The Holy Roman Empire is a multiethnic complex of territories in central Europe that lasts from the coronation of Otto I as emperor in 962 until Francis II dissolves the imperial title in 1806.

The largest territory within the empire is the Kingdom of Germany, and at its peak the empire includes the Kingdom of Italy and the Kingdom of Burgundy.

The office of Holy Roman Emperor is traditionally elective, although frequently controlled by dynasties.

The German prince-electors, who are the highest ranking noblemen of the empire, usually elect one of their peers as "King of the Romans", after which he is crowned emperor by the Pope.

The tradition of papal coronations is discontinued in the sixteenth century.The empire grows out of East Francia, a primary division of the Frankish Empire, and explicitly proclaims itself the continuation of the Western Roman Empire under the doctrine of translatio imperii ("transfer of rule" via a succession of singular rulers vested with supreme power).

[Frankish king Charlemagne was crowned as emperor by Pope Leo III in 800, restoring the title in the West after more than three centuries.

The title was passed in a desultory manner during the decline and fragmentation of the Carolingian dynasty, eventually falling into abeyance.

The title is revived in 962 when Otto I is crowned Holy Roman Emperor, beginning an unbroken line of emperors running for over eight centuries.

Although Charlemagne was the first to bear the title and the agglomeration grew out of his empire, Otto I is generally regarded as the founder and the date of his coronation as the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Holy Roman Empire never achieves the extent of political unification formed in France, evolving instead into a decentralized, limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of smaller sub-units, principalities, duchies, counties, Free Imperial Cities, and other domains.

The power of the emperor is limited, and while the various princes, lords and kings of the Empire are vassals and subjects who owe the emperor their allegiance, they also possess an extent of privileges that gives them de facto sovereignty within their territories.