The Holy Roman Empire
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.
Habsburg power began to decline because of the Protestant Reformation of the 1500's. It was limited further by losses in the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) and the rise of the powerful German state of Prussia in the 1700's. Defeat by French armies during and after the French Revolution (1789-1799) further weakened Habsburg power. In 1806, after France defeated the Habsburgs, Emperor Francis II declared the end of the Holy Roman Empire.
Excerpt adapted from the "Holy Roman Empire" article, The World Book Encyclopedia © 1999