List of German monarchs

This is a list of monarchs who ruled over the German territories of central Europe from the division of the Frankish Empire in 843 (by which a separate Eastern Frankish Kingdom was created), until the end of Imperial Germany in 1918. It also includes the heads of the various German confederations after the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in 1806.

Note on titles

The Kingdom of Germany started out as the eastern section of the Frankish kingdom, which was split by the Treaty of Verdun in 843. 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 eleventh 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, though after 1508 Emperors-elect added "king in Germany" to their titles. (Note: in this and related entries, the kings are called kings of Germany, for clarity's sake)
The Kingdom of Germany was never entirely hereditary; rather, ancestry was only one of the factors that determined the succession of kings. The king was formally elected by the leading nobility 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.^[1]
In the Middle Ages, the king did not assume the title "Emperor" (since 982 the full title was Imperator Augustus Romanorum, Venerable Emperor of the Romans) until crowned by the pope. Moving to Italy, he was usually first crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy, after which he assumed the title of rex Italiae, King of Italy. After this he would ride on to Rome and be crowned emperor by the pope. See Coronation of the Holy Roman Emperor for more details.
Maximilian I was the first king to bear the title of emperor-elect. After the failure in 1508 of his attempt to march to Rome and be crowned by the pope, he had himself proclaimed emperor-elect with papal consent. His successor Charles V also assumed that title after his coronation in 1520 until he was crowned emperor by the pope in 1530. From Ferdinand I onwards, all emperors were merely emperors-elect, although they were normally referred to as emperors. At the same time, chosen successors of the emperors held the title of king of the Romans, if elected by the college of electors during their predecessor's lifetime. See King of the Romans for more details.

Emperors are listed in bold. Rival kings, anti-kings, and junior co-regents are italicized.

Kings of East Francia (Germany), 843–962

Carolingians

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Louis the German (Ludwig II der Deutsche)	Carolingian	11 August 843	—	23 August 876	Son of Emperor Louis the Pious and grandson of Charlemagne
Louis the Younger (Ludwig III der Jüngere)	Carolingian	28 August 876	—	20 January 882	Son of Louis the German; ruled in East Francia, Saxony; from 880, also Bavaria
Carloman (Karlmann)	Carolingian	28 August 876	—	22 March 880	Son of Louis the German; ruled in Bavaria; from 877, also King of Italy
Charles the Fat (Karl III der Dicke)	Carolingian	28 August 876	12 February 881	11 November 887	Son of Louis the German; ruled in Alemannia, Raetia, from 882 in the entire Eastern Kingdom; from 879, also King of Italy
Arnulf of Carinthia (Arnulf von Kärnten)	Carolingian	30 November 887	25 April 896	8 December 899	Son of Carloman
Louis the Child (Ludwig IV das Kind)	Carolingian	21 January 900	—	20/24 September 911	Son of Arnulf of Carinthia

Conradines

Image	Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
	Conrad I (Konrad I)	Conradine (Franconian)	10 November 911	—	23 December 918

Ottonian dynasty

Image	Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
	Henry I the Fowler (Heinrich I der Vogler)	Liudolfing	23 April 919	—	2 July 936
	Arnulf the Bad (Arnulf der Böse, Herzog von Bayern)	Luitpolding (Bavarian)	919	—	921	Rival king to Henry I

Germany within the Holy Roman Empire, 962–1806

The title "King of the Romans", used under the Holy Roman Empire, is considered equivalent to King of Germany. A king was chosen by the German electors and would then proceed to Rome to be crowned emperor by the pope.

Ottonian dynasty (continued)

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Otto I the Great (Otto I der Große)	Ottonian	7 August 936	2 February 962	7 May 973	Son of Henry I; first king crowned in Aachen Cathedral since Lothair I; crowned as Otto by the grace of God King;^[2] crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 961
Otto II the Red (Otto II)	Ottonian	26 May 961	25 December 967	7 December 983	Son of Otto I; Otto by the grace of God King^[2] under his father 961–973; also crowned Emperor in his father's lifetime
Otto III (Otto III)	Ottonian	25 December 983	21 May 996	21 January 1002	Son of Otto II; Otto by the grace of God King^[2]
Henry II (Heinrich II der Heilige)	Ottonian	7 June 1002	26 April 1014	13 July 1024	Great-grandson of Henry I

Salian dynasty

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Conrad II (Konrad II)	Salian (Frankish)	8 September 1024	26 March 1027	4 June 1039	Great-great-grandson of Otto I
Henry III (Heinrich III)	Salian	14 April 1028	25 December 1046	5 October 1056	Son of Conrad II; King (of the Germans?)^[2] under his father 1028–1039
Henry IV (Heinrich IV)	Salian	17 July 1054	21 March 1084	31 December 1105	Son of Henry III; King of Germany under his father, 1054–1056
Rudolf of Rheinfelden (Rudolf von Rheinfelden)	Rheinfeld	15 March 1077	—	15 October 1080	Rival king to Henry IV
Hermann of Salm (Hermann von Luxemburg, Graf von Salm)	Salm	6 August 1081	—	28 September 1088	Rival king to Henry IV
Conrad (Konrad)	Salian	30 May 1087	—	27 July 1101	Son of Henry IV; King of Germany under his father, 1087–1098, King of Italy, 1093–1098, 1095–1101 in rebellion.
Henry V (Heinrich V)	Salian	6 January 1099	13 April 1111	23 May 1125	Son of Henry IV; King of Germany under his father, 1099–1105, forced his father to abdicate

Supplinburger dynasty

Image	Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
	Lothair II (Lothar II)	Supplinburger	30 August 1125	4 June 1133	4 December 1137	He was Lothair II of Germany, but Lothair III of Italy

Hohenstaufen and Welf

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Conrad III (Konrad III)	Hohenstaufen	7 March 1138	—	15 February 1152	Grandson of Henry IV (through his mother); Previously Rival King to Lothair III 1127–1135
Henry Berengar (Heinrich (VI))	Hohenstaufen	30 March 1147	—	August? 1150	Son of Conrad III; King of Germany under his father 1147–1150
Frederick I Barbarossa (Friedrich I Barbarossa)	Hohenstaufen	4 March 1152	18 June 1155	10 June 1190	Nephew of Conrad III
Henry VI (Heinrich VI)	Hohenstaufen	15 August 1169	14 April 1191	28 September 1197	Son of Frederick I; King of Germany under his father 1169–1190
Frederick II (Friedrich II)	Hohenstaufen	1197	—	1197	Son of Henry VI; King of Germany under his father, 1196
Philip of Swabia (Philipp von Schwaben)	Hohenstaufen	6 March 1198	—	21 August 1208	Son of Frederick I; rival king to Otto IV
Otto IV (Otto IV von Braunschweig)	Welf	29 March 1198	4 October 1209	5 July 1215	Rival king to Philip of Swabia; later opposed by Frederick II; deposed, 1215; died 19 May 1218
Frederick II (Friedrich II)	Hohenstaufen	5 December 1212	22 November 1220	26 December 1250	Son of Henry VI; Rival king to Otto IV until 5 July 1215
Henry (Heinrich (VII))	Hohenstaufen	23 April 1220	—	15 August 1235	Son of Frederick II; King of Germany under his father, 1220–1235
Conrad IV (Konrad IV)	Hohenstaufen	May 1237	—	1 May 1254	Son of Frederick II; King of Germany under his father, 1237–1250

Interregnum

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Henry Raspe (Heinrich Raspe)	Thuringia	22 May 1246	—	16 February 1247	Rival King to Frederick II and great-great-great grandson of Henry IV
William of Holland (Wilhelm von Holland)	Holland	3 October 1247	—	28 January 1256	Rival King to Frederick II and Conrad IV, 1247–1254
Richard of Cornwall (Richard von Cornwall)	Plantagenet	13 January 1257	—	2 April 1272	Brother-in-law of Frederik II; rival king to Alfonso of Castile; held no real authority.
Alfonso of Castile (Alfons von Kastilien)	House of Burgundy	1 April 1257	—	1275	Grandson of Philip; rival king to Richard of Cornwall; held no authority; later opposed by Rudolf I; relinquished claims 1275, died 1284

Habsburg and Nassau

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Rudolf I (Rudolf I von Habsburg)	Habsburg	29 September 1273	—	15 July 1291	First of the Habsburgs
Adolf of Nassau (Adolf von Nassau)	Nassau	5 May 1292	—	23 June 1298	According to some historians, Adolf's election was preceded by the short-lived kingship of Conrad, Duke of Teck. See his article for details.
Albert I (Albrecht I von Habsburg)	Habsburg	24 June 1298	—	1 May 1308	Son of Rudolf I; Rival king to Adolf of Nassau, 1298

Luxemburg and Wittelsbach

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Henry VII (Heinrich VII, Luxemburger)	Luxembourg	27 November 1308	13 June 1311	24 August 1313
Louis IV (Ludwig IV, der Bayer, Wittelsbacher)	Wittelsbach	20 October 1314	17 January 1328	11 October 1347	Grandson of Rudolf I; rival king to Frederick the Fair, 1314–1322
Frederick the Fair (Friedrich der Schöne, Habsburger)	Habsburg	19 October 1314/ 5 September 1325	—	28 September 1322/ 13 January 1330	Son of Albert I; rival king to Louis IV, 1314–1322; associate king with Louis IV, 1325–1330
Charles IV (Karl IV von Luxemburg)	Luxembourg	11 July 1346	5 April 1355	29 November 1378	Grandson of Henry VII; rival king to Louis IV, 1346–1347; also King of Bohemia, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor
Günther von Schwarzburg (Günther von Schwarzburg)	Schwarzburg	30 January 1349	—	24 May 1349	Rival king to Charles IV
Wenceslaus (Wenzel von Luxemburg)	Luxembourg	10 June 1376	—	20 August 1400	Son of Charles IV; king of Germany under his father 1376–1378; deposed 1400; also by inheritance King of Bohemia; died 1419
Rupert of Palatinate (Ruprecht von der Pfalz, Wittelsbacher)	Wittelsbach	21 August 1400	—	18 May 1410	Great-grandnephew of Louis IV
Sigismund (Sigismund von Luxemburg)	Luxembourg	20 September 1410 /21 July 1411	3 May 1433	9 December 1437	Son of Charles IV
Jobst of Moravia (Jobst von Mähren, Luxemburger)	Luxembourg	1 October 1410	—	8 January 1411	Nephew of Charles IV; rival king to Sigismund

Habsburg

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Albert II (Albrecht II)	Habsburg	18 March 1438	—	27 October 1439	4th in descent from Albert I; son-in-law of Sigismund
Frederick III (Friedrich III)	Habsburg	2 February 1440	16 March 1452	19 August 1493	4th in descent from Albert I; 2nd cousin of Albert II
Maximilian I (Maximilian I)	Habsburg	16 February 1486	4 February 1508 Emperor	12 January 1519	Son of Frederick III; King of Germany under his father, 1486–1493; assumed the title "Elected Emperor" in 1508 with the pope's approval
Charles V (Karl V)	Habsburg	28 June 1519	28 June 1519 Emperor	3 August 1556	Grandson of Maximilian I; died 21 September 1558
Ferdinand I (Ferdinand I)	Habsburg	5 January 1531	14 March 1558 Emperor	25 July 1564	Grandson of Maximilian I; brother of Charles V; King of Germany under his brother Charles V 1531–1556; last king to be crowned in Aachen Cathedral. Emperor
Maximilian II (Maximilian II)	Habsburg	22 November 1562	25 July 1564 Emperor	12 October 1576	Son of Ferdinand I; King of Germany under his father 1562–1564
Rudolf II (Rudolf II)	Habsburg	27 October 1575	2 November 1576 Emperor	20 January 1612	Son of Maximilian II; King of Germany under his father, 1575–1576
Matthias (Matthias)	Habsburg	13 June 1612	13 June 1612 Emperor	20 March 1619	Son of Maximilian II
Ferdinand II (Ferdinand II)	Habsburg	28 August 1619	28 August 1619 Emperor	15 February 1637	Great-grandson of Ferdinand I
Ferdinand III (Ferdinand III)	Habsburg	22 December 1636	15 February 1637 Emperor	2 April 1657	Son of Ferdinand II; King of Germany under his father 1636–1637
Ferdinand IV (Ferdinand IV)	Habsburg	31 May 1653	—	9 July 1654	Son of Ferdinand III; King of Germany under his father
Leopold I (Leopold I)	Habsburg	18 July 1658	18 July 1658 Emperor	5 May 1705	Son of Ferdinand III
Joseph I (Joseph I)	Habsburg	23 January 1690	5 May 1705 Emperor	17 April 1711	Son of Leopold I; King of Germany under his father 1690–1705
Charles VI (Karl VI)	Habsburg	27 October 1711	27 October 1711 Emperor	20 October 1740	Son of Leopold I

Habsburg-Lorraine

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Charles VII (Karl VII)	Wittelsbach	14 January 1742	14 January 1742 Emperor	20 January 1745	Great-great-grandson of Ferdinand II; Husband of Maria Amalia, daughter of Joseph I
Francis I (Franz I)	Lorraine	13 September 1745	13 September 1745 Emperor	18 August 1765	Great-grandson of Ferdinand III; Husband of Maria Theresa, daughter of Charles VI
Joseph II (Joseph II)	Habsburg-Lorraine	27 March 1764	18 August 1765 Emperor	20 February 1790	Son of Francis I and Maria Theresa; King of Germany under his father 1764–1765
Leopold II (Leopold II)	Habsburg-Lorraine	30 September 1790	30 September 1790 Emperor	1 March 1792	Son of Francis I and Maria Theresa
Francis II (Franz II)	Habsburg-Lorraine	7 July 1792	7 July 1792 Emperor	6 August 1806	Son of Leopold II; Dissolved the Holy Roman Empire; also Emperor of Austria 1804–1835; President of the German Confederation (1815-1835), died 1835

Confederation of the Rhine, 1806–1813

Name	Portrait	Title	House	Began	Ended
Karl Theodor Anton Maria von Dalberg Prince-Bishop of Regensburg Grand Duke of Frankfurt		Prince Primate of the Confederation of the Rhine		25 July 1806	26 October 1813
Eugène de Beauharnais Grand Duke of Frankfurt		Prince Primate of the Confederation of the Rhine	House of Beauharnais	26 October 1813	December 1813

German Confederation, 1815–1866

Name	Title	House	Began	Ended
Francis I, Emperor of Austria (Franz I, Kaiser von Österreich)	President of the German Confederation	Habsburg-Lorraine	20 June 1815	2 March 1835
Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria (Ferdinand I, Kaiser von Österreich)	President of the German Confederation	Habsburg-Lorraine	2 March 1835	12 July 1848
Archduke John of Austria (Erzherzog Johann von Österreich)	Imperial Vicar^[3]	Habsburg-Lorraine	12 July 1848	20 December 1849
Frederick William IV, King of Prussia (Friedrich Wilhelm IV, König von Preußen)	Emperor of the Germans elect	Hohenzollern	elected Emperor of the Germans by the Frankfurt National Assembly on 28 March 1849, but refused the crown on 3 April 1849
	President of the Erfurt Union	Hohenzollern	26 May 1849	29 November 1850
Francis Joseph I, Emperor of Austria (Franz Joseph I, Kaiser von Österreich)	President of the German Confederation	Habsburg-Lorraine	1 May 1850	24 August 1866

North German Confederation, 1867–1871

Name	Portrait	Title	House	Began	Ended
Wilhelm I, King of Prussia (Wilhelm I, König von Preußen)		President of the North German Confederation	Hohenzollern	1 July 1867	18 January 1871^[4]

German Empire, 1871–1918

Name	Title	House	Began	Ended
Wilhelm I, German Emperor (Wilhelm I, Deutscher Kaiser)	German Emperor	Hohenzollern	18 January 1871	9 March 1888
Friedrich III, German Emperor (Friedrich III, Deutscher Kaiser)	German Emperor	Hohenzollern	9 March 1888	15 June 1888
Wilhelm II, German Emperor (Wilhelm II, Deutscher Kaiser)	German Emperor	Hohenzollern	15 June 1888	9/28 November 1918^[5]

Footnotes

^ Germany - Britannica Educational Publishing
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Medieval Europeans: studies in ethnic identity and national perspectives in medieval Europe By Alfred P. Smyth, Palgrave Macmillan (1998), p. 64
^ elected by the Frankfurt National Assembly as Imperial Vicar of a new German Reich. The German Confederation was considered dissolved.
^ He was proclaimed German Emperor on that day.
^ His abdication was announced by the Chancellor on 9 November, and the Emperor went into exile in the Netherlands. He did not formally abdicate until 28 November.

External links

[1] Germany - Britannica Educational Publishing

[Smyth-2] Medieval Europeans: studies in ethnic identity and national perspectives in medieval Europe By Alfred P. Smyth, Palgrave Macmillan (1998), p. 64

[3] ted by the Frankfurt National Assembly as Imperial Vicar of a new German Reich. The German Confederation was considered dissolved.

[4] He was proclaimed German Emperor on that day.

[5] His abdication was announced by the Chancellor on 9 November, and the Emperor went into exile in the Netherlands. He did not formally abdicate until 28 November.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

v t e Monarchs of Germany
East Francia during the Carolingian dynasty (843–911)	Louis the German Carloman Louis the Younger Charles the Fat Arnulf Louis the Child
East Francia (911–919) Kingdom of Germany (919–962)	Conrad I Henry I Arnulf Otto I
Kingdom of Germany within the Holy Roman Empire (962–1806)	Otto I Otto II Otto III Henry II Conrad II Henry III Henry IV Rudolf Hermann Conrad (III) Henry V Lothair II/III Conrad III Henry (VI) Frederick I Henry VI Philip Otto IV Frederick II Henry (VII) Conrad IV Henry (VIII) William Richard Alfonso Rudolf I Adolf Albert I Henry VII Louis IV Frederick (III) Charles IV Günther Wenceslaus Rupert Jobst Sigismund Albert II Frederick III Maximilian I Charles V Ferdinand I Maximilian II Rudolf II Matthias Ferdinand II Ferdinand III Ferdinand IV Leopold I Joseph I Charles VI Charles VII Francis I Joseph II Leopold II Francis II
Confederation of the Rhine (1806–1813)	Napoleon I
German Confederation (1815–1848)	Francis I Ferdinand I
German Empire (1848/1849)	Archduke John of Austria (Imperial Regent)
German Confederation (1850–1866)	Franz Joseph I
North German Confederation (1867–1871)	William I
German Empire (1871–1918)	William I Frederick III William II