Holy Roman Emperor
Emperor of the Romans | |
---|---|
Imperator Romanorum Kaiser der Römer | |
Imperial | |
Habsburg emperors of the early modern period | |
19 March 1452 – 19 August 1493 | |
Details | |
First monarch | Charlemagne (AD 800 formation) Otto the Great (AD 962 formation) |
Last monarch | Francis II |
Formation | 25 December 800 |
Abolition | 6 August 1806 |
The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans (
The Holy Roman Emperor title provided the highest prestige among medieval Catholic monarchs, because the empire was considered by the Catholic Church to be the only successor of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. Thus, in theory and diplomacy, the emperors were considered primus inter pares, regarded as first among equals among other Catholic monarchs across Europe.[3]
From an
The emperor was widely perceived to rule by
Title
From the time of
In Western Europe, the title of Emperor in the West lapsed after the death of Julius Nepos in 480, although the rulers of the barbarian kingdoms continued to recognize the authority of the Eastern Emperor at least nominally well into the 6th century. While the reconquest of Justinian I had reestablished Byzantine presence in Italy, religious frictions existed with the Papacy who sought dominance over the Constantinople Church. Toward the end of the 8th century the Papacy still recognised the ruler at Constantinople as the Roman Emperor, though Byzantine military support in Italy had increasingly waned, leading to the Papacy to look to the Franks for protection. In 800 Pope Leo III owed a great debt to Charlemagne, the King of the Franks and King of Italy, for securing his life and position. By this time, the Eastern Emperor Constantine VI has been deposed in 797 and replaced as monarch by his mother, Irene.[6]
Under the pretext that a woman could not rule the empire, Pope Leo III declared the throne vacant and crowned Charlemagne Emperor of the Romans (Imperator Romanorum), the successor of Constantine VI as Roman emperor, using the concept of translatio imperii.[6] On his coins, the name and title used by Charlemagne is Karolus Imperator Augustus. In documents, he used Imperator Augustus Romanum gubernans Imperium ("Emperor Augustus, governing the Roman Empire") and serenissimus Augustus a Deo coronatus, magnus pacificus Imperator Romanorum gubernans Imperium ("most serene Augustus crowned by God, great peaceful emperor governing the empire of the Romans"). The Eastern Empire eventually relented to recognizing Charlemagne and his successors as emperors, but as "Frankish" and "German emperors", at no point referring to them as Roman, a label they reserved for themselves.[7]
The title of emperor in the West implied recognition by the pope. As the power of the papacy grew during the Middle Ages, popes and emperors came into conflict over church administration. The best-known and most bitter conflict was that known as the
After the coronation of Charlemagne, his successors maintained the title until the death of
Since 911, the various
The term sacrum (i.e., "holy") in connection with the German Roman Empire was first used in 1157 under
The Holy Roman Emperor's standard designation was "August Emperor of the Romans" (Romanorum Imperator Augustus). When Charlemagne was crowned in 800, he was styled as "most serene Augustus, crowned by God, great and pacific emperor, governing the Roman Empire," thus constituting the elements of "Holy" and "Roman" in the imperial title.[9]
The word Roman was a reflection of the principle of translatio imperii (or in this case restauratio imperii) that regarded the (Germanic) Holy Roman emperors as the inheritors of the title of emperor of the Western Roman Empire, despite the continued existence of the Eastern Roman Empire.
In German-language historiography, the term Römisch-deutscher Kaiser ("Roman-German emperor") is used to distinguish the title from that of
Succession
The
Conrad was elected by the
After 1438, the kings remained in the House of
The elector palatine's seat was conferred on the
List of emperors
This list includes all 47 German monarchs crowned from Charlemagne until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire (800–1806).
Several rulers were crowned
during the interregnum of the late 13th century.Traditional historiography assumes a continuity between the Carolingian Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, while a modern convention takes the coronation of Otto I in 962 as the starting point of the Holy Roman Empire (although the term Sacrum Imperium Romanum was not in use before the 13th century).
Frankish emperors
On Christmas Day, 800, Charlemagne, King of the Franks, was crowned Emperor of the Romans (Imperator Romanorum) by
800–888: Carolingian dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Reign | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Charlemagne (Charles I) 742–814 |
25 December 800 | 28 January 814 | None | ||
Louis I, the Pious 778–840 |
11 September 813[10] | 20 June 840 | Son of Charles I |
| |
Lothair I 795–855 |
5 April 823 | 29 September 855 | Son of Louis I | ||
Louis II 825–875 |
29 September 855 | 12 August 875 | Son of Lothair I | ||
Charles II, the Bald 823–877 |
29 December 875 | 6 October 877 | Son of Louis I younger half-brother of Lothair I | ||
Charles III, the Fat 839–888 |
12 February 881 | 13 January 888 | Grandson of Louis I |
891–898: Widonid dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Reign | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guy ?–894 |
21 February 891 | 12 December 894 | Great-great-grandson of Charles I | ||
Lambert 880–898 |
30 April 892 | 15 October 898 | Son of Guy |
896–899: Carolingian dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Reign | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arnulf 850–899 |
22 February 896 | 8 December 899 | Nephew of Charles III Great-grandson of Louis I |
901–905: Bosonid dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Reign | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Louis III, the Blind 880–928 |
22 February 901 | 21 July 905 | Grandson of Louis II |
915–924: Unruoching dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Reign | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Berengar 845–924 |
December 915 | 7 April 924 | Grandson of Louis I |
Holy Roman Emperors
While earlier Germanic and Italian monarchs had been crowned as Roman emperors, the actual
962–1024: Ottonian dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Otto I, the Great 912–973 |
7 August 936 | 2 February 962 | 7 May 973 | None |
| |
Otto II, the Red 955–983 |
26 May 961 | 25 December 967 | 7 December 983 | Son of Otto I
|
| |
Otto III 980–1002 |
25 December 983 | 21 May 996 | 23 January 1002 | Son of Otto II | ||
Henry II [note 1] 973–1024 |
7 June 1002 | 14 February 1014 | 13 July 1024 | Second cousin of Otto III |
|
1027–1125: Salian dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conrad II, the Elder [note 2] 990–1039 |
8 September 1024 | 26 March 1027 | 4 June 1039 | Great-great-grandson of Otto I and Eadgyth of England through Liutgarde, Duchess of Lorraine |
| |
Henry III, the Black 1017–1056 |
14 April 1028 | 25 December 1046 | 5 October 1056 | Son of Conrad II |
| |
Henry IV 1050–1106 |
17 July 1054 | 1 April 1084 | 7 August 1106 | Son of Henry III |
| |
Henry V[11] 1086–1125 |
6 January 1099 | 13 April 1111 | 23 May 1125 | Son of Henry IV |
|
1133–1137: Supplinburg dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lothair II [note 3] 1075–1137 |
30 August 1125 | 4 June 1133 | 4 December 1137 | Great-great-great-great-great-great-grandnephew of Otto I
|
|
1155–1197: Staufen dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frederick I Barbarossa1122–1190 |
4 March 1152 | 18 June 1155 | 10 June 1190 | Great-grandson of Henry IV through Agnes of Waiblingen Descendant of Otto II through Matilda of Germany |
| |
Henry VI 1165–1197 |
15 August 1169 | 14 April 1191 | 28 September 1197 | Son of Frederick I
|
|
1198–1215: Welf dynasty
Portrait | Coat of arms
|
Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Otto IV 1175–1218 |
9 June 1198 | 21 October 1209 | 1215 | Great-grandson of Lothair II through Gertrude of Süpplingenburg
|
|
1220–1250: Staufen dynasty
Portrait | Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frederick II, Stupor Mundi 1194–1250 |
5 December 1212 | 22 November 1220 | 13 December 1250 | Son of Henry VI |
|
The
1312–1313: House of Luxembourg
Portrait | Coat of arms
|
Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Henry VII 1273–1313 |
27 November 1308 | 29 June 1312 | 24 August 1313 | Descendant of Charles II |
|
1314–1347: House of Wittelsbach
Portrait | Coat of arms
|
Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Louis IV, the Bavarian 1282–1347 |
20 October 1314 | 17 January 1328 | 11 October 1347 | Descendant of Lothair II (through Gertrude of Süpplingenburg )
|
|
1346–1437: House of Luxembourg
Portrait | Coat of arms
|
Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Charles IV 1316–1378 |
11 July 1346 | 5 April 1355 | 29 November 1378 | Grandson of Frederick I through Philip of Swabia
|
| ||||
|
Sigismund 1368–1437 |
10 September 1410 /21 July 1411 |
31 May 1433 | 9 December 1437 | Son of Charles IV |
|
1440–1740: House of Habsburg
In 1508, Pope Julius II allowed Maximilian I to use the title of Emperor without coronation in Rome, though the title was qualified as Electus Romanorum Imperator ("elected Emperor of the Romans"). Maximilian's successors each adopted the same titulature, usually on becoming the sole ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. Maximilian's predecessor Frederick III was the last to be crowned Emperor by the Pope in Rome, while Maximilian's successor Charles V was the last to be crowned by the pope, though in Bologna, in 1530.[12]
Portrait | Coat of arms
|
Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Frederick III, the Peaceful 1415–1493 |
2 February 1440 | 16 March 1452 | 19 August 1493 | Second cousin of Lothair II (through Gertrude of Süpplingenburg )
|
| ||
Maximilian I 1459–1519 |
16 February 1486 | 4 February 1508 | 12 January 1519 | Son of Frederick III Descendant of Frederick II through Manfred, King of Sicily |
| ||
Charles V 1500–1558 |
28 June 1519 | 27 August 1556 | Grandson of Maximilian I |
| |||
Ferdinand I 1503–1564 |
5 January 1531 | 27 August 1556 | 25 July 1564 | Brother of Charles V Grandson of Maximilian I |
| ||
Maximilian II 1527–1576 |
22 November 1562 | 25 July 1564 | 12 October 1576 | Son of Ferdinand I Descendant of Sigismund through Elizabeth of Luxembourg | |||
Rudolf II [note 4] 1552–1612 |
27 October 1575 | 12 October 1576 | 20 January 1612 | Son of Maximilian II Grandson of Charles V | |||
Matthias 1557–1619 |
13 June 1612 | 20 March 1619 | Brother of Rudolf II Son of Maximilian II Grandson of Charles V | ||||
Ferdinand II 1578–1637 |
28 August 1619 | 15 February 1637 | Cousin of Rudolf II and Matthias Grandson of Ferdinand I | ||||
Ferdinand III 1608–1657 |
22 December 1636 | 15 February 1637 | 2 April 1657 | Son of Ferdinand II | |||
Leopold I 1640–1705 |
18 July 1658 | 5 May 1705 | Son of Ferdinand III Great-great-grandson of Charles V and Maximilian II | ||||
Joseph I 1678–1711 |
23 January 1690 | 5 May 1705 | 17 April 1711 | Son of Leopold I | |||
Charles VI 1685–1740 |
12 October 1711 | 20 October 1740 | Brother of Joseph I Son of Leopold I |
Full list
|
1742–1745: House of Wittelsbach
Portrait | Coat of arms
|
Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Charles VII 1697–1745 |
24 January 1742 | 20 January 1745 | Great-great-grandson of Ferdinand II Son-in-law of Joseph I |
|
1745–1765: House of Lorraine
Portrait | Coat of arms
|
Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Francis I 1708–1765 |
13 September 1745 | 18 August 1765 | Great-grandson of Ferdinand III Son-in-law of Charles VI |
|
1765–1806: House of Habsburg-Lorraine
Portrait | Coat of arms
|
Name Lifespan |
Term as King began | Term as Emperor began | Term(s) ended | Relationship with predecessor(s) | Other title(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joseph II 1741–1790 |
27 March 1764 | 18 August 1765 | 20 February 1790 | Son of Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, de facto ruler of the empire Grandson of Charles VI |
| ||
Leopold II 1747–1792 |
30 September 1790 | 1 March 1792 | Brother of Joseph II |
| |||
Francis II 1768–1835 |
5 July 1792 | 6 August 1806 | Son of Leopold II |
|
Coronation
The Emperor was crowned in a special ceremony, traditionally performed by the
Emperor | Coronation date | Officiant | Location |
---|---|---|---|
Charles I | 25 December 800 | Pope Leo III | Rome, Italy |
Louis I | 5 October 816 | Pope Stephen IV | Reims, France |
Lothair I | 5 April 823 | Pope Paschal I | Rome, Italy |
Louis II
|
15 June 844 | Pope Leo IV | Rome, Italy |
Charles II | 29 December 875 | Pope John VIII | Rome, Italy |
Charles III | 12 February 881 | Rome, Italy | |
Guy III of Spoleto | 21 February 891 | Pope Stephen V | Rome, Italy |
Lambert II of Spoleto
|
30 April 892 | Pope Formosus | Ravenna, Italy |
Arnulf of Carinthia | 22 February 896 | Rome, Italy | |
Louis III | 15 or 22 February 901 | Pope Benedict IV | Rome, Italy |
Berengar | December 915 | Pope John X | Rome, Italy |
Otto I
|
2 February 962 | Pope John XII | Rome, Italy |
Otto II | 25 December 967 | Pope John XIII | Rome, Italy |
Otto III | 21 May 996 | Pope Gregory V | Monza, Italy |
Henry II | 14 February 1014 | Pope Benedict VIII | Rome, Italy |
Conrad II | 26 March 1027 | Pope John XIX | Rome, Italy |
Henry III | 25 December 1046 | Pope Clement II | Rome, Italy |
Henry IV | 31 March 1084 | Antipope Clement III | Rome, Italy |
Henry V | 13 April 1111 | Pope Paschal II | Rome, Italy |
Lothair III | 4 June 1133 | Pope Innocent II | Rome, Italy |
Frederick I
|
18 June 1155 | Pope Adrian IV | Rome, Italy |
Henry VI | 14 April 1191 | Pope Celestine III | Rome, Italy |
Otto IV | 4 October 1209 | Pope Innocent III | Rome, Italy |
Frederick II | 22 November 1220 | Pope Honorius III | Rome, Italy |
Henry VII | 29 June 1312 | Ghibellines cardinals | Rome, Italy |
Louis IV | 17 January 1328 | Senator Sciarra Colonna | Rome, Italy |
Charles IV | 5 April 1355 | Pope Innocent VI's cardinal | Rome, Italy |
Sigismund | 31 May 1433 | Pope Eugenius IV
|
Rome, Italy |
Frederick III | 19 March 1452 | Pope Nicholas V | Rome, Italy |
Charles V | 24 February 1530 | Pope Clement VII | Bologna, Italy |
See also
- Concordat of Worms
- Emperor for other uses of the title "Emperor" in Europe
- First Council of the Lateran
- Holy Roman Emperors family tree
- Holy Roman Empress
- King of the Romans
- List of German monarchs
- Holy Roman Empire
- King of Italy
- Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire)
Notes
- ^ Enumerated as successor of Henry I who was German King 919–936 but not Emperor.
- ^ Enumerated as successor of Conrad I who was German King 911–918 but not Emperor
- ^ Enumerated also Lothair III as successor of Lothair II, who was King of Lotharingia 855–869 but not Emperor
- ^ Enumerated as successor of Rudolph I who was German King 1273–1291.
References
- ^ a b The New International Encyclopædia. Vol. 10. 1927. p. 675.; Hayes, Carlton J. H. (1932). A Political and Cvltvral History of Modern Europe. Vol. 1. p. 225.
- ^ Peter Hamish Wilson, The Holy Roman Empire, 1495–1806, MacMillan Press 1999, London, p. 2. Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn: The Menace of the Herd or Procrustes at Large – p. 164. Robert Edwin Herzstein, Robert Edwin Herzstein: "The Holy Roman Empire in the Middle Ages: universal state or German catastrophe?"[year needed][page needed]
- ISBN 9781445638454.
- ^ Richards, Jeffrey (1979). The Popes and the Papacy in the Early Middle Ages, 476–752. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. 14–15.
- ^ Richards 1979, p. 16.
- ^ a b Bryce, James (1968) [1864]. The Holy Roman Empire. Macmillan. pp. 62–64.
- S2CID 183386465.
- ^ Moraw, Peter (1977–1999). Heiliges Reich. Lexikon des Mittelalters. Vol. 4. Munich & Zurich: Artemis. Columns 2025–2028.
- ^ Bryce 1968, p. 530.
- ^ Egon Boshof: Ludwig der Fromme. Darmstadt 1996, p. 89
- ISBN 978-0-393-30153-3.
- ^ Brinckmeier, Eduard (1882). Praktisches Handbuch der historischen Chronologie aller Zeiten und Völker, besonders des Mittelalters. p. 311.
- ^ " Wir Franz der Zweyte, von Gottes Gnaden erwählter römischer Kaiser Imperator Austriae, Fransiscus I (1804), Allerhöchste Pragmatikal-Verordnung vom 11. August 1804, The HR Emperor, p. 1
External links
- Media related to Holy Roman Emperors at Wikimedia Commons