Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire came into existence in the Middle Ages (conventionally, with the coronation of Charlemagne in AD 800), and its emperors saw themselves as the successors the Western Roman (and ancient Roman) emperors. After the death of Charlemagne in AD 814, the empire was divided into three realms: the Western Realm (modern France), the Middle Realm (Lorraine), and the Eastern Realm (modern Germany). In AD 962, Otto I of the Eastern Realm achieved ascendancy, and from then on, all German Kings were crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the Pope. Charles V was the last king to travel to Rome for crowning by the Pope; emperors after his reign were technically emperors-elect.

Austrian Dynasty (House of Habsburg)

• Frederick III, A. 1452–1493
• Maximilian I, AD 1508–1519 (emperor-elect)
• Charles V, AD 1530–1556 (last emperor crowned by Pope; all subsequent emperors designated as “emperor-elect”)
• Ferdinand I, AD 1556–1564
• Maximilian II, AD 1564–1576
• Rudolf II, AD 1576–1612
• Matthias, AD 1612–1619
• Ferdinand II, AD 1619–1637
• Ferdinand III, AD 1637–1657
• Leopold I, AD 1658–1705
• Joseph I, AD 1705–1711
• Charles VI, AD 1711–1740
• Charles VII Albert, AD 1742–1745 (House of Wittelsbach)
• Francis I, AD 1745–1765
• Joseph II, AD 1765–1790
• Leopold II, AD 1790–1792
• Francis II, AD 1792–1806 (last emperor)

The Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806 when the French Emperor Napoleon reorganized Germany.

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