The struggle between popes and emperors had dire consequences for the Holy Roman Empire.
By spending their time fighting in Italy, the German emperors left Germany in the hands of powerful German lords.
These nobles ignored the emperor and created their own independent kingdoms.
this made the German monarchy weak and incapable of maintaining a strong monarchial state.
In the end, the German Holy Roman Emperor had no real power over either Germany or Italy.
Unlike France and England, neither Germany nor Italy created a national monarchy in the Middle Ages.
Both German and Italy consisted of many small, independent states.
Not until the 19th century do these states become unified.