Rudolf I of Germany

Rudolf I was King of Germany from 1273 until his death in 1291. His election began the Habsburg dynasty’s rise to power, though he was never crowned Holy Roman Emperor.

Great Interregnum: The period of contested or ineffective kingship in the Holy Roman Empire from 1250 to 1273. The political disorder created the opening for Rudolf’s election as king.
Ottokar II of Bohemia: King of Bohemia and a powerful ruler of Central Europe in the thirteenth century. His refusal to accept Rudolf’s authority led to a decisive struggle for the Austrian lands.
House of Habsburg: The dynastic branch of the Habsburgs that became a leading royal and imperial house in Europe. Rudolf’s sons inherited Austrian lands that anchored this branch’s rise.
Frederick III, Duke of Lorraine: A thirteenth-century duke of Lorraine who belonged to the network of German princes and nobles. Rudolf’s political world was built through relationships with regional princes such as Lorraine’s rulers.
Election of Rudolf I: The 1273 election in which German princes chose Rudolf of Habsburg as their king. This vote made Rudolf king after decades without a generally recognized ruler.
Battle on the Marchfeld: The 1278 battle in which Rudolf’s forces defeated and killed Ottokar II of Bohemia. Victory removed Rudolf’s strongest rival and secured his control of Austria and Styria.
Albert I of Germany: Rudolf’s son, who became King of Germany in 1298 and continued Habsburg rule. His later kingship extended the royal ambitions Rudolf had established.
Philip of Swabia: A member of the Hohenstaufen dynasty who was elected King of Germany in 1198 amid a rival succession. His contested election contrasts with the broad princely support Rudolf secured in 1273.
Interregnum: A period during which a throne lacks an undisputed ruler. The Great Interregnum was a particular imperial instance of this broader political condition.
Duchy of Austria: A medieval duchy centered on the Danube that became a major Habsburg possession. Rudolf secured the duchy for his sons after defeating Ottokar.

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