The Holy Roman Empire was a loose confederation of heterogeneous states that lasted a thousand years, from 800 to 1806. In the early modern period, it developed some common institutions, but these failed to contain the forces of disunity. Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger, a professor of history at the University of Münster, recommends books to learn more about an empire that played a key role in European history but is often absent from national narratives.
