Editing Unification of Germany (section)

== Dissolution of the Old Empire ==
Invasion of the Holy Roman Empire by the [[First French Empire]] in the [[War of the Second Coalition]] (1798–1802) resulted in a massive military defeat for the Empire's and allied forces at the hands of [[Napoleon Bonaparte]]. The treaties of [[Treaty of Lunéville|Lunéville]] (1801) and the [[German Mediatization|Mediatization of 1803]] secularized the ecclesiastical principalities and abolished most free imperial cities and so these territories along with their inhabitants were absorbed by dynastic states. This transfer particularly expanded the territories of [[Kingdom of Württemberg|Württemberg]] and [[Grand Duchy of Baden|Baden]]. In 1806, after a successful invasion of Prussia and the defeat of Prussia at the joint battles of [[Battle of Jena-Auerstedt|Jena-Auerstedt]] 1806 during the [[War of the Third Coalition]], Napoleon dictated the [[Peace of Pressburg (1805)|Treaty of Pressburg]] which included the formal [[dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire]] and the abdication of [[Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Francis II]] from the nominal reign over it. Napoleon established instead a German [[client state]] of France known as the [[Confederation of the Rhine]] which, ''inter alia'', provided for the mediatization of over a hundred petty princes and counts and the absorption of their territories, as well as those of hundreds of [[Imperial Knight|imperial knights]], by the Confederation's member-states. Several states were promoted to kingdoms including the [[Kingdom of Bavaria]], the [[Kingdom of Saxony]] or the [[Kingdom of Hanover]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gagliardo |first=John G. |title=Reich and Nation. The Holy Roman Empire as Idea and Reality, 1763–1806 |date=1980 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=0-2531-6773-6 |pages=278–279 |oclc=5563434 |ol=22078286M}}</ref> Following the formal secession from the Empire of the majority of its constituent states, the Emperor dissolved the Holy Roman Empire.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kann |first=Robert A. |title=History of the Habsburg Empire: 1526–1918 |date=1974 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-5200-4206-3 |location=Los Angeles |page=221 |ol=7708659M}}</ref> In his abdication, Francis released all former estates from their duties and obligations to him, and took upon himself solely the title of Emperor of Austria, which had been established since 1804.{{Sfn|Mann|1971|p=70}}