Holy Roman Empire survive

If the 1804 HRE isn't abolished, it would likely still be more a symbolical feature, not that much relevant than German Confederation. It was in all regards emptied of a real meaning at this time.
 
If the 1804 HRE isn't abolished, it would likely still be more a symbolical feature, not that much relevant than German Confederation. It was in all regards emptied of a real meaning at this time.

What would probably be more interesting is if this scenario meant that the ecclesiastical principalities live into the 19th century. That might have knock-on effect on the Catholic Church.

I think this scenario depends on whether we have a HRE with all its dukedoms, electorates, prince-bishops etc. or a HRE in name only, which has not restored every prince to his castle that was lost due to the French...
 
What would probably be more interesting is if this scenario meant that the ecclesiastical principalities live into the 19th century. That might have knock-on effect on the Catholic Church.
These principalities were often under Bavarian influence, so while it could have an effect for Church itself, I doubt it would be that much.
Furthermore, ecclesiastical principalties were often resented by the population they ruled (Liege Principality and its revolution is a good exemple). Keeping them a thing could actually have a reverse effect for Catholic church.
 
This depends on your POD. I actually had a similar thread not too long ago. You could have Francis II win at Austerlitz and use the momentum to pass Imperial reforms that could help strengthen the Empire. Giant butterflies there, particularly on German reunification and 1848. You could see a liberal Empire down the road if the right political upheaval happens, but it would be unlikely.
 
As others have intimated, there's a very big difference between the survival of the pre-Reichsdeputationshauptschluss Holy Roman Empire, and the survival of the abortive Holy Roman Empire created by those reforms.

I think the survival of a post-reform Empire is going to end up not very different from the OTL German Confederation - the territorial consolidation of the middle states and the disappearance of most of the smaller intermediary bodies (the free cities and ecclesiastical states, in particular) has already happened at that point, and the further progress of that to include the Imperial Knights and some of the lesser comital states is perhaps inevitable.

On the other hand, if you prevent the reform from happening, you get a very different world, with all the prince-bishoprics and imperial abbeys and free cities and imperial knights still in business.
 
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