Liechtenstein

The Western Roman Empire had been defeated in 476, but the Empire story was a good one, so the conquerors used it. What started as smaller groups working together to defeat an Empire, became similar to what they defeated. Liechtenstein had been a gift from the Emperor to its first Princes. They didn't even visit for the first 100 years. Defeat by Napoleon in 1805 ended 960 years of feudal government and reorganised the Empire into the Confederation of the Rhine. Several coalition wars followed. 39 German states were born in 1815 as part of the German Confederation after the sixth war. This Confederation dissolved in 1866 and Liechtenstein went its own way, while 22 joined to form the North German Confederation which would form the basis of the German Empire which lasted till 1918. Today, Liechtenstein has a population of 37,000 people (and one of the highest GDP per capita in the world).

Vaduz Castle

Home of the Prince of Lichtenstein