Eminent Austrian writer and essayist Friedrich Heer traces the thousand-year history of the Holy Roman Empire, beginning with the coronation of Charlemagne in 800 and ending with the abolition of the empire by Francis II of Habsburg during the Napoleonic Wars. The author traces how ruling dynasties changed, centers of power moved and with them the borders of a multinational state, describes the centuries-old confrontation with the Vatican, the countries of the West and East, and also points to a high degree of political and religious tolerance and the constant desire of its rulers to create a united Europe. The publishing layout of the book is saved in PDF A4 format.