Although nation-states made their appearances in other countries of Europe between thirteenth and the sixteen centuries, their emergence in Germany was delayed for some centuries. During this period there were no independent countries of Germany and Austria.
Instead there existed few a hundred more or less independent authorities. Though nominally they were subject to the control of the emperor but actually they behaved quite independently because some of the vassals were more powerful than the emperor. A national assembly known as Diet did exist but it met at irregular intervals at various places (there being no capital city).
The towns were not permitted to send their representatives to the Diet till 1487. Even the knights and minor nobles were not represented on it. As a result, they never felt bound by its decisions. In short, we can say that there was no effective king in Germany and various nobles carried on endless civil wars.
No doubt, Maxmilian I (1493-1519) inspired by the rise of a nation-state in other parts of Europe put forth a programme for a nation court system, army and taxation, but the same was frustrated by the German princes. As a result the emperor continued to enjoy only limited powers and there did not exist any imperial treasury, an efficient central administration or a standing army.