The Roman Empire was founded by Augustus Ceasar back in 31BC. During this time, he declared himself emperor. And due to the vast extent of their empire, they were well-known for a variety of things.
The Holy Roman Empire survived for over a thousand years until Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Fench put an end to their rule in 1806. The United States even coexisted with the empire for 30 years before its dissolution.
What Was the Holy Roman Empire Like?
The Holy Roman Empire was known to be one of the leading monarchies in Europe. It was even believed that their emperors were the sole leaders and royalty of Europe.
Before it became an empire, Rome was a republic. During that time, magistrates were elected to govern the place, and it was not completely a nation-state per se.
There was a lot of internal conflict within the system. This resulted in conspiracies and civil wars. Julius Caesar briefly ruled as a dictator before he was assassinated. (Source: History Today)
Why Did the Holy Roman Empire Fall?
While there are several reasons why the Roman Empire fell from the top of the pedestal, some of the main factors contributed to their dissolution.
Barbarian Tribe Invasions
Rome’s collapse started when several Germanic tribes started attacking them in the late 4th century. As a result, they were constantly being attacked, and they started losing their frontline of defense.
Economic Issues
In addition to attacks from outside entities, Rome was having internal problems too. They started crumbling due to the financial crisis. They were spending money they did not have, and the wars didn’t help ease the problem either. It came to a point where the wealthy Romans moved to different places to avoid being over-taxed.
Overexpansion and Overspending
The empire stretched out up to the Atlantic Ocean and the Euphrates River. But this grandeur is also the reason why they were knocked off the top. With vast space to rule, the logistics were impossible, and everything was difficult to manage.
Most of the funding was allotted to protecting the territory. This meant military upkeep was the priority. (Source: History)
Corruption and Political Incompetence
Due to the large land space Rome occupied, it wasn’t easy to govern. By appointing people who were inconsistent and ineffective, the problem was magnified. This sparked several civil wars.
As things got worse, civic pride dissipated, and many citizens lost faith in their leaders.
Napoleon’s Involvement
By the time Napoleon reorganized Germany, he dissolved the Holy Roman Empire through a series of wars.
How Did Napoleon Defeat the Holy Roman Empire?
In 1805 Austria collaborated with another coalition in Europe to go against France. By the end of the year, Napoleon destroyed Russian and Austrian armies.
But this was only the beginning. Napoleon went on to dominate the rest of Europe. By 1806 the Roman Empire no longer existed.
Napoleon sought to destroy the Holy Roman Empire after conquering German territories. He then crowned himself the emperor of reorganized France. (Source: History)