This book is dedicated to the history of the Holy Roman Empire - the superpower of the Middle Ages, which single-handedly decided the destinies of Europe, the forerunner of the empires of modern and contemporary times. A unique phenomenon for its time, a huge state founded in the 10th century by the German king Otgon I the Great included Germany, Italy and Burgundy and claimed power over the European continent. And therefore the history of the Holy Roman Empire is a history of endless wars, designed not only to expand the borders of the empire, but also to keep it from collapse. But the political foundation of the new state turned out to be weak: internal rebellions, the struggle with the papacy for supremacy in the Christian world, and the constant need to maintain power over vast areas constantly undermined the empire from within. Even such talented emperors as Frederick I Barbarossa found the burden too much to bear. French historian F. Rapp invites the reader to witness a drama that lasted for centuries - the slow fading of the imperial dream of universal domination, which did not survive the collision with the realities of the medieval world.