King of the Romans

As a Roman- German king the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire for the period between their election to the king and her coronation be referred to the emperor in the recent historical literature. Its actual title was during the Ottonian king of the Franks (Latin: Rex Francorum ), since the late Roman Salian king or king of the Romans ( Rex Romanorum ), at the end of the Holy Roman Empire, King in Germania ( Germaniae Rex ). The modern terminology Roman- German king to prevent confusion with the old Roman rulers of the monarchy, as the analogue formed name Roman- German Emperor of the distinction between the medieval and early modern German rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and the German emperors, founded in 1871 German Reich serves.

The title Rex Romanorum occurs during the late Ottonian, reinforced at the time of Emperor Henry II The following Salian dynasty used it consciously and intensively to illustrate their claim to the imperial dignity. This was in contrast to the title Rex Teutonicorum used by the popes part in disparaging intent ( King of the Germans ), who found no official use in the Middle Ages. As was associated with kingship a religious claim, the title of Rex Romanorum was during the Investiture Controversy with the Pope for common titulary.

In the late Middle Ages it became the usual title for the elected kings who were not yet crowned emperor. In the early modern period Maximilian I was the first to be king of the Romans in 1508 with papal permission to " elect Roman Emperor " ( clementia electus ) appointed. He then held the title of official:

King in Germania or Rex in Germania, ie " the German lands " or " Germany " had thus found in the imperial titulary input. Since Maximilian no more imperial coronation by the Pope in Rome has been completed. With the approval of Julius II were allowed from 1508 onwards the emperor and his successors without coronation in Rome the title of "choice Kaiser " and " in Germania King " result.

The term Roman king was then a kind of crown prince title. He was awarded the designated successor of the emperor, when he was elected during his lifetime and was crowned king. In the middle modern era that was lost, and royal and imperial election coincided. The title of king was increasingly to that in the German lands, the title of emperor to Rome, and the titulary was towards the end of the empire only " Romanorum Imperator, Germaniae Rex " German in the wording " Roman Emperor, King of Germania ": Joseph II. instance, ran as the (average ) Title:

"We Zweyte Joseph the grace of God 's chosen Roman Keyser, at all times of the empire, king of Germania, to Jerusalem, Hungary, Böheim, [ ... ] "

The title was also part of the Great title of the Emperor of Austria. Francis II was called from 1804:

"We, Francis the Zweyte, 's chosen by God's grace Roman Emperor, at all times of the empire, hereditary Emperor of Austria, King of Germania, to Jerusalem to Hungarn to Böheim, [ ... ] "

In line with this tradition gave Napoleon I even recently " Emperor of the French " become, his son Napoleon Bonaparte the title of Franz Roi de Rome ( King of Rome ').