This seminal essay by James Bryce, one of the foremost historians of his time, offers a comprehensive overview of the Holy Roman Empire. Bryce's incisive analysis and erudite scholarship shed new light on this complex and fascinating period of European history, and his insights continue to inform contemporary scholarship today. This edition includes the original Arnold Prize-winning essay, as well as additional material and notes by the author. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.