Holy Roman Emperor facts for kids

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

Quick facts for kids Emperor of the Romans
Imperial
Quaternion Eagle
Francis II
Details
Style	His Imperial Majesty
First monarch	Otto I (with numbering from Charlemagne)
Last monarch	Francis II
Formation	25 December 800
Abolition	6 August 1806
Appointer	Papal appointment
Pretender(s)	Position abolished

The Holy Roman Emperor was the main ruler of a large group of lands in central Europe. These lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire, which was a bit like a very old-fashioned country made up of many smaller kingdoms and states.

The idea of an "emperor" came from the ancient Roman Empire. On 25 December 800, a very important event happened. Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, who was the king of the Franks, as the first Holy Roman Emperor. This moment connected the new empire to the old Roman one.

Who were the Holy Roman Emperors?

This section lists all the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Some rulers were called "King of Germany" but not "Emperor." This list includes everyone who held the title of Emperor.

Early Emperors: Before Otto the Great

Some historians believe the Carolingian Empire was the true beginning of the Holy Roman Empire. Others say it officially started in 962. The rulers who were crowned Emperors in the West before 962 are listed below.

Carolingian Family Rulers

Picture	Name	Lived	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	Coin
	Charles I (Charlemagne)	2 April 742 - 28 January 814	25 December 800	28 January 814	Started 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 Family Rulers

Picture	Name	Lived	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	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	-

Another Carolingian Ruler

Picture	Name	Lived	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	Coin
	Arnulph	850 - 8 December 899	22 February 896	8 December 899	Nephew of Charles III and great-grandson of Emperor Louis I	-

Bosonid Family Ruler

Picture	Name	Lived	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	Coin
	Louis III	880 - 28 June 928	22 February 901	21 July 905	Grandson of Emperor Louis II	-

Unruoching Family Ruler

Picture	Name	Lived	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	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: From Otto the Great Onwards

Ottonian (Saxon) Family

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	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
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	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

Salian (Frankish) Family

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	Seal
5		Conrad II	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	8 November 1086 - 23 May 1125	6 January 1099	13 April 1111	23 May 1125	Son of Emperor Henry IV

Supplinburg Family

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	Seal
9		Lothair III	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) Family

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	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 Family

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	Arms
12		Otto IV	1175 or 1176 - 19 May 1218	9 June 1198	4 October 1209	1215	Great-grandson of Emperor Lothair III

Another Staufen (or Hohenstaufen) Ruler

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	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 Rulers

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	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 Rulers

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	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

More Luxembourg Family Rulers

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	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 Rulers

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	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	-	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	-	25 July 1564	Grandson of Emperor Maximilian I
22		Maximilian II	31 July 1527 - 12 October 1576	November 1562	-	12 October 1576	Son of Emperor Ferdinand I
23		Rudolph II	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 Rulers

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	Arms
30		Charles VII	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 Rulers

#	Picture	Name	Lived	Election	Crowned Emperor	Ended Rule	Family Link	Arms
31		Francis I	8 December 1708 - 18 August 1765	13 September 1745	-	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
33		Leopold II	5 May 1747 - 1 March 1792	after 20 February 1790	-	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

Images for kids

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  Coats of arms of prince electors surround the imperial coat of arms; from a 1545 armorial. Electors voted in an Imperial Diet for a new Holy Roman Emperor.

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  Depiction of Charlemagne in a 12th-century stained glass window, Strasbourg Cathedral, now at Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame.

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  Illustration of the election of Henry VII (27 November 1308) showing (left to right) the Archbishop of Cologne, Archbishop of Mainz, Archbishop of Trier, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Saxony, Margrave of Brandenburg and King of Bohemia (Codex Balduini Trevirorum, c. 1340).

See also

In Spanish: Emperador del Sacro Imperio Romano Germánico para niños