List of German monarchs
Encyclopedia
This article lists the monarchs of Germany, those who ruled over the German-speaking territories of central Europe from the creation of a separate Eastern Frankish Kingdom in 843 until the end of German Empire
in 1918. It also includes the heads of the various German confederations after the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire
in 1806.
The relationship between the title of "king" and "emperor
" in the area that is today called Germany
is just as complicated as the history and the structure of the Holy Roman Empire
itself. The Kingdom of Germany
predates the Empire.
after its partition by the Treaty of Verdun
in 843. Later it became known as the Kingdom of Germany
, which was the chief (and then sole) component of the Holy Roman Empire (of the German Nation)
.
The German Kingdom comprised not only the territory of modern Germany
, but also that of Austria
, Switzerland
, the Czech Republic
, Slovenia
, and the Low Countries
, as well as parts of modern France
, Italy
and Poland
.
, imperial authority was exercised by two imperial vicar
s — the Elector of Saxony, in his role as Count Palatine of Saxony, exercised this office in northern Germany, and the Elector Palatine, as Count Palatine of the Rhine, exercised it in southern Germany. The confusion over the Palatine electorate during the Thirty Years War and afterwards led to some confusion about who the rightful vicar was in the later years of the Empire.
Confederation of the Rhine
German Confederation
North German Confederation
German Empire
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
in 1918. It also includes the heads of the various German confederations after the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
in 1806.
The relationship between the title of "king" and "emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
" in the area that is today called Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
is just as complicated as the history and the structure of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
itself. The Kingdom of Germany
Kingdom of Germany
The Kingdom of Germany developed out of the eastern half of the former Carolingian Empire....
predates the Empire.
- The Kingdom of Germany started out as the eastern section of the Frankish kingdomFranksThe Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
, which was split by the Treaty of VerdunTreaty of VerdunThe Treaty of Verdun was a treaty between the three surviving sons of Louis the Pious, the son and successor of Charlemagne, which divided the Carolingian Empire into three kingdoms...
in 843. The rulers of the eastern area thus called themselves rex Francorum, king of the Franks, and later just rex. A reference to the "Germans", indicating the emergence of a German nation of some sort, did not appear until the eleventh century, when the Pope referred to his enemy Henry IVHenry IV, Holy Roman EmperorHenry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century...
as rex teutonicorum, King of the TeutonsTeutonsThe Teutons or Teutones were mentioned as a Germanic tribe by Greek and Roman authors, notably Strabo and Marcus Velleius Paterculus and normally in close connection with the Cimbri, whose ethnicity is contested between Gauls and Germani...
, in order to brand him as a foreigner. The kings reacted by consistently using the title rex Romanorum, King of the RomansKing of the RomansKing of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
, to emphasize their universal rule even before becoming Emperor. This title remained until the end of the Empire in 1806. - The Kingdom of GermanyKingdom of GermanyThe Kingdom of Germany developed out of the eastern half of the former Carolingian Empire....
was never entirely hereditary; rather, ancestry was only one of the factors that determined the succession of kings. The king was formally elected by the leading nobility in the realm, continuing the Frankish tradition. Gradually the election became the privilege of a group of princes called ElectorsPrince-electorThe Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
and the Golden Bull of 1356Golden Bull of 1356The Golden Bull of 1356 was a decree issued by the Reichstag assembly in Nuremberg headed by the Luxembourg Emperor Charles IV that fixed, for a period of more than four hundred years, important aspects of the constitutional structure of the Holy Roman Empire...
formally defined election proceedings. - In the Middle Ages, the King did not assume the title "Emperor" (since 982 the full title had been Imperator Augustus Romanorum, Venerable Emperor of the Romans) until crowned by the Pope. He first had to be crowned with the Iron Crown of LombardyIron Crown of LombardyThe Iron Crown of Lombardy is both a reliquary and one of the most ancient royal insignia of Europe. The crown became one of the symbols of the Kingdom of Lombards and later of the medieval Kingdom of Italy...
, after which he assumed the title of rex Italiae, King of ItalyKing of ItalyKing of Italy is a title adopted by many rulers of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire...
. After this he would ride on to RomeRomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and be crowned Emperor by the Pope. - Maximilian IMaximilian I, Holy Roman EmperorMaximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
was the first King to bear the title of Emperor-Elect. After the failure in 1508 of his attempt to march to Rome and to be crowned by the Pope, he had himself proclaimed Emperor-elect with papal consent. His successor Charles VCharles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
also assumed that title after his coronation in 1520 until he was crowned Emperor by the Pope in 1530. From Ferdinand IFerdinand I, Holy Roman EmperorFerdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
onwards, all Emperors were merely Emperors-Elect, although they were normally referred to as Emperors. At the same time, chosen successors of the Emperors were called King of the Romans, if elected by the college of Electors during their predecessor's lifetime.
Eastern Frankish Kingdom, Holy Roman Empire 843-1806
This section covers the Eastern Frankish Kingdom, the eastern portion of the Frankish EmpireCarolingian Empire
Carolingian Empire is a historiographical term which has been used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the Carolingian dynasty in the Early Middle Ages. This dynasty is seen as the founders of France and Germany, and its beginning date is based on the crowning of Charlemagne, or Charles the...
after its partition by the Treaty of Verdun
Treaty of Verdun
The Treaty of Verdun was a treaty between the three surviving sons of Louis the Pious, the son and successor of Charlemagne, which divided the Carolingian Empire into three kingdoms...
in 843. Later it became known as the Kingdom of Germany
Kingdom of Germany
The Kingdom of Germany developed out of the eastern half of the former Carolingian Empire....
, which was the chief (and then sole) component of the Holy Roman Empire (of the German Nation)
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
.
The German Kingdom comprised not only the territory of modern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, but also that of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
, and the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
, as well as parts of modern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Kings
Emperors are listed in bold. Rival kings, anti-kings, and junior co-regents are italicized.| Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louis the German Louis the German Louis the German , also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian, was a grandson of Charlemagne and the third son of the succeeding Frankish Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye.He received the appellation 'Germanicus' shortly after his death in recognition of the fact... (Ludwig II der Deutsche) |
Carolingian Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the... |
11 August 843 | — | 23 August 876 | Son of Emperor Louis the Pious Louis the Pious Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813... and grandson of Charlemagne Charlemagne Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800... |
| Louis the Younger Louis the Younger Louis the Younger , sometimes Louis III, was the second eldest of the three sons of Louis the German and Emma. He succeeded his father as the King of Saxony on 28 August 876 and his elder brother Carloman as King of Bavaria from 880... (Ludwig III der Jüngere) |
Carolingian Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the... |
28 August 876 | — | 20 January 882 | Son of Louis the German; ruled in East Francia, Saxony Duchy of Saxony The medieval Duchy of Saxony was a late Early Middle Ages "Carolingian stem duchy" covering the greater part of Northern Germany. It covered the area of the modern German states of Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Saxony-Anhalt and most of Schleswig-Holstein... , from 880 also Bavaria Duchy of Bavaria The Duchy of Bavaria was the only one of the stem duchies from the earliest days of East Francia and the Kingdom of Germany to preserve both its name and most of its territorial extent.... |
| Carloman Carloman of Bavaria Carloman was the eldest son of Louis the German, king of East Francia , and Hemma, daughter of the count Welf... (Karlmann) |
Carolingian Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the... |
28 August 876 | — | 22 March 880 | Son of Louis the German; ruled in Bavaria Duchy of Bavaria The Duchy of Bavaria was the only one of the stem duchies from the earliest days of East Francia and the Kingdom of Germany to preserve both its name and most of its territorial extent.... ; from 877 also King of Italy |
| Charles the Fat Charles the Fat Charles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear... (Karl III, der Dicke) |
Carolingian Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the... |
28 August 876 | 12 February 881 | 11 November 887 | Son of Louis the German; ruled in Alemannia, Raetia Raetia Raetia was a province of the Roman Empire, named after the Rhaetian people. It was bounded on the west by the country of the Helvetii, on the east by Noricum, on the north by Vindelicia, on the west by Cisalpine Gaul and on south by Venetia et Histria... , from 882 in the entire Eastern Kingdom; from 879 also King of Italy |
| Arnulf of Carinthia Arnulf of Carinthia Arnulf of Carinthia was the Carolingian King of East Francia from 887, the disputed King of Italy from 894 and the disputed Holy Roman Emperor from February 22, 896 until his death.-Birth and Illegitimacy:... (Arnulf von Kärnten) |
Carolingian Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the... |
30 November 887 | 25 April 896 | 8 December 899 | Son of Carloman |
| Louis the Child Louis the Child Louis the Child , sometimes called Louis IV or Louis III, was the last Carolingian ruler of East Francia.... (Ludwig IV das Kind) |
Carolingian Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the... |
21 January 900 | — | 20/24 September 911 | Son of Arnulf of Carinthia |
| Conrad I Conrad I of Germany Conrad I , called the Younger, was Duke of Franconia from 906 and King of Germany from 911 to 918, the only king of the Conradine dynasty... (Konrad I) |
Conradine (Franconian) | 10 November 911 | — | 23 December 918 | |
| Henry I the Fowler (Heinrich I der Vogler) |
Liudolfing | 23 April 919 | — | 2 July 936 | |
| Arnulf the Bad Arnulf, Duke of Bavaria Arnulf , called the Bad or the Evil , was the duke of Bavaria from 907 until his death. He was a member of the Luitpolding dynasty.... (Arnulf der Böse, Herzog von Bayern) |
Luitpolding (Bavarian) Luitpolding The Luitpoldings were a medieval dynasty which ruled the German stem duchy of Bavaria from some time in the late ninth century off and on until 985. The progenitor of the family was Margrave Luitpold of Bavaria , possibly a descendant of the Early medieval Huosi noble family and maybe related to... |
919 | — | 921 | Rival king to Henry I |
| Otto I the Great Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor Otto I the Great , son of Henry I the Fowler and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of Germany, King of Italy, and "the first of the Germans to be called the emperor of Italy" according to Arnulf of Milan... (Otto I der Große) |
Ottonian | 7 August 936 | 2 February 962 | 7 May 973 | Son of Henry I; first king crowned in Aachen Cathedral Aachen Cathedral Aachen Cathedral, frequently referred to as the "Imperial Cathedral" , is a Roman Catholic church in Aachen, Germany. The church is the oldest cathedral in northern Europe and was known as the "Royal Church of St. Mary at Aachen" during the Middle Ages... since Lothair I Lothair I Lothair I or Lothar I was the Emperor of the Romans , co-ruling with his father until 840, and the King of Bavaria , Italy and Middle Francia... ;crowned as Otto by the grace of God King; crowned Holy Roman Emperor Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope... in 961. |
| Otto II the Red Otto II, Holy Roman Emperor Otto II , called the Red, was the third ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty, the son of Otto the Great and Adelaide of Italy.-Early years and co-ruler with Otto I:... (Otto II) |
Ottonian | 26 May 961 | 25 December 967 | 7 December 983 | Son of Otto I; Otto by the grace of God King under his father 961–973; also crowned Emperor Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope... in his father's lifetime |
| Otto III Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor Otto III , a King of Germany, was the fourth ruler of the Saxon or Ottonian dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire. He was elected King in 983 on the death of his father Otto II and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 996.-Early reign:... (Otto III) |
Ottonian | 25 December 983 | 21 May 996 | 21 January 1002 | Son of Otto II; Otto by the grace of God King |
| Henry II Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor Henry II , also referred to as Saint Henry, Obl.S.B., was the fifth and last Holy Roman Emperor of the Ottonian dynasty, from his coronation in Rome in 1014 until his death a decade later. He was crowned King of the Germans in 1002 and King of Italy in 1004... (Heinrich II der Heilige) |
Ottonian | 7 June 1002 | 26 April 1014 | 13 July 1024 | Great-grandson of Henry I |
| Conrad II Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1027 until his death.The son of a mid-level nobleman in Franconia, Count Henry of Speyer and Adelaide of Alsace, he inherited the titles of count of Speyer and of Worms as an infant when Henry died at age twenty... (Konrad II) |
Salian (Frankish) Salian dynasty The Salian dynasty was a dynasty in the High Middle Ages of four German Kings , also known as the Frankish dynasty after the family's origin and role as dukes of Franconia... |
8 September 1024 | 26 March 1027 | 4 June 1039 | Great-great-grandson of Otto I |
| Henry III Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor Henry III , called the Black or the Pious, was a member of the Salian Dynasty of Holy Roman Emperors... (Heinrich III) |
Salian Salian dynasty The Salian dynasty was a dynasty in the High Middle Ages of four German Kings , also known as the Frankish dynasty after the family's origin and role as dukes of Franconia... |
14 April 1028 | 25 December 1046 | 5 October 1056 | Son of Conrad II; King (of the Germans?) under his father 1028–1039 |
| Henry IV Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV was King of the Romans from 1056 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1084 until his forced abdication in 1105. He was the third emperor of the Salian dynasty and one of the most powerful and important figures of the 11th century... (Heinrich IV) |
Salian Salian dynasty The Salian dynasty was a dynasty in the High Middle Ages of four German Kings , also known as the Frankish dynasty after the family's origin and role as dukes of Franconia... |
17 July 1054 | 21 March 1084 | 31 December 1105 | Son of Henry III; King of Germany under his father 1054–1056 |
| Rudolf von Rheinfeld (Rudolf von Rheinfelden) |
Rheinfeld | 15 March 1077 | — | 15 October 1080 | Rival King to Henry IV |
| Hermann von Salm (Hermann von Luxemburg, Graf von Salm) |
Salm | 6 August 1081 | — | 28 September 1088 | Rival King to Henry IV |
| Conrad (Konrad) |
Salian Salian dynasty The Salian dynasty was a dynasty in the High Middle Ages of four German Kings , also known as the Frankish dynasty after the family's origin and role as dukes of Franconia... |
30 May 1087 | — | 27 July 1101 | Son of Henry IV; King of Germany under his father 1087–1098, King of Italy 1093–1098, 1095–1101 in rebellion. |
| Henry V Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor Henry V was King of Germany and Holy Roman Emperor , the fourth and last ruler of the Salian dynasty. Henry's reign coincided with the final phase of the great Investiture Controversy, which had pitted pope against emperor... (Heinrich V) |
Salian Salian dynasty The Salian dynasty was a dynasty in the High Middle Ages of four German Kings , also known as the Frankish dynasty after the family's origin and role as dukes of Franconia... |
6 January 1099 | 13 April 1111 | 23 May 1125 | Son of Henry IV; King of Germany under his father 1099–1105, forced his father to abdicate. |
| Lothair III Lothair III, Holy Roman Emperor Lothair III of Supplinburg , was Duke of Saxony , King of Germany , and Holy Roman Emperor from 1133 to 1137. The son of Count Gebhard of Supplinburg, his reign was troubled by the constant intriguing of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia and Duke Conrad of Franconia... (Lothar III) |
Supplinburger | 30 August 1125 | 4 June 1133 | 4 December 1137 | |
| Conrad III Conrad III of Germany Conrad III was the first King of Germany of the Hohenstaufen dynasty. He was the son of Frederick I, Duke of Swabia, and Agnes, a daughter of the Salian Emperor Henry IV.-Life and reign:... (Conrad III) |
Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... |
7 March 1138 | — | 15 February 1152 | Grandson of Henry IV (through his mother); Previously Rival King to Lothair III 1127–1135 |
| Henry Berengar Henry Berengar Henry Berengar was the eldest legitimate son of Conrad III of Germany and his second wife Gertrude von Sulzbach.He is sometimes numbered as Henry VI, the numeral he would have had had he succeeded to the kingship in full... (Heinrich (VI)) |
Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... |
30 March 1147 | — | August? 1150 | Son of Conrad III; King of Germany under his father 1147–1150 |
| Frederick I Barbarossa Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa was a German Holy Roman Emperor. He was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1155, and finally crowned Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV, on 18 June 1155, and two years later in 1157 the term... (Friedrich I Barbarossa) |
Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... |
4 March 1152 | 18 June 1155 | 10 June 1190 | Nephew of Conrad III |
| Henry VI Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI was King of Germany from 1190 to 1197, Holy Roman Emperor from 1191 to 1197 and King of Sicily from 1194 to 1197.-Early years:Born in Nijmegen,... (Heinrich VI) |
Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... |
15 August 1169 | 14 April 1191 | 28 September 1197 | Son of Frederick I; King of Germany under his father 1169–1190 |
| Frederick II Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous... (Friedrich II) |
Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... |
1197 | — | 1197 | Son of Henry VI; King of Germany under his father 1196 |
| Philip of Swabia Philip of Swabia Philip of Swabia was king of Germany and duke of Swabia, the rival of the emperor Otto IV.-Biography:Philip was the fifth and youngest son of Emperor Frederick I and Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy, daughter of Renaud III, count of Burgundy, and brother of the emperor Henry VI... (Philipp von Schwaben) |
Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... |
6 March 1198 | — | 21 August 1208 | Son of Frederick I; Rival king to Otto IV |
| Otto IV Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor Otto IV of Brunswick was one of two rival kings of the Holy Roman Empire from 1198 on, sole king from 1208 on, and emperor from 1209 on. The only king of the Welf dynasty, he incurred the wrath of Pope Innocent III and was excommunicated in 1215.-Early life:Otto was the third son of Henry the... (Otto IV von Braunschweig) |
Welf | 29 March 1198 | 4 October 1209 | 5 July 1215 | Rival king to Philip of Swabia; later opposed by Frederick II Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous... ; deposed 1215; died 19 May 1218 |
| Frederick II Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II , was one of the most powerful Holy Roman Emperors of the Middle Ages and head of the House of Hohenstaufen. His political and cultural ambitions, based in Sicily and stretching through Italy to Germany, and even to Jerusalem, were enormous... (Friedrich II) |
Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... |
5 December 1212 | 22 November 1220 | 26 December 1250 | Son of Henry VI; Rival king to Otto IV until 5 July 1215 |
| Henry Henry (VII) of Germany Henry was King of Sicily from 1212, Duke of Swabia from 1216, and King of Germany from 1220. He was the son and co-king of Emperor Frederick II and elder brother of Conrad IV of Germany... (Heinrich (VII)) |
Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... |
23 April 1220 | — | 15 August 1235 | Son of Frederick II; King of Germany under his father 1220–1235 |
| Conrad IV Conrad IV of Germany Conrad IV was king of Jerusalem , of Germany , and of Sicily .-Biography:... (Konrad IV) |
Hohenstaufen Hohenstaufen The House of Hohenstaufen was a dynasty of German kings in the High Middle Ages, lasting from 1138 to 1254. Three of these kings were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor. In 1194 the Hohenstaufens also became Kings of Sicily... |
May 1237 | — | 1 May 1254 | Son of Frederick II; King of Germany under his father 1237–1250 |
| Henry Raspe Heinrich Raspe Henry Raspe succeeded Hermann II as Landgrave of Thuringia in central Germany in 1241; he later was elected anti-king in 1246–1247 in opposition to Conrad IV of Germany.... (Heinrich Raspe) |
Thuringia Thuringia The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states.... |
22 May 1246 | — | 16 February 1247 | Rival King to Frederick II |
| William of Holland (Wilhelm von Holland) |
Holland | 3 October 1247 | — | 28 January 1256 | Rival King to Frederick II and Conrad IV, 1247–1254 |
| Richard of Cornwall (Richard von Cornwall) |
Plantagenet | 13 January 1257 | — | 2 April 1272 | Rival king to Alfonso of Castile; held no real authority. |
| Alfonso of Castile Alfonso X of Castile Alfonso X was a Castilian monarch who ruled as the King of Castile, León and Galicia from 1252 until his death... (Alfons von Kastilien) |
House of Burgundy Anscarids The Anscarids or Anscarii or the House of Ivrea were a medieval Frankish dynasty of Burgundian origin which rose to prominence in Italy in the tenth century, even briefly holding the Italian throne. They also ruled the County of Burgundy in the eleventh and twelfth centuries and it was one of their... |
1 April 1257 | — | 1275 | Grandson of Philip; Rival king to Richard of Cornwall; held no authority; later opposed by Rudolf I; relinquished claims 1275, died 1284 |
| Rudolf I Rudolph I of Germany Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties... (Rudolf I von Habsburg) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
29 September 1273 | — | 15 July 1291 | |
| Adolf of Nassau Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg Adolf was the King of Germany from 1292 until 1298. Though his title in his lifetime was Rex Romanorum , he is usually known as Adolf of Nassau... (Adolf von Nassau) |
Nassau House of Nassau The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled Count of Nassau, then elevated to the princely class as... |
5 May 1292 | — | 23 June 1298 | According to some historians, Adolf's election was preceded by the short-lived kingship of Conrad, Duke of Teck Conrad II of Teck Conrad II of Teck was Duke of Teck.Conrad was a descendant of the Zähringen family and a close follower of the Hohenstaufen dynasty... . See his article for details. |
| Albert I Albert I of Germany Albert I of Habsburg was King of the Romans and Duke of Austria, the eldest son of German King Rudolph I of Habsburg and his first wife Gertrude of Hohenburg.-Life:... (Albrecht I von Habsburg) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
24 June 1298 | — | 1 May 1308 | Son of Rudolf I; Rival King to Adolf of Nassau, 1298 |
| Henry VII Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor Henry VII was the King of Germany from 1308 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1312. He was the first emperor of the House of Luxembourg... (Heinrich VII, Luxemburger) |
Luxembourg House of Luxembourg The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:... |
27 November 1308 | 13 June 1311 | 24 August 1313 | |
| Louis IV Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV , called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the King of Germany from 1314, the King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1328.... (Ludwig IV, der Bayer, Wittelsbacher) |
Wittelsbach Wittelsbach The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of... |
20 October 1314 | 17 January 1328 | 11 October 1347 | Grandson of Rudolf I; Rival king to Frederick the Fair 1314–1322 |
| Frederick the Fair Frederick I of Austria (Habsburg) Frederick the Handsome or the Fair , from the House of Habsburg, was Duke of Austria and Styria from 1308 as Frederick I as well as King of Germany from 1314 as Frederick III until his death.-Biography:He was the second son of King Albert I of Germany with his wife Elisabeth of... (Friedrich der Schöne, Habsburger) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
19 October 1314/ 5 September 1325 |
— | 28 September 1322/ 13 January 1330 |
Son of Albert I; Rival king to Louis IV 1314–1322; associate king with Louis IV 1325–1330 |
| Charles IV Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV , born Wenceslaus , was the second king of Bohemia from the House of Luxembourg, and the first king of Bohemia to also become Holy Roman Emperor.... (Karl IV von Luxemburg) |
Luxembourg House of Luxembourg The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:... |
11 July 1346 | 5 April 1355 | 29 November 1378 | Grandson of Henry VII; Rival king to Louis IV, 1346–1347 |
| Günther von Schwarzburg Günther von Schwarzburg Günther XXI von Schwarzburg , German king, was a descendant of the counts of Schwarzburg and the younger son of Henry VII, count of Blankenburg.... (Günther von Schwarzburg) |
Schwarzburg House of Schwarzburg The House of Schwarzburg was one of the oldest noble families of Thuringia, until its extinction in 1971 with the death of Prince Friedrich Günther... |
30 January 1349 | — | 24 May 1349 | Rival King to Charles IV |
| Wenceslaus Wenceslaus, King of the Romans Wenceslaus ) was, by election, German King from 1376 and, by inheritance, King of Bohemia from 1378. He was the third Bohemian and second German monarch of the Luxembourg dynasty... (Wenzel von Luxemburg) |
Luxembourg House of Luxembourg The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:... |
10 June 1376 | — | 20 August 1400 | Son of Charles IV; King of Germany under his father 1376–1378; deposed 1400; died 1419 |
| Rupert of Palatinate Rupert of Germany Rupert of Germany from the House of Wittelsbach was Elector Palatine from 1398 and German King from 1400 until his death... (Ruprecht von der Pfalz, Wittelsbacher) |
Wittelsbach Wittelsbach The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of... |
21 August 1400 | — | 18 May 1410 | Great-grandnephew of Louis IV |
| Sigismund Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411... (Sigismund von Luxemburg) |
Luxembourg House of Luxembourg The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:... |
20 September 1410/ 21 July 1411 |
3 May 1433 | 9 December 1437 | Son of Charles IV |
| Jobst of Moravia Jobst of Moravia Jobst of Moravia, Jobst von Mähren from the House of Luxembourg was the eldest son of Margrave John Henry of Moravia, the younger brother of Emperor Charles IV.... (Jobst von Mähren, Luxemburger) |
Luxembourg House of Luxembourg The House of Luxembourg was a late medieval German dynasty, which between 1308 and 1437 ruled the Holy Roman Empire, twice interrupted by the rivaling House of Wittelsbach.-History:... |
1 October 1410 | — | 8 January 1411 | Nephew of Charles IV; Rival King to Sigismund |
| Albert II (Albrecht II) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
18 March 1438 | — | 27 October 1439 | 4th in descent from Albert I; son-in-law of Sigismund |
| Frederick III Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452... (Friedrich III) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
2 February 1440 | 16 March 1452 | 19 August 1493 | 4th in descent from Albert I; 2nd cousin of Albert II |
| Maximilian I Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky... (Maximilian I) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
16 February 1486 | 4 February 1508 Emperor-elect |
12 January 1519 | Son of Frederick III; King of Germany under his father 1486–1493; adopted the title Emperor-elect in 1508 with the Pope's approval |
| Charles V Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As... (Karl V) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
28 June 1519 | 24 February 1530 | 3 August 1556 | Grandson of Maximilian I; died 21 September 1558 |
| Ferdinand I Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest... (Ferdinand I) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
5 January 1531 | 14 March 1558 Emperor-elect |
25 July 1564 | Grandson of Maximilian I; brother of Charles V; King of Germany under his brother Charles V 1531–1556; last king to be crowned in Aachen Cathedral Aachen Cathedral Aachen Cathedral, frequently referred to as the "Imperial Cathedral" , is a Roman Catholic church in Aachen, Germany. The church is the oldest cathedral in northern Europe and was known as the "Royal Church of St. Mary at Aachen" during the Middle Ages... . |
| Maximilian II Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II was king of Bohemia and king of the Romans from 1562, king of Hungary and Croatia from 1563, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation from 1564 until his death... (Maximilian II) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
22 November 1562 | 25 July 1564 Emperor-elect |
12 October 1576 | Son of Ferdinand I; King of Germany under his father 1562–1564 |
| Rudolf II Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Hungary and Croatia , King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria... (Rudolf II) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
27 October 1575 | 2 November 1576 Emperor-elect |
20 January 1612 | Son of Maximilian II; King of Germany under his father, 1575–1576 |
| Matthias Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor Matthias of Austria was Holy Roman Emperor from 1612, King of Hungary and Croatia from 1608 and King of Bohemia from 1611... (Matthias) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
13 June 1612 | 13 June 1612 Emperor-elect |
20 March 1619 | Son of Maximilian II |
| Ferdinand II Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :... (Ferdinand II) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
28 August 1619 | 28 August 1619 Emperor-elect |
15 February 1637 | Grandson of Ferdinand I |
| Ferdinand III Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand III was Holy Roman Emperor from 15 February 1637 until his death, as well as King of Hungary and Croatia, King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria.-Life:... (Ferdinand III) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
22 December 1636 | 15 February 1637 Emperor-elect |
2 April 1657 | Son of Ferdinand II; King of Germany under his father 1636–1637 |
| Ferdinand IV (Ferdinand IV) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
31 May 1653 | — | 9 July 1654 | Son of Ferdinand III; King of Germany under his father |
| Leopold I Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor | style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria... (Leopold I) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
18 July 1658 | 18 July 1658 Emperor-elect |
5 May 1705 | Son of Ferdinand III |
| Joseph I Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I , Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary, King of the Romans was the elder son of Emperor Leopold I and his third wife, Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg.... (Joseph I) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
23 January 1690 | 5 May 1705 Emperor-elect |
17 April 1711 | Son of Leopold I; King of Germany under his father 1690–1705 |
| Charles VI Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711... (Karl VI) |
Habsburg Habsburg The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and... |
27 October 1711 | 27 October 1711 Emperor-elect |
20 October 1740 | Son of Leopold I |
| Charles VII Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII Albert a member of the Wittelsbach family, was Prince-elector of Bavaria from 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 24 January 1742 until his death in 1745... (Karl VII) |
Wittelsbach Wittelsbach The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of... |
14 January 1742 | 14 January 1742 Emperor-elect |
20 January 1745 | Husband of Maria Amalia Maria Amalia of Austria Maria Amalia of Austria was the younger daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I and Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg... , daughter of Joseph I |
| Francis I Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor Francis I was Holy Roman Emperor and Grand Duke of Tuscany, though his wife effectively executed the real power of those positions. With his wife, Maria Theresa, he was the founder of the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty... (Franz I) |
Lorraine House of Lorraine The House of Lorraine, the main and now only remaining line known as Habsburg-Lorraine, is one of the most important and was one of the longest-reigning royal houses in the history of Europe... |
13 September 1745 | 13 September 1745 Emperor-elect |
18 August 1765 | Husband of Maria Theresa Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma... , daughter of Charles VI |
| Joseph II Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I... (Joseph II) |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 27 March 1764 | 18 August 1765 Emperor-elect |
20 February 1790 | Son of Francis I and Maria Theresa; King of Germany under his father 1764–1765 |
| Leopold II Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II , born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary and Bohemia from 1790 to 1792, Archduke of Austria and Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1765 to 1790. He was a son of Emperor Francis I and his wife, Empress Maria Theresa... (Leopold II) |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 30 September 1790 | 30 September 1790 Emperor-elect |
1 March 1792 | Son of Francis I and Maria Theresa |
| Francis II (Franz II) |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 7 July 1792 | 7 July 1792 Emperor-elect |
6 August 1806 | Son of Leopold II; Dissolved the Holy Roman Empire; also Emperor of Austria Emperor of Austria The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of... 1804–1835; died 1835 |
Imperial vicars
During interregnaInterregnum
An interregnum is a period of discontinuity or "gap" in a government, organization, or social order...
, imperial authority was exercised by two imperial vicar
Imperial vicar
An imperial vicar was a prince charged with administering all or part of the Holy Roman Empire on behalf of the Emperor. Later, an imperial vicar was invariably one of two princes charged by the Golden Bull with administering the Holy Roman Empire during an interregnum.The Holy Roman Empire had no...
s — the Elector of Saxony, in his role as Count Palatine of Saxony, exercised this office in northern Germany, and the Elector Palatine, as Count Palatine of the Rhine, exercised it in southern Germany. The confusion over the Palatine electorate during the Thirty Years War and afterwards led to some confusion about who the rightful vicar was in the later years of the Empire.
Confederation of the RhineConfederation of the RhineThe Confederation of the Rhine was a confederation of client states of the First French Empire. It was formed initially from 16 German states by Napoleon after he defeated Austria's Francis II and Russia's Alexander I in the Battle of Austerlitz. The Treaty of Pressburg, in effect, led to the...
, 1806-1813
| Name | Title | House | Began | Ended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napoleon I Napoleon I of France Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815... , Emperor of the French Emperor of the French The Emperor of the French was the title used by the Bonaparte Dynasty starting when Napoleon Bonaparte was given the title Emperor on 18 May 1804 by the French Senate and was crowned emperor of the French on 02 December 1804 at the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris, in Paris with the Crown of... (Napoléon I, Kaiser der Franzosen) |
Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine |
Bonaparte Bonaparte The House of Bonaparte is an imperial and royal European dynasty founded by Napoleon I of France in 1804, a French military leader who rose to notability out of the French Revolution and transformed the French Republic into the First French Empire within five years of his coup d'état... |
25 July 1806 | 19 October 1813 |
German ConfederationGerman ConfederationThe German Confederation was the loose association of Central European states created by the Congress of Vienna in 1815 to coordinate the economies of separate German-speaking countries. It acted as a buffer between the powerful states of Austria and Prussia...
, 1815-1866
| Name | Title | House | Began | Ended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis I, Emperor of Austria Emperor of Austria The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of... (Franz I, Kaiser von Österreich) |
President of the German Confederation |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 20 June 1815 | 2 March 1835 |
| Ferdinand I Ferdinand I of Austria Ferdinand I was Emperor of Austria, President of the German Confederation, King of Hungary and Bohemia , as well as associated dominions from the death of his father, Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor, until his abdication after the Revolutions of 1848.He married Maria Anna of Savoy, the sixth child... , Emperor of Austria Emperor of Austria The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of... (Ferdinand I, Kaiser von Österreich) |
President of the German Confederation |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 2 March 1835 | 12 July 1848 |
| Archduke Johann of Austria Archduke Johann of Austria Archduke John of Austria was a member of the Habsburg dynasty, an Austrian field marshal and German Imperial regent .-Biography:... |
Imperial Vicar Imperial vicar An imperial vicar was a prince charged with administering all or part of the Holy Roman Empire on behalf of the Emperor. Later, an imperial vicar was invariably one of two princes charged by the Golden Bull with administering the Holy Roman Empire during an interregnum.The Holy Roman Empire had no... |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 12 July 1848 | 20 December 1849 |
| Frederick William IV Frederick William IV of Prussia |align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of... , King of Prussia King of Prussia King of Prussia may refer to:* A ruler of the former German state of Prussia**List of rulers of Prussia* Place names** King of Prussia, Pennsylvania* Shopping Centers** King of Prussia Mall... (Friedrich Wilhelm IV, König von Preußen) |
Emperor of the Germans elect | Hohenzollern | elected Emperor of the Germans by the Frankfurt Assembly on 28 March 1849, but refused the crown on 3 April 1849 | |
| Frederick William IV Frederick William IV of Prussia |align=right|Upon his accession, he toned down the reactionary policies enacted by his father, easing press censorship and promising to enact a constitution at some point, but he refused to enact a popular legislative assembly, preferring to work with the aristocracy through "united committees" of... , King of Prussia King of Prussia King of Prussia may refer to:* A ruler of the former German state of Prussia**List of rulers of Prussia* Place names** King of Prussia, Pennsylvania* Shopping Centers** King of Prussia Mall... (Friedrich Wilhelm IV, König von Preußen) |
President of the German Union Erfurt Union The Erfurt Union was a short-lived union of German states under a federation, proposed by the Kingdom of Prussia at Erfurt, for which the Erfurt Union Parliament , lasting from March 20 to April 29, 1850, was opened... |
Hohenzollern | 26 May 1849 | 29 November 1850 |
| Francis Joseph I Franz Joseph I of Austria Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of... , Emperor of Austria Emperor of Austria The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of... (Franz Joseph I, Kaiser von Österreich) |
President of the German Confederation |
Habsburg-Lorraine | 1 May 1850 | 24 August 1866 |
North German ConfederationNorth German ConfederationThe North German Confederation 1866–71, was a federation of 22 independent states of northern Germany. It was formed by a constitution accepted by the member states in 1867 and controlled military and foreign policy. It included the new Reichstag, a parliament elected by universal manhood...
, 1867-1871
| Name | Title | House | Began | Ended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilhelm I William I, German Emperor William I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the... , King of Prussia King of Prussia King of Prussia may refer to:* A ruler of the former German state of Prussia**List of rulers of Prussia* Place names** King of Prussia, Pennsylvania* Shopping Centers** King of Prussia Mall... (Wilhelm I, König von Preußen) |
President of the North German Confederation |
Hohenzollern | 1 July 1867 | 18 January 1871 |
German EmpireGerman EmpireThe German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
, 1871–1918
| Image | Name | Date of birth | Monarch From | Monarch Until | Date of death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Son of Frederick William III Frederick William III of Prussia Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:... |
William I William I, German Emperor William I, also known as Wilhelm I , of the House of Hohenzollern was the King of Prussia and the first German Emperor .Under the leadership of William and his Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, Prussia achieved the unification of Germany and the... (Wilhelm I) (Hohenzollern) |
22 March 1797 | 18 January 1871 | 9 March 1888 | |
| Son of Wilhelm I | Frederick III Frederick III, German Emperor Frederick III was German Emperor and King of Prussia for 99 days in 1888, the Year of the Three Emperors. Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl known informally as Fritz, was the only son of Emperor William I and was raised in his family's tradition of military service... (Friedrich III) (Hohenzollern) |
18 October 1831 | 9 March 1888 | 15 June 1888 | |
 |
Wilhelm II (Hohenzollern) |
27 January 1859 | 15 June 1888 | 9 November 1918 | 4 June 1941 |