Prince-elector

The prince-electors or electoral princes of the Holy Roman Empire — German: Kurfürst ({{Audio|De-Kurfürst-pronunciation.ogg|listen}} - singular), Kurfürsten (plural) — were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Emperors of Germany. During and after the 15th century they often merely formalised the elective monarchy into what was in fact a dynastic succession. Formally, they elected a King of the Romans, who became Holy Roman Emperor only when crowned by the pope. Charles V was the last to be actually crowned; all of his successors were merely "Emperors-Elect". Electors were among the princes of the Empire, but they had several privileges (in addition to electoral ones) which were disallowed to their non-electoral brethren.

Related Topics:
Holy Roman Empire - German - Electoral college - Electing - Emperors of Germany - 15th century - Elective monarchy - Dynastic - Succession - King of the Romans - Crowned - Pope - Charles V - Prince

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For a great part of the Holy Roman Empire's history (at least from the 13th century) there were seven electors, including three spiritual ones — the Archbishop of Mainz, the Archbishop of Trier, and the Archbishop of Cologne — and four lay ones — the King of Bohemia, the Count Palatine of the Rhine, the Duke of Saxony, and the Margrave of Brandenburg. (The last three aforementioned are also known as the Elector Palatine, the Elector of Saxony, and the Elector of Brandenburg, respectively.) Other electors, added in the 17th century, include the Dukes of Bavaria (referred to as Electors of Bavaria - replacing the Count Palatine of the Rhine, who was of the same family but had lost his title temporarily during the Thirty Year War) and the Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg (the Electors of Hanover). In 1803, several new electors were created, but they never participated in an election, for the Holy Roman Empire was abolished under pressure from Napoléon Bonaparte on August 6, 1806.

Related Topics:
13th century - Archbishop of Mainz - Archbishop of Trier - Archbishop of Cologne - King of Bohemia - Count Palatine of the Rhine - Duke of Saxony - Margrave of Brandenburg - 17th century - Dukes of Bavaria - Thirty Year War - Dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg - 1803 - Napoléon Bonaparte - August 6 - 1806

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