The documentary portrays the history of an empire that is almost one thousand years old to the day. At the beginnings of its history stands Charles the Great, a Frankish king. Napoleon I, emperor of France, brings the empire to its knees. Re-enactments and lavish animations, complemented by interviews with well-known historians, tell the colourful story of an empire that at the zenith of its power extends from Sicily to the North Sea. Many legends surrounding emperors and kings and only a few preserved manuscripts document the Holy Empire. Its rulers see themselves as the legitimate heirs to the Roman imperators. The last to exploit the myth of the empire are the National Socialists, who in turn proclaim a new thousand-year realm.
