William Tyler
Medieval Germany and Germanies
Summary
Before the Romans, there is no written history of the German land and its people. Thus the story begins with Northern tribes of Germany coming into contact with Rome through trade. The Romans confined themselves to the south, with Roman cities established along the Rhine.
Medieval Germany established many states and statelets such as the Holy Roman Empire, the Christian Order of the Teutonic Knights, and the great trading empire of the Hanseatic League.
In the sixteenth century, Germany was the center of the Reformation. Such divisions, in terms of religion and inter-state rivalries, led to the Thirty Years War in 1618.
Later, Prussia become beating heart of 19th century Germany, uniting Germany after the 1870-71 Franco Prussian War.
William Tyler
William Tyler has spent his entire professional life in adult education, beginning at Kingsgate College in 1969. He has lectured widely for many public bodies, including the University of Cambridge and the WEA, in addition to speaking to many clubs and societies. In 2009, William was awarded the MBE for services to adult education, and he has previously been a scholar in residence at the London Jewish Cultural Centre.
No, it was to do with … No, I don’t think so. There was a view that he was going to be, there was an odd Christian view that he will be the last emperor before the second coming, but that is post his coronation.
The word confederation does come in to the German story with Napoleon and subsequently, but it’s not the whole of Germany. I’ll talk about the confederation when I get there. It’s not the whole of Germany, that would be untrue. But it is a part of the story of Germany in the 19th century.