still had to survive brutal tests, but the symbiosis of religion and politics was viable. Ottone successors did everything possible to preserve such a system. She contributed to the rapid development of the empire and allowed her to achieve a peak of its development in the middle of the X century.

Later, this magnificent design has been shaken. Pope realized that they were responsible before the whole Christian world and that serious abuse was pushed. To change the situation required complete freedom of action. It was not enough to put at the head of the empire of a secular ruler, who would constantly intervene in the cases of the Church. The situation in which the emperor would claim the role of a new Messiah and appointed bishops in his impact, was absolutely unacceptable. Most of all announced the dad that the emperor had an unshakable power. The conflict was inevitable; The struggle became merciless. The unhealthy situation that established in the state threatened to him. After half a century fierce struggle, consent was achieved. The empire came out of the crisis significantly weakened. Prelates ceased to be officials, turning into vassals. The state is no longer the right to demand absolute subordination from them. Friedrich Gogenshtaofen, nicknamed Barbarosse, extradited a lesson from these changes and introduced a well-organized feudal system, which became one of the pillars, on which the monarchy was resting. The clergy took her niche in it, and the empire began to be called the sacred. But Barbarossa wanted to take advantage of the wealth, which Italy abounds. The marriage of his son Henry Vi with the heiress of Normans in Sicily was to provide Gogenstaofen power on the peninsula. This decision was made, despite the desire of Lombard cities to independence, with whom Pope, who did not want to get into steel ticks, concluded a solid alliance. The premature death of Heinrich VI and the troubled times followed by her allowed the Holy See to achieve invisible opportunities, leaving the emperor only the right of Peter's heir. Taking as the basis of the Sicilian state, which was inherited from the mother, the grandson Barbarossa Friedrich II, on the contrary, declared himself a full-fledged rulers, "the embodiment of the law on earth." Brutal confrontation resumed with a new force, but, despite mutual efforts, it did not lead to anything. Frederick II remained invincible, but he was fighting the disease in 1250. The news about his death served as a signal to Smoot. Everything was destroyed almost at one point, and a complete anarchy came, almost twenty years old. The puppet emperors did not have enough strength to put this end.

Francis Rappa

"The Sacred Roman Empire of the German Nation: from Ottone the Great to Karl V"

In memory of my mentor Rider Folz

Introduction

Presenting these pages to the reader's court, I feel some excitement. The topic illuminated in the book is so complicated that it may even seem boring. But how can I imagine it clearly, without going into excess and not distorting reality? To pave a French garden alley in the forest, you have to cut so many beautiful trees!

Indeed, the history of the German Holy Roman Empire of Walking from Paradoxes. Was this empire really sacred? She began to be considered from the moment her rulers accepted the papacy. Was this Empire of Roman, if the eternal city was considered her capital in the strict sense of this word only a short time, unfortunately those who did such an attempt? Finally, this empire could not be considered pure German. According to its definition, she had to be comprehensive, stand over all the people subject to it. Of course, the connection of the empire with Germany was very strong. The Germans perceived themselves as a single nation, because, as long ago, leaving their lands in pursuit of the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating the Great Empire, they realized their community. However, the king elected by them is not called the King of German peoples, but the Roman king, because he was supposed to be an emperor, just as the son of the French emperor Napoleon once had to become the ruler of Rome. The German kingdom and the supranational empire is so closely connected between themselves that in German there is only one word - Reich - to designate both of these concepts, in Latin, on the contrary, distinguish kingdom and empire.

If the logic of historical events seems to us contradictory, then this is because we do not perceive the story as something holistic, but rather we are looking for those in it with some basic, stripping idea, "one of the dominant topics of humanity." The core idea inherited by the Roman intelligentsia in the Greek philosophers was the community of people in a universal sense, community, unity and protection of which provided the state created by the Romans. After the adoption by Konstantin Christianity Roman Empire ( orbis Romanus.) turned into an empire of Christian ( orbis Christianus.), the patron of which was God, and the governor on Earth is the emperor that combines political and religious power. When the hordes of the barbarians destroyed the Western Roman Empire, its idealized image became even brighter. In the world where the unbridled strength and cruelty dictated their laws, the memory of the rule of law was supported as a guarantee of the best future. So it was born "The myth about the Roman Christian community, which gained the territory, which had long dreamed of, and a single faith." The clergy fully supported this idea, since his teaching was drawn to the past, which seemed to them particularly beautiful for the reason that weapons in those times, as they believed, served only by the right case. In society, where the rules are now military force, they felt defenseless. Not in their power was to revive the empire. And only active, powerful, insightful and ambitious rulers could penetrate this myth and embody it into life. Or more correctly say, try to do this, as the task was not from the lungs. Sophisticated political conditions did not allow to act freely, the state, only distantly resembling the empire, always needed in strong, knowledgeable people who have exceptional abilities. These qualities, unfortunately, were not inherent in all and manifested themselves in different ways. Some rulers, yielding to gust, reached the extremes in their desire to embody this utopia. For other, more pragmatic, no size of the empire was more important, but its power. The acts of each of them carried the imprint of their personality. The history of the empire becomes thus the history of its emperors.

The most famous of them, Karl the Great, it would seem, should not appear in the portrait gallery that we are going to imagine. The sacred empire was founded in 962, about a century after his death. However, Otton, and all his successors sought to follow his footsteps. They all wanted to climb on the throne in the court church in Aachen and be crowned in the Cathedral of St. Peter in Rome, as Karl the Great, whose coronation took place for Christmas 800. Memories of it turned into a legend, giving a dream about the Great Empire another line, past through the century, is the idea of \u200b\u200bthe chosenness of the people who are intended to find unity. After the Romans, this destination passed to francs. Moreover, it became impossible to claim the empire, without being a descendant of the most significant Frankish birth. The empire was almost inevitably divided into two parts. Two cities embodied her duality - first of all Rome, but to the same degree and Aachen.

And although the memory of Charlem Great survived the century, created by him the empire turned out to be short-lived. In 843 she broke up. More than ever lands of Eastern Francs, the current Germany, and Western francs, the current France is not combined. In a short time, the fact that was previously the common generality of the West, it was contemplated with countless principalities and kingdoms. At the beginning of the X century, the imperial crown was only an ornament displayed with small -coming princes. For the last time it was thrown off in 924. Otton picked it up on February 2, 962. Him, the ruler of East Frankia, was also subordinated to Lombardy and Lorraine, the lands of which stretched to Maas. The victory over the Hungarian conquerors significantly strengthened his influence, and he found that he was worthy to revive the empire. His possessions were very extensive, but the funds that allowed them to keep them in obedience remained quite average. The power of Carroling east of the Rhine was limited, and besides, in all other lands, her mechanism was poorly established. The dukes who erected Ottone to the throne were by no means a bad performers of his will. Ethnic distruting of the peoples that are part of the Empire made it difficult to manage it, and even the peoples who spoke in one German language did not constitute a single nation. To replenish your treasury, Otton enjoyed his power of the emperor. As Karl the Great and all Christian emperors, he was considered a governor of God on Earth. In his hands was concentrated both spiritual and secular power, so he could count on full support of the church. The clergy was a certain frame of society, more like an organism, devoid of nerves and bones. Many problems and dramatic situations prevented the development of this structure, which still had to survive brutal tests, but the symbiosis of religion and politics was viable. Ottone successors did everything possible to preserve such a system. She contributed to the rapid development of the empire and allowed her to achieve a peak of its development in the middle of the X century.