Changes

It gradually expanded through the addition of Lorraine, Saxony, Franconia, Thuringia, and Bavaria. The German king was crowned [[Holy Roman Emperor]] of these regions in 962. Under the reign of the [[Salian]] emperors (1024–1125), the Holy Roman Empire expanded to northern [[Italy]] and Burgundy. The edict of the Golden Bull in 1356 provided the constitution of the empire; it established the election of the emperor by seven Prince-Electors, each of whom ruled one of the more powerful principalities or archbishoprics.

It gradually expanded through the addition of Lorraine, Saxony, Franconia, Thuringia, and Bavaria. The German king was crowned [[Holy Roman Emperor]] of these regions in 962. Under the reign of the [[Salian]] emperors (1024–1125), the Holy Roman Empire expanded to northern [[Italy]] and Burgundy. The edict of the Golden Bull in 1356 provided the constitution of the empire; it established the election of the emperor by seven Prince-Electors, each of whom ruled one of the more powerful principalities or archbishoprics.

==The Reformation==

==Early Modern period==

[[Image:Dürer Martirio de 10000 cristianos we.jpg|thumb|Martyrdom of 10,000 Christians by [[Albrecht Dürer]]]]

[[Image:Dürer Martirio de 10000 cristianos we.jpg|thumb|Martyrdom of 10,000 Christians by [[Albrecht Dürer]]]]

In 1517, [[Martin Luther]] wrote his [[The 95 Theses|95 Theses]] questioning the [[Roman Catholic Church]], an act which began the [[Protestant Reformation]]. A separate [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] church was acknowledged as the new sanctioned religion in many states of Germany in 1530. Religious conflicts known as the [[Thirty Years' War]] pitted Protestant German states against Catholic one, and devastated the former Empire. The [[Peace of Westphalia]] (1648) ended religious warfare in Germany, but the empire broke down into numerous independent principalities. From 1740 onwards, the dualism between the Austrian [[Habsburg Monarchy]] and the [[Kingdom of Prussia]] dominated German history. In 1806, the ''Imperium'' was overrun and dissolved as a result of the [[Napoleonic Wars]].

In 1517, [[Martin Luther]] wrote his [[The 95 Theses|95 Theses]] questioning the [[Roman Catholic Church]], an act which began the [[Protestant Reformation]]. A separate [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] church was acknowledged as the new sanctioned religion in many states of Germany in 1530. Religious conflicts known as the [[Thirty Years' War]] pitted Protestant German states against Catholic ones, and devastated the German-speaking lands. Hundreds of thousands of civilians died. The [[Peace of Westphalia]] (1648) ended religious warfare in Germany, but the empire was further diminished in importance as numerous independent principalities conttrolled their own affairs. From 1740 onwards, the dualism between the Austrian [[Habsburg Monarchy]] and the Kingdom of [[Prussia]] dominated German history. In 1806, the Empire was dissolved by [[Napoleon]].  

* see [[Martin Luther]]

* see [[Martin Luther]]