Explanation: The Holy Roman Empire, shortened to HRE, was a long-lasting early medieval polity of Germany (very little relation to Rome, ironically) which was pivotal in many major events in medieval Europe, eventually limping along under the suzerainty of the Habsburg monarchy into the 17th and 18th centuries AD. We typically think of it as a very medieval creature, in part because, it, well, was. But in part because the majority of its great deeds were in the period, and the formal position of Holy Roman Emperor was little more than an ornament for the Austrian Habsburg monarchs rather than a title of real power.
Despite this, it did still exist up until 1806, nearly 20 years after the establishment of the USA under the current Constitution, when it was formally abolished by the Holy Roman Emperor, in order to prevent the electors of the HRE - many of whom had been replaced by puppets of the French conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte during his incessant wars on the continent - from granting the ancient and august title to Napoleon. It was just a gesture of spite rather than practical effect, but considering Napoleon's predilection towards collecting titles, probably at least irritated Napoleon by its absence.
