Holy Roman Emperor
Coats of arms of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 to 1576. The Emperors used the double-headed eagle as a symbol of their authority
Holy Roman Emperor was the title that was given to the ruler of a loose group of places in mostly Central Europe called the Holy Roman Empire. The title of "emperor" was passed from the Romans to the Frankish kingdom (for which "France" is named) when, on 25 December 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, king of the Franks, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.
| Emperor of the Romans | |
|---|---|
| Former Monarchy | |
| Imperial | |
| |
| Quaternion Eagle | |
| |
| Francis II | |
| First monarch | Otto I (with numbering from Charlemagne) |
| Last monarch | Francis II |
| Style | His Imperial Majesty |
| Appointer | Papal appointment |
| Monarchy started | 25 December 800 |
| Monarchy ended | 6 August 1806 |
| Current pretender | Position abolished |
List of emperors
This list includes all emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, whether or not they called themselves Holy Roman Emperor. There are some gaps. For example, Henry the Fowler was King of Germany but not Emperor.
Emperors before Otto the Great
Some historians say the Carolingian Empire was the start of the Holy Roman Empire. Others say the start of the Holy Roman Empire was 962.[1] The rulers who were crowned as Emperors in the West before 962 were as follows:
Carolingian dynasty
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Coin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Charles I (Charlemagne) |
2 April 742 - 28 January 814 |
25 December 800 | 28 January 814 | Founder of the Holy Roman Empire |  |
 |
Louis I | 778 - 20 June 840 |
5 October 816 | 20 June 840 | son of Emperor Charles I |  |
 |
Lothair I | 795 - 29 September 855 |
5 April 823 | 29 September 855 | son of Emperor Louis I |  |
 |
Louis II | 825 - 12 August 875 |
1st Easter 850 2nd 18 May 872 |
12 August 875 | son of Emperor Lothair I |  |
 |
Charles II | 13 June 823 - 6 October 877 |
29 December 875 | 6 October 877 | son of Emperor Louis I |  |
 |
Charles III | 13 June 839 - 13 January 888 |
12 February 881 | 13 January 888 | grandson of Emperor Louis I |  |
Guideschi dynasty
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Coin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Guy | 855 - 12 December 894 |
May 891 | 12 December 894 | great-great grandson of Emperor Charles I | - |
| |
Lambert | 880 - 15 October 898 |
30 April 892 | 15 October 898 | son of Emperor Guy | - |
Carolingian dynasty
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Coin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Arnulph | 850 - 8 December 899 |
22 February 896 | 8 December 899 | nephew of Charles III and great-grandson of Emperor Louis I |
- |
Bosonid dynasty
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Coin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
Louis III | 880 - 28 June 928 |
22 February 901 | 21 July 905 | grandson of Emperor Louis II | - |
Unruoching dynasty
| Image | Name | Life | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Coin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Berengar | 845 - 7 April 924 |
December 915 | 7 April 924 | grandson of Emperor Louis I | - |
There was no emperor in the west between 924 and 962.
Holy Roman Emperors
Ottonian (Saxon) dynasty
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Seal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Otto I | 23 November 912 - 7 May 973 |
- | 2 February 962 | 7 May 973 | perhaps great-great-great grandson of Emperor Louis I[source?] |  |
| 2 |  |
Otto II | 955 - 7 December 983 |
961 | 25 December 967 | 7 December 983 | son of Emperor Otto I | |
| 3 |  |
Otto III | 980 - 23 January 1002 |
June 983 | 21 May 996 | 23 January 1002 | son of Emperor Otto II |  |
| 4 |  |
Henry II [2] |
6 May 973 - 13 July 1024 |
7 June 1002 | 14 February 1014 | 13 July 1024 | second-cousin of Emperor Otto III and great-great-great grandson of Emperor Louis I[source?] |
Salian (Frankish) dynasty
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Seal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 |  |
Conrad II [3] |
990 - 4 June 1039 |
1024 | 26 March 1027 | 4 June 1039 | great-great-grandson of Emperor Otto I | |
| 6 |  |
Henry III | 29 October 1017 - 5 October 1056 |
1028 | 25 December 1046 | 5 October 1056 | son of Emperor Conrad II |  |
| 7 |  |
Henry IV | 11 November 1050 - 7 August 1106 |
1053 | 31 March 1084 | December 1105 | son of Emperor Henry III |  |
| 8 |  |
Henry V [4] |
8 November 1086 - 23 May 1125 |
6 January 1099 | 13 April 1111 | 23 May 1125 | son of Emperor Henry IV |  |
Supplinburg dynasty
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Seal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 |  |
Lothair III [5] |
9 June 1075 - 4 December 1137 |
1125 | 4 June 1133 | 4 December 1137 | perhaps 9th generation descendant of Emperor Otto I or 11th generation descendant of Emperor Charles II |
|
Staufen (or Hohenstaufen) dynasty
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Arms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 |  |
Frederick I | 1122 - 10 June 1190 |
4 March 1152 | 18 June 1155 | 10 June 1190 | great-grandson of Emperor Henry IV |  |
| 11 |  |
Henry VI | November 1165 - 28 September 1197 |
?April 1169 | 14 April 1191 | 28 September 1197 | son of Emperor Frederick I | |
Welf dynasty
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Arms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 |  |
Otto IV | 1175 or 1176 - 19 May 1218 |
9 June 1198 | 4 October 1209 | 1215 | great-grandson of Emperor Lothair III |  |
Staufen (or Hohenstaufen) dynasty
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Arms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 |  |
Frederick II | 26 December 1194 - 13 December 1250 |
1196 1215 re-election |
22 November 1220 | 13 December 1250 | son of Emperor Henry VI | |
House of Luxembourg
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Arms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 |  |
Henry VII | 1275/1279 - 24 August 1313 |
1308 | 29 June 1312 | 24 August 1313 | 13th generation descendant of Emperor Louis III |  |
House of Wittelsbach
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Arms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 |  |
Louis IV | 1 April 1282 - 11 October 1347 |
October 1314 | 17 January 1328 | 11 October 1347 | 6th generation descendant of Emperor Lothair III and 7th generation descendant of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor |  |
House of Luxembourg
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Arms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 |  |
Charles IV | 14 May 1316 - 29 November 1378 |
11 July 1346/ 17 June 1349 re-election |
5 April 1355 | 29 November 1378 | grandson of Emperor Henry VII |  |
| 17 |  |
Sigismund | 14 February 1368 - 9 December 1437 |
10 September 1410/ 21 July 1411 re-election |
31 May 1433 | 9 December 1437 | son of Emperor Charles IV |  |
House of Habsburg
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from an Emperor | Arms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 |  |
Frederick III | 21 September 1415 - 19 August 1493 |
1440 | 19 March 1452 | 19 August 1493 | 10th generation descendant of Emperor Lothair III |  |
| 19 |  |
Maximilian I | 22 March 1459 - 12 January 1519 |
16 February 1486 | - [6] |
12 January 1519 | son of Emperor Frederick III |  |
| 20 |  |
Charles V | 24 February 1500 - 21 September 1558 |
28 June 1519 | February 1530 | 16 January 1556 | grandson of Emperor Maximilian I |  |
| 21 |  |
Ferdinand I | 10 March 1503 - 25 July 1564 |
1531 | - [6] |
25 July 1564 | grandson of Emperor Maximilian I |  |
| 22 |  |
Maximilian II | 31 July 1527 - 12 October 1576 |
November 1562 | - [6] |
12 October 1576 | son of Emperor Ferdinand I | |
| 23 |  |
Rudolph II [7] |
18 July 1552 - 20 January 1612 |
1575 | 30 June 1575 | 20 January 1612 | son of Emperor Maximilian II | |
| 24 |  |
Matthias | 24 February 1557 - 20 March 1619 |
1612 | 23 January 1612 | 20 March 1619 | son of Emperor Maximilian II | |
| 25 |  |
Ferdinand II | 9 July 1578 - 15 February 1637 |
1618 | 10 March 1619 | 15 February 1637 | grandson of Emperor Ferdinand I | |
| 26 |  |
Ferdinand III | 13 July 1608 - 2 April 1657 |
1636 | 18 November 1637 | 2 April 1657 | son of Emperor Ferdinand II | |
| 27 |  |
Leopold I | 9 June 1640 - 5 May 1705 |
July 1658 | 6 March 1657 | 5 May 1705 | son of Emperor Ferdinand III | |
| 28 |  |
Joseph I | 26 July 1678 - 17 April 1711 |
6 January 1690 | 1 May 1705 | 17 April 1711 | son of Emperor Leopold I | |
| 29 |  |
Charles VI | 1 October 1685 - 20 October 1740 |
12 October 1711 | 22 December 1711 | 20 October 1740 | son of Emperor Leopold I | |
House of Wittelsbach
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from Emperor | Arms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 |  |
Charles VII [6] |
6 August 1697 - 20 January 1745 |
24 January 1742 | 12 February 1742 | 20 January 1745 | great-great grandson of Emperor Ferdinand II and 12th generation descendant of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor |  |
House of Habsburg-Lorraine
| # | Image | Name | Life | Election | Coronation | Ceased to be Emperor | Descent from an Emperor | Arms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 |  |
Francis I | 8 December 1708 - 18 August 1765 |
13 September 1745 | - [6] |
18 August 1765 | great grandson of Emperor Ferdinand III |  |
| 32 |  |
Joseph II | 13 March 1741 - 20 February 1790 |
after 18 August 1765 | 19 August 1765 | 20 February 1790 | son of Emperor Francis I | .png) |
| 33 | .png) |
Leopold II | 5 May 1747 - 1 March 1792 |
after 20 February 1790 | - [6] |
1 March 1792 | son of Emperor Francis I |  |
| 34 | |
Francis II | 12 February 1768 - 2 March 1835 |
after 1 March 1792 | 4 March 1792 | 6 August 1806 | son of Emperor Leopold II | |
References
- ↑ germanmilitaryhistory.com
- ↑ 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
- ↑ Barraclough, Geoffrey (1984). The Origins of Modern Germany. W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-30153-2.
- ↑ enumerated as successor of Lothair II, who was King of Lotharingia 855–869 but not Emperor
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Emperor-Elect.
- ↑ enumerated as successor of Rudolph I who was German King 1273–1291.
