The Holy Roman Empire, its government, condition and social composition: emperor, princes, knights, towns and electors; urban workers and peasants
The Holy Roman Empire was a large, loosely governed collection of German territories. Power was shared between the emperor and hundreds of princes, nobles, and towns — making it deeply divided.
Real World
The Holy Roman Empire's fragmented structure — with the Emperor needing princes' consent to act — resembles the modern EU, where a single member state like Hungary can block majority decisions, paralysing central authority.
Exam Focus
Identify specific groups (princes, knights, peasants) and explain how their different grievances shaped their response to the Reformation.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
How well did you know this?