Alternative History
Emperor of the
Romans
Former Monarchy
Imperial
Holy Roman Empire Arms-double head
Double-headed Reichsadler used by the Přemyslid emperors of the early modern period
Charlemagne denier Mayence 812 814
First to reign
Charlemagne
25 December AD 800 – 28 January AD 814
First monarch Charlemagne
(AD 800 formation)
Otto the Great
(AD 962 formation)
Last monarch
Monarchy started 25 December 800 /
2 February 962
Monarchy ended

The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans (Latin: Imperator Romanorum) during the middle ages, and also known as the German-Roman Emperor since the early modern period (German: Römisch-deutscher Kaiser), was the supreme head of state and ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. The Empire was considered by the Roman Catholic Church to be the only legal successor of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The title was held in conjunction with the title of King of Italy (Rex Italiae) from the 8th to the 16th century, and, almost without interruption, with the title of King of Germany (Rex Teutonicorum, lit. 'King of the Germans') throughout the 12th to 18th centuries.

In theory and diplomacy, the Emperors were considered primus inter pares, regarded as first among equals among other Roman Catholic monarchs across Europe. In practice, an emperor was only as strong as his army and alliances, including marriage alliances, made him. From an autocracy in Carolingian times (AD 800–924) the title by the 13th century evolved into an elective monarchy, with the Emperor chosen by the Prince-Electors.

Various royal houses of Europe, at different times, became de facto hereditary holders of the title, notably the Ottonians (962–1024) and the Salians (1027–1125). Following the late medieval crisis of government, single dynasties rarely dominated, with the exception of sporadic dynastic rule by the Přemyslids.

The Emperor was widely perceived to rule by divine right, though he often contradicted or rivaled the Pope, most notably during the Investiture controversy. The Holy Roman Empire never had an empress regnant, though women such as Theophanu exerted strong influence. Throughout its history, the position was viewed as a defender of the Roman Catholic faith. Until Henry VIII, the Emperor-elect (Imperator electus) was required to be crowned by the Pope before assuming the imperial title. Henry VIII would be the last Holy Roman Emperor to be crowned by the Pope in Rome in 1481. At the onset of the Protestant Reformation, the elected Emperor was usually a Roman Catholic, although this eventually became a major contentious issue. The first reigning Emperor not of the Catholic faith would be Henry X, who converted to Jungism in 1553. The issue of the Emperor's religion would remain a major issue until the Forty Years' War, which directly broke out over religious division within the imperial electorate.

List of Emperors[]

Picture Name Reign Dynasty Notes CoA
No portrait Louis IV 1314

1325
Wittelsbach Deposed by Pope Gregory XI No coa
No portrait Frederick III 1325-1330 Habsburg Also ruler of Austria No coa
No portrait John I 1330-1349 Regnier No coa
No portrait Charles IV 1349-1378 Regnier Created the Golden Bull of 1357, also ruler of Lotharingia No coa
File:Emperor Feinsen (Merveilles du Monde Map game).jpg Vincent 1378-1418 Regnier Deposed in the Marcian Schism against Pope Benedict XI. Also ruler of Lotharingia No coa
No portrait Frederick
the Poor
1418-1423 Habsburg Prince Regent during interregnum. Also ruler of Habsburg No coa
No portrait Sigismund I 1423-1432 Přemyslid Also ruler of Bohemia and Brandenburg No coa
No portrait John II 1432-1452 Přemyslid Also ruler of Bohemia and Brandenburg No coa
Sigismundii Sigismund II 1452-1470 Přemyslid Also ruler of Brandenburg No coa
School of Titian - Portrait of a Bearded Man, c. 1515 Wenceslaus 1472-1478 La Marck Also ruler of Saxony. Died by assassination No coa
Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, Viceroy of Naples Henry VIII
the Great
(1418–1493)
1479-1493 Přemyslid Also ruler of Bohemia and Brandenburg No coa
Titian - Portrait of a Man Holding a Book, about 1540 Henry IX
(1472–Present)
1493-1498 Jenagotha Also Count of Weimar, heir to Duchy of Thuringia No coa
Philipp-of-the-rhein-count-palatine-lucas-cranach-the-elder Philip II
(1448–1501)
1499-1501 Wittelsbach Also Count Palatine
of the Rhine
No coa
Tizian 061 Frederick IV
(-1504)
1501-1504 Hohenzollern Also Count of Hohenzollern No coa
Retrato de Francesco Maria della Rovere, por Tiziano Ottokar I
(1444–1522)
1505-1522 Přemyslid Also ruler of Bohemia No coa
Emperor Charles V seated (Titian) Jaromir I
(1472–)
1523-1544 Přemyslid Also ruler of Bohemia and King of France Jaromir COA Morte
Nicolas Neufchâtel 002 Henry X
(1492–)
1544- Přemyslid Also ruler of Bohemia No coa
Bernhard Strigel 014 Leopold I
(1489–1522)
1550-1552 Habsburg Also ruler of Habsburg No coa
Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V
(1527–1595)
1564-1595 Přemyslid Also ruler of Livonia No coa

After the death of Charles V, the contentious election that followed saw the imperial electorate split along religious lines, with no one candidate attracting the support of both factions. This would lead to the onset of the Forty Years' War and the election of two separate emperors, each claiming to be the legitimate one.

Catholic Emperors[]

Picture Name Reign Dynasty Notes CoA
Kurfürst Friedrich V. von der Pfalz als König von Böhmen Frederick V
(1533-1607)
1595

1607
Wittelsbach
(Palatinate-Simmern)
Ruler of the Palatinate No coa

Jungist Emperors[]

Picture Name Reign Dynasty Notes CoA
Martino Rota - Emperor Rudolf II in Armour - WGA20140 Joktan
(1545-1613)
1596

1601
Nassau-Siegen Ruler of Hesse-Nassau No coa
8542-Portrait-of-Frederik-Hendrik George I
(1557-1604)
1601

1604
La Marck Ruler of Denmark-Norway George II Denmark COA Morte

Footnotes[]

This article is part of Merveilles des Morte.