Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Charlemagne is universally acknowledged as the father of the *concept* of a restored Roman Imperium in western Europe. He reluctantly allowed himself to be crowned "Emperor" by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day. What year did this happen?
2. After Charlemagne's death, for the next hundred or so years, Charlemagne's restored Roman Empire was a vibrant, viable entity that grew stronger.
3. The next person to embody the concept of a "united empire" was German king Otto I (912-973). But before he took the "Roman" throne, he was responsible for ending a civil war and uniting enough warring tribes within his domain to break the back of an invasion from the East at the battle of Lechfeld. Who were these fierce, feared invaders?
4. Like Charlemagne at his coronation, Otto was wary of Church influence and would have preferred to make his empire more secular.
5. From Otto's son onward, the German kings began referring to themselves as "Kings of the Romans," although their patchwork kingdom only stretched as far as the tribes who submitted to it. However, these Kings assumed the mantle of leadership in an unusual way. What was it?
6. It's now the beginning of the thirteenth century and an unusual German King, Frederick II, takes the throne. He was known to be a real Renaissance man - "stupor mundi" (wonder of the world) for his interest in the arts and his gift of languages. However, oddly enough, his favorite place to be was NOT Germany, but his native land, Italy. Where in Italy was this king's palace?
7. By the early 1300s, it was set in stone by Charles IV, in the "Golden Bull," just how many electors of the Holy Roman Empire there could be. How many?
8. First there was the Protestant reformation, and then the Thirty Years' War. Northern German influence over the Holy Roman throne was now nil, and the affinity between Germany and Italy was completely destroyed. To top it off, the Protestantism rampant in northern Germany was in opposition to the now-ruling Catholic Habsburg emperors. The focal point of the Empire migrates downward, and history books after this point begin to refer to the H.R.E. as another entity. What is this entity called? (Hint: think Hitler's birthplace.)
9. It's 1740, and there's a strong woman on the throne: Maria Teresa. Although she was set up as Empress and German Queen, a new energetic state arose to her north to challenge her leadership of all the Germanies. This state's taste for Habsburg lands precipitated the War of the Austrian Succession. What new state was this, known for its fast-moving, efficient army? (Hint: Think a pleasant shade of dark blue.)
10. And now the Holy Roman Empire stumbles to an end, and we come full circle. Napoleon had come to consider himself to be the new Charlemagne and leader of a "revived Rome." He was offended that another empire still existed that historically laid claim - however weakly - to this concept. He decided to abolish the title of Holy Roman Emperor and to dissolve whatever structure remained of it. Then what happened in 1806?
Source: Author
snediger
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor
bloomsby before going online.
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