The Effects of THe Protestant Reformation ON the Empire
From the 1400's the Holy Roman Empire was very dis-unified with now one ruler owning all of the territory in the Empire but instead many princes controlling their small parcels of territory. The Protestant Reformation further decreased the power and unity in the Holy Roman Empire. With the Empire divided by religion more conflicts occurred between princes. Princes formed leagues, such as the Schmalkaldic League that consisted of Protestant Princes, to defended from groups that opposed them further increasing the division within the empire. The Catholic Church also lost power within the Empire with more princes turning to Protestantism decreasing the amount of money that the Catholic Papacy gained. The Emperors also lost support since they lost Princes that supported them due to their conversion to Protestantism. With the decrease in power and unity through the Empire it became vulnerable to attack and on August 6, 1806 the empire fell with the last emperor Francis II ending the empire with the hopes stopping Napoleon from usurping his title.