Separately, it should be said about such a state as the Holy Roman Empire. It arose in 962 in areas roughly corresponding to the territories of modern northern Italy, the Federal Republic of Germany and other German-speaking states. In 962, Otto I the Great, who was king of the East Frankish state, received the title of emperor from Pope John XII.
Thus, the Holy Roman Empire came to be regarded as the heir to the powerful state of Charlemagne and the Western Roman Empire. In the 15-16th century, the processes of decentralization intensified in it. By the early 17th century, Italian territories had separated from the Holy Roman Empire. In the 17th and 18th centuries on the European arena, the most influential state formations of the empire - primarily Austria and Prussia - began to manifest themselves as independent political entities. In 1806, after the refusal of the ruler of Austria, Franz II, to accept the German imperial crown, the Holy Roman Empire as a centralized political entity ceased to exist.
From the point of view of the political structure, the Holy Roman Empire can be viewed as an elective monarchy - when the ruler is elected by members of the royal family, parliament or other authorized body.
Comparison
Of course, there is more than one difference between the empire of Charlemagne and the Roman Empire, both in terms of periodization and in terms of political structure. Moreover, it is legitimate to compare the Frankish state of the period of its highest prosperity not with one, but with four powers - a single Empire, the Western, Eastern and Holy Roman Empires.
A small table will help us to more clearly consider the difference between the empire of Charlemagne and the Roman Empire (including the example of political formations that became its continuation).
Table
| Empire of Charlemagne | Roman Empire and its successors |
| What do they have in common? | |
| The empire of Charlemagne existed during the Eastern Roman Empire, Charlemagne's status as emperor was recognized by the ruler of Byzantium. | |
| on parts of the former territories of the united and Western Roman Empire - in particular, in the north of Italy, in Lugdun, Narbonne Gaul, as well as Gaul of Aquitanica and Belgica | |
| It largely coincided in territory with the Holy Roman empire | |
| Charlemagne received the status of emperor from the Pope | |
| What is the difference between them? | |
| Existed from 800 to 843 | A single Roman Empire existed from 27 BC. NS.until 395 AD BC, the Western Roman Empire - from 395 to 476, the Holy Roman Empire - from 962 to 1806 |
| The form of the political structure corresponded to the early feudal monarchy | the form of the device was a principate, then a dominat, Western Rome was a dominate, Eastern - an absolute monarchy, the Holy Roman Empire - an elective monarchy |
| It was located mainly in the territories of the historical region of Gaul, northern Italy, western modern FRG | Byzantium in the period of its highest prosperity very little coincided in territory with the empire of Charlemagne - mainly in Italy |
