In the early modern period the Holy Roman Empire, or Reich, was one of the oldest and largest European states. Its importance was magnified by its location at the heart of the continent, by the extensive international connections of its leading families, and by the involvement of foreign rulers in its governance. This book breaks new ground in its collective exploration of aspects of cross-border and transnational interaction, and of political and diplomatic, social and cultural relations. There are essays on important turning-points, especially 1648 and 1806; on the patterns of rulership of the emperors themselves; on areas which lay on the margin of the Reich; on neighbouring countries which interacted with the Empire; and on visual and material culture.

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