Editing History of the Netherlands (section)

===Political disunity===
[[File:Valkhofkapel.JPG|thumb|Chapel of St Nicholas ({{Interlanguage link|Sint-Nicolaaskapel (Nijmegen)|nl}} or Valkhofkapel) in [[Nijmegen]], one of the oldest buildings in the Netherlands]]

The Holy Roman Empire was not able to maintain political unity. In addition to the growing independence of the towns, local rulers turned their counties and duchies into private kingdoms and felt little sense of obligation to the emperor who reigned over large parts of the nation in name only. Large parts of what now comprise the Netherlands were governed by the Count of Holland, the Duke of [[Gelre]], the Duke of Brabant and the Bishop of Utrecht. [[Friesland]] and [[Groningen (province)|Groningen]] in the north maintained their independence and were governed by the lower nobility.

The various feudal states were in a state of almost continual war. [[Gelre]] and Holland fought for control of [[Utrecht (province)|Utrecht]]. Utrecht, whose bishop had in 1000 ruled over half of what is today the Netherlands, was marginalised as it experienced continuing difficulty in electing new bishops. At the same time, the dynasties of neighbouring states were more stable. Groningen, [[Drenthe]] and most of Gelre, which used to be part of Utrecht, became independent. Brabant tried to conquer its neighbours, but was not successful. Holland also tried to assert itself in Zeeland and Friesland, but its attempts failed.