1. The Holy Roman Empire http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/images/holy- roman-empire-1250-map-1.jpg

2. Charlemagne The Germanic King who was crowned Emperor of the newly formed HRE on December 25, 800 AD Pope Leo III The pope in 800 AD who crowned Charlemagne in hopes of a strong political ally for protection Confederation A loose union or alliance of political entities under a broad (typically weak) umbrella government or leader

3. The HRE Was it really Holy? The Pope wanted it to be, and thought it was because he sanctioned it and crowned the emperor Was it really Roman? Not truly, the pope wanted it to be because he wanted to relive the grandness of Rome, but Rome was conquered and ceased to exist as it was in 476 AD Was it even an Empire? No, it was a confederation, where the emperor only held ceremonial power in most cases