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List of German monarchs

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The following list of German monarchs is one of several Wikipedia lists of incumbents.

This is not a list of Holy Roman Emperors but for sovereign monarchs who ruled over Germany.

Notes

The relationship between the title of "king" and "emperor" in the area that is today called Germany is just as complicated as the history and the structure of the Holy Roman Empire itself. The following remarks may or may not clarify things a little (for details, refer to the Holy Roman Empire article):

  1. The Holy Roman Empire (although only titled as such much later) started out as the eastern section of the Frankish kingdom, which was split by the Treaty of Verdun in 843 (while the western section eventually became France). The rulers of the eastern area thus called themselves rex Francorum, king of the Franks, and later just rex. A reference to the "Germans", indicating the emergence of a German nation of some sort, did not appear until the 11th century, when the pope referred to his enemy Henry IV as rex teutonicorum, King of the Teutons, in order to brand him as a foreigner. The kings reacted by consistently using the title rex Romanorum, King of the Romans, to emphasize their universal rule even before becoming Emperor. This title remained until the end of the Empire in 1806 (but in this and related entries, the kings are called kings of Germany, for clarity's sake.)
  2. The kingdom was never entirely hereditary; instead, ancestry was only one of the factors that determined the succession of kings. The king was formally elected by the leading nobilty in the realm, continuing the Frankish tradition. Gradually the election became the privilege of a group of princes called Electors and the Golden Bull of 1356 formally defined election proceedings.
  3. In the Middle Ages, the King did not assume the title "Emperor" (since 982 the full title was Imperator Augustus Romanorum, August Emperor of the Romans) until crowned by the Pope. He also had to be crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy, after which he assumed the title of rex Italicum, King of Italy. After this he would ride on to Rome and be crowned Emperor by the Pope.
  4. In 1508 Maximilian I was the first king who announced that henceforth he would use the title of "Emperor-Elect", after his attempt to march to Rome and be crowned by the Pope had failed. His successor, Charles V, was the last emperor to be crowned by the Pope. From Ferdinand I onwards, all Emperors were merely "Emperors-Elect", although they were normally referred to as "the Emperor." At the same time, chosen successors of the Habsburg emperors were called "King of the Romans", if elected during their father's lifetime.

The Frankish kingdom was divided with the Treaty of Verdun in 843 among the sons of Louis the Pious. East Francia would become Germany.

Eastern Kingdom of the Franks, later Holy Roman Empire

Carolingian Dynasty (817-911)

Conradine Dynasty (911-918)

Ottonian (Saxon) Dynasty (919-1024)

Salian (Frankish) Dynasty (1024-1125)

Supplinburger (1125-1137)

Staufen (or Hohenstaufen) dynasty (1137-1254)

Interregnum (1254-1273)

Miscellaneous Houses (1273-1437)

House of Habsburg (1438-1740)

Leaving no male heir, Charles VI left his territories to his daughter Maria Theresa. Charles VI, Charles VII Albert, elector of Bavaria, challenged this succession on behalf of his wife, daughter of Emperor Joseph I.

House of Wittelsbach (1742-1745)

Habsburg-Lorraine (1745-1806)

Confederation of the Rhine 1806-1813

German Confederation 1814-1866

North German Confederation 1867-1871

  • King Wilhelm I of Prussia (Hohenzollern), president of the North German Confederation 1867-1871, later proclaimed Emperor Wilhelm I

German Empire (1871-1918)

Hohenzollern (1871-1918)

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