Question

Which of the following best describes the Holy Roman Empire?

A. an empire based in France that sought to conquer the entire western European continent
B. a regional state that ruled Italy and sought to extend its influence over Germany and France
C. an empire that sought to extend its dominion over the lands of the Byzantine empire
D. a regional state that ruled Germany and occasionally sought to wield influence in eastern Europe and Italy

Answer 1

The Holy Roman Empire was a regional state that ruled Germany and occasionally sought to wield influence in eastern Europe and Italy. It comprised four main entities and was a weak and decentralized political entity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Holy Roman Empire was a regional state that ruled Germany and occasionally sought to wield influence in eastern Europe and Italy.

Charlemagne, who founded the Holy Roman Empire in 800, established four main entities: the Kingdom of Italy, the Kingdom of Germany, the Kingdom of Burgundy, and the Kingdom of Bohemia. Each of these kingdoms comprised a loose coalition of independent territories with different hereditary rulers.

The Holy Roman Empire remained a weak and decentralized political entity, consisting of over one hundred principalities with varying degrees of power and autonomy. The emperor was elected by a handful of rulers known as electors and was also beholden to the pope.