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The Holy Roman Empire was a multi-ethnic complex of territories in central Europe that lasted from the coronation of Otto I as emperor in 962 until Francis II dissolved the imperial title in 1806. The largest territory and core of the empire was the Kingdom of Germany, and at its peak the empire included the Kingdom of Italy, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Kingdom of Burgundy. The office of Holy Roman Emperor was traditionally elective, although frequently controlled by dynasties. The German prince-electors, who were the highest ranking noblemen of the empire, usually elected one of their peers as "King of the Romans", after which he would be crowned emperor by the Pope. The tradition of papal coronations was discontinued in the 16th century.
The empire grew out of East Francia, a primary division of the Frankish Empire, and explicitly proclaimed 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 was revived in 962 when Otto I was 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 achieved 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.
