King of the Romans

King of the Romans was the title of a German king elected by princes of the Holy Roman Empire, especially before receiving an imperial coronation. From the sixteenth century, elected successors could use it during an emperor’s lifetime.

Prince-elector: A high-ranking prince entitled to elect the Holy Roman Emperor. These electors chose the King of the Romans and, later, the emperor.
Kingdom of Germany: The medieval kingdom formed from the eastern Frankish realm and later incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire. The title named kingship over the German realm before it signified an imperial successor.
Frederick Barbarossa: A Hohenstaufen king of Germany elected in 1152 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1155. His election and imperial coronation show the title’s earlier succession sequence.
King of Germany: A modern historical label for the elected ruler of the medieval German kingdom. It describes much the same kingship without emphasizing the Roman imperial succession.
Election of the Holy Roman Emperor: The electoral process by which designated princes selected the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. It established a candidate as King of the Romans.
East Francia: The eastern division of the Frankish Empire established after the Treaty of Verdun in 843. Its rulers and political traditions formed the background to later German kingship.
Henry VII, Holy Roman Emperor: A member of the House of Luxembourg crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1312. His contested election demonstrates that the title did not guarantee uncontested rule.
King of the Romans (ancient Rome): A title used by rulers of Rome during periods when the imperial throne was vacant or contested. The same phrase also names an ancient office unrelated to medieval German elections.
Golden Bull of 1356: A constitutional edict that fixed the number and privileges of the Holy Roman Empire’s prince-electors. Its rules formalized the electoral college that chose German kings.
Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor: The East Frankish king crowned emperor by Pope John XII in 962. His coronation helped establish the medieval pattern linking German kingship and empire.

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