Contesting and Redefining Imperiality (15th to 19th Centuries)
Did the Germanic world take part in the global turning point of the modern era? The Holy Roman Empire, then seen as one of the most important formations, is now largely absent from studies of imperial history. In particular, the Nazi period has led to the imperial tradition in Germany prior to 1933 being ignored.
This book aims to reintroduce us to this little-known area, from 1454, the date of the call for a union of Christianity under imperial aegis, to 1806, which marks the abdication of the last German emperor. Indravati Félicité brings to light an entity marked by a strong continental dimension, but which nonetheless possesses active maritime façades. She shows how, without having entered into a process of conquest and colonization, this entity was organized around territories connected
to the world.
By depicting the Holy Roman Empire as a central player in international relations in the modern era, Indravati Félicité strips it of the image of an « old empire » that has often been attributed to it. In so doing, she contributes to a redefinition of the notion of imperialism and its contestation.
