1612 imperial election

The election as depicted on a contemporary engraving

The imperial election of 1612 was an imperial election held to select the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. It took place in Frankfurt on June 13.

Background

The previous Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, died on January 20. The prince-electors convened to replace him were:

• Johann Schweikhard von Kronberg, elector of Mainz
• Lothar von Metternich, elector of Trier
• Ferdinand of Bavaria, elector of Cologne
• Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor, king of Bohemia
• Frederick V of the Palatinate, elector of the Electoral Palatinate
• John George I, Elector of Saxony, elector of Saxony
• John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, elector of Brandenburg

Elected

Ferdinand promoted the election of his brother-in-law Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria as emperor; however, Maximilian refused to accept the throne. Instead, Rudolf's next surviving brother, Matthias, who had already taken power in Bohemia and Hungary, was elected. He was crowned on June 26 at Frankfurt.