Germany unifies... into HRE?

Would it be possible that German states wouldn't unify into Germany as we know and love/hate but rather into HRE? Nappy for some reason or another doesn't dissolve it in 1806 and continues to exist as a formality. so when Germany starts to unify it builds up on existing structure but it's centralised and german princes and whatnot recognise emperor as their sovereign.

Granted elective monarch would be a problem for Prussia and if you don't ahve it like that it's not really HRE.

Not well thought out, I know, it just occurred to me today it would be an interesting idea to throw out there.
 
The closest I'd know would be Germany from Decades of Darkness, which indeed has a Holy Roman Emperor (personal union with Austria).
 
It's hard to see how, but possibly if the Congress of Vienna goes a different way and instead of the continental powers working to counter Russia, Russian influence aims to marginalise the western rivals. The Czar could then insist on restoring the HRE to the Austrian emperors, keeping Prussia from building up too much territory by reinstating minor princes, and saddling Austia-Hungary with an unwieldy coalition of Germans. Doubly interesting if they make up for some of the territorial losses from the days of Louis XIV and giove France a reason to oppose the HRE, obliging the Austrians to defend a border thay can't effectively control or militarise and turning Prussia into an enemy within and ally against Austria.

It's really a pretty daft idea, but that's how I could see it rationalised.
 
Nappy for some reason or another doesn't dissolve it in 1806 and continues to exist as a formality. so when Germany starts to unify it builds up on existing structure but it's centralised and german princes and whatnot recognise emperor as their sovereign.
Instead of making the Confederation of the Rhine, he makes a Kingdom of Germany for one of his brothers ALA. I can't see Napoleon keeping a second empire around, which would be a challenge to his legitimacy.

Maybe if Napoleon crowned himself Roman Emperor instead of Emperor of the French, and attempts to unite the old Roman Empire instead of going east into Poland and Russia?
 
Instead of making the Confederation of the Rhine, he makes a Kingdom of Germany for one of his brothers ALA. I can't see Napoleon keeping a second empire around, which would be a challenge to his legitimacy.

Maybe if Napoleon crowned himself Roman Emperor instead of Emperor of the French, and attempts to unite the old Roman Empire instead of going east into Poland and Russia?

If Nappy took a Roman title, I think that would definitely deep-six the re-creation of the HRE at the Congress of Vienna.

The problem with a unified Germany for Nappy is that a unified Germany presents a clear threat to the French Empire. Nappy wanted to clean up the German states, not create a German counter-weight to the French Empire.

I think the HRE could be a unifier for the German nation, but that would require 1) Napoleon not become the paramount French leader of OTL and 2) the Hapsburg come up with a leader who is willing to risk the Hapsburg possessions in pursuit of German unification- a second Joseph II. Maximilian Hapsburg, Franz Josef's younger brother, could provide a good option, but the POD would be so early as to butterfly Max's existence away.
 
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