Holy Roman Emperor
As a Roman- German Emperor, historical Latin name Romanorum Imperator ( Emperor of the Romans '), refers to the recent historical research, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, by one hand of the Roman emperors of antiquity and on the other hand by the Emperors of the German Empire between 1871 and to distinguish 1918. Also delineate them are from the medieval Roman emperors of the years 800-924, the Empire was based since the division of Prüm on the northern Italian royalty.
History of the terms " Roman Emperor " and " German "
Early and High Middle Ages
The medieval rulers of the empire saw themselves - following on the late antique imperial idea and the idea of Renovatio imperii, the restoration of the Roman Empire under Charlemagne - the direct successor of the Roman Caesars and the Carolingian emperors. They propagated the idea of translatio imperii, after the highest worldly power, the empire had been transferred by the Romans to the Franco- German empire through divine right.
The territory of early medieval Ostfrankenreichs was first referred to in the 11th century as Regnum Regnum Teutonicum or Teutonicorum (Kingdom of the Germans). Already Otto the Great was crowned by the Pope 962 Roman Emperor, after he had acquired the title of King of Italy. His successors retained this claim and insisted on the right to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor, they were able to implement by the pope by a coronation to Italy and the coronation. 1157 appears under Frederick I for the first time the term sacrum ( "sacred" ) for the kingdom, which is also the Italian and since 1032 also the Burgundian kingdom encompassed only the German Kingdom. The official designation as the Holy Roman Empire is the first time documented for 1254. Consequently, since the 11th century were the rulers themselves from their imperial coronation Rex Romanorum ( King of the Romans ) call. With this title, she joined the claim to the imperial crown and to a supranational rule, German, Italian ( Italy Reich ), French and Slavic language areas involved. This claim has been increasingly challenged by the papacy since the beginning of the Investiture Controversy in the 11th century, especially by Gregory VII in his book Dictatus Papae that zusprach the Pope the universal dominion over all ecclesiastical and secular rulers.
In addition to the propaganda there was salvation-historical reasons for the linkage of the Holy Roman Empire to the ancient Roman Empire. According to medieval understanding of history there had been in ancient times, four successive world empires: that of the Medes, the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans. In the Roman Empire, was born in the Jesus and had transformed itself into an empire Christianum since Emperor Constantine saw many scholars since Augustine the final form of secular rule in which Christianity will unfold until the end of time. In the empire of Charlemagne and the German kings they therefore did not see the successor state of the Western Roman Empire 476 perished, but this kingdom itself in a new form. This also explains the rise of the High Middle Ages Holy addition to the official name of the empire and the emperor.
While the Roman Empire was in the eastern part of the Byzantine Empire ( Eastern Roman Empire ) continued constitutionally continuously. Since the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire in 800, however, was ruled by a woman, the Empress Irene, argued the representatives of the Translatio imperii theory, the imperial throne was vacant and was thus legally transferred from the Pope to the Great Karl. In the Carolingian tradition 150 years later summoned again Otto I the aware anknüpfte with the acceptance of the imperial title in 962 of the Frankish Empire and the Roman idea.
Late Middle Ages
The idea of empire was still alive in the late Middle Ages, when the power of the empire had already waned considerably. Henry VII, Dante praised almost panegyrisch, tied directly to it and stressed the importance of the Empire as a universal power, even in the sense of Christian salvation history. He served also of Roman law ( as was the Staufer over 100 years earlier ). The imperial self-image of Henry VII, his imperial idea, but also provoked the resistance of France and the Pope.
The suffix " German nation " appears in the literature on the first time in 1438, the inaugural year of Albrecht II in 1486 it was first mentioned in a legal text. The emphasis of the German character of the Roman Empire intensified since the end of the 15th century, when the power of the emperor in imperial Italy de facto no longer fell into the weight and was confined mainly to the German territory. Also in the defensive struggle against Charles the Bold of Burgundy, this terminology was used.
In the realm sat down more and more by the view that the king (or future emperor ) would be elected by the electors, who was then crowned by the Pope either to the emperor or - from the early modern period - without confirmation by the Pope to the imperial office nachrückte. The Papacy, however, had always existed in the Middle Ages that it " suitability " of the Emperor could decide on the - what came in the kingdom with considerable resistance (see Staufer ). The official title of king to the Ottonian was Rex Francorum ( " King of the Franks ") in the Regnum Francorum Orientalium ( " Kingdom of the Eastern Franks" ), then Rex Romanorum ( "Roman King ").
After the coronation the titulary was supplemented by the addition semper Augustus, but was also partly used before the coronation. This title was "at all times of the Empire " Germanized as, as you falsely Augustus from the Latin verb augere ( " increase, enlarge ' ) was derived. The term Mehrer was available for the duty of the ruler to protect the rights of the empire and maintain it. Specifically, this meant that the emperor had to prevent the alienation of rights such as Reich regalia (as in Italy ) or the loss of territory (as in the western border area of France).
Modern Times
Since the adoption of the title Chosen by Roman Emperor Maximilian I ( 1508) this was used for all subsequent Roman-German kings at the start of the autocracy and the official coronation, such as Charles V. 1520. On a coronation by the Pope was henceforth waived, with the exception of Charles V, who in 1530 was crowned by the Pope in Bologna later.
The last emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, Francis II led as the title Divina favente clementia electus Romanorum Imperator semper Augustus ( " the grace of God 's chosen Roman Emperor, at all times of the empire " ) and was only in a secondary title Germaniae Rex ( "King in Germania ", since Maximilian I. 1508). After Napoleon Bonaparte had himself proclaimed Emperor of the French, the Emperor called on 11 August 1804 when Francis I. to the Emperor of Austria, to prevent a loss of status and continue the Habsburg imperial crown. The creation of the Confederation of the Rhine under French protectorate and under the pressure of a French ultimatum Francis II was forced to resign from the Roman-German imperial crown on August 6, 1806. Concerned that the imperial crown could reach into French hands and the Austrian countries could pass through the lehnsrechtliche binding to the kingdom de jure under Napoleonic rule, he dissolved the Empire as a whole, which he passed his skills as an imperial head.
Reception of the term in the historical sciences
In common parlance and in the older literature, the term German Emperor for the " Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" will be used. Already in the 18th century appeared in these terms on official documents. Since 1871 merged the majority of German principalities and kingdoms in a new " small German " Reich ( German Reich), and with the Empire formed a unified German nation-state, the recent historical literature had to be distinguished: The former " German Emperor " were Roman- German Emperor called because the title German emperor was now addressed by " Prussian-German emperors".
The title of Holy Roman Emperor has been at least once officially used by the emperor himself, namely in the instrument, by which Francis II in 1804 the hereditary Austrian imperial dignity created. There he speaks both of the " Roman- German Empire, " as well as of himself as a " Holy Roman Emperor ".