List of German monarchs
This is a list of monarchs who ruled over East Francia, and the Kingdom of Germany, from the division of the Frankish Empire in 843 until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806.
The title used by the early rulers was Rex Francorum orientalium, "King of the East Franks", or Rex Francorum "King of the Franks". During the later medieval period, the title was "King of the Romans", and sometimes, interchangeably, "King of the Germans".
From 1508 until 1806, "King of the Romans" continued to be used by the emperor, while Rex Germaniae "King of Germany" or Rex in Germania "King in Germany" was used by the emperor's heir-apparent.
Also listed are the heads of the various German confederations between the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 until the collapse of the German Empire in 1918.
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 Germans, 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.
- The Kingdom of Germany was never entirely hereditary; rather, ancestry was only one of the factors that determined the succession of kings. During the 10th to 13th centuries, 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.
- In the Middle Ages, the king did not assume the title "Emperor" 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.
- The title of "King of the Germans" was in use from the 11th until the 18th centuries, in origin a derogatory replacement of King of the Romans imposed on Henry IV by Pope Gregory VII, in the later period a nominal title given to the heir apparent of the ruling emperor.
- Maximilian I was the first king to bear the title of Elected Emperor. After the failure in 1508 of his attempt to march to Rome and be crowned by the pope, he had himself proclaimed Elected Emperor 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 Elected Emperor, 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.
East Francia, 843–962
Carolingians
Conradine dynasty
Ottonian dynasty
Holy Roman Empire, 962–1806
The title "King of the Romans", used under the Holy Roman Empire, is often used alongside the title "King of the Germans".Ottonian dynasty (continued)
| Image | Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
| Otto I the Great | 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; crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 961 | |
| Otto II the Red | Ottonian | 26 May 961 | 25 December 967 | 7 December 983 | Son of Otto I; Otto by the grace of God King under his father 961–973; also crowned Emperor in his father's lifetime | |
| Otto III | Ottonian | 25 December 983 | 21 May 996 | 21 January 1002 | Son of Otto II; Otto by the grace of God King | |
| Henry II | Ottonian | 7 June 1002 | 26 April 1014 | 13 July 1024 | Great-grandson of Henry I |
Salian dynasty
| Image | Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
| Conrad II | Salian | 8 September 1024 | 26 March 1027 | 4 June 1039 | Great-great-grandson of Otto I | |
| Henry III | Salian | 14 April 1028 | 25 December 1046 | 5 October 1056 | Son of Conrad II; King under his father 1028–1039 | |
| Henry 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 | Rheinfeld | 15 March 1077 | — | 15 October 1080 | Rival king to Henry IV | |
| Hermann of Salm | Salm | 6 August 1081 | — | 28 September 1088 | Rival king to Henry IV | |
| Conrad | 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 | 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 III | Supplinburger | 30 August 1125 | 4 June 1133 | 4 December 1137 | He was Lothair II of Germany, but Lothair III of Italy |
Hohenstaufen and Welf
| Image | Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
| Conrad III | Hohenstaufen | 7 March 1138 | — | 15 February 1152 | Grandson of Henry IV ; Previously Rival King to Lothair III 1127–1135 | |
| Henry Berengar | Hohenstaufen | 30 March 1147 | — | August? 1150 | Son of Conrad III; King of Germany under his father 1147–1150 | |
| Frederick I Barbarossa | Hohenstaufen | 4 March 1152 | 18 June 1155 | 10 June 1190 | Nephew of Conrad III | |
| Henry 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 | Hohenstaufen | 1197 | — | 1197 | Son of Henry VI; King of Germany under his father, 1196 | |
| Philip of Swabia | Hohenstaufen | 6 March 1198 | — | 21 August 1208 | Son of Frederick I; rival king to Otto IV | |
| Otto IV | Welf | 9 June 1198 | 21 October 1209 | 1215 | Rival king to Philip of Swabia; later opposed by Frederick II; deposed, 1215; died 19 May 1218 | |
| Frederick 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 | Hohenstaufen | 23 April 1220 | — | 15 August 1235 | Son of Frederick II; King of Germany under his father, 1220–1235 | |
| Conrad IV | Hohenstaufen | May 1237 | — | 1 May 1254 | Son of Frederick II; King of Germany under his father, 1237–1250 |
''Interregnum''
| Image | Coat of arms | Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
| Henry Raspe | Thuringia | 22 May 1246 | — | 16 February 1247 | Rival King to Frederick II and great-great-great grandson of Henry IV | ||
| William of Holland | Holland | 3 October 1247 | — | 28 January 1256 | Rival King to Frederick II and Conrad IV, 1247–1254 | ||
| Richard of Cornwall | Plantagenet | 13 January 1257 | — | 2 April 1272 | Brother-in-law of Frederick II; rival king to Alfonso of Castile; held no real authority. | ||
| Alfonso of Castile | House of Ivrea | 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
| Image | Coat of arms | Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
| Rudolf I | Habsburg | — | 15 July 1291 | First of the Habsburgs | |||
| Adolf of 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 | Habsburg | 24 June 1298 | — | 1 May 1308 | Son of Rudolf I; Rival king to Adolf of Nassau, 1298 |
Luxembourg and Wittelsbach
| Image | Coat of arms | Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
| Henry VII | Luxembourg | 27 November 1308 | 29 June 1312 | 24 August 1313 | Holy Roman Emperor | ||
| Louis IV | 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 | 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 | 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 | Schwarzburg | 30 January 1349 | — | 24 May 1349 | Rival king to Charles IV | ||
| Wenceslaus | 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 the Palatinate | Wittelsbach | 21 August 1400 | — | 18 May 1410 | Great-grandnephew of Louis IV | ||
| Sigismund | Luxembourg | 10 September 1410 /21 July 1411 | 3 May 1433 | 9 December 1437 | Son of Charles IV | ||
| Jobst of Moravia | Luxembourg | 1 October 1410 | — | 8 January 1411 | Nephew of Charles IV; rival king to Sigismund |
Habsburg
| Image | Coat of arms | Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
| Albert II | Habsburg | 18 March 1438 | — | 27 October 1439 | 4th in descent from Albert I; son-in-law of Sigismund | ||
| Frederick III | Habsburg | 2 February 1440 | 16 March 1452 | 19 August 1493 | 4th in descent from Albert I; 2nd cousin of Albert II | ||
| Maximilian I | Habsburg | 16 February 1486 | 4 February 1508 | 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 | Habsburg | 28 June 1519 | 28 June 1519 | 3 August 1556 | Grandson of Maximilian I; died 21 September 1558 | ||
| Ferdinand I | Habsburg | 5 January 1531 | 27 August 1556 | 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 | Habsburg | 22 November 1562 | 25 July 1564 | 12 October 1576 | Son of Ferdinand I; King of Germany under his father 1562–1564 | ||
| Rudolf II | Habsburg | 27 October 1575 | 12 October 1576 | 20 January 1612 | Son of Maximilian II; King of Germany under his father, 1575–1576 | ||
| Matthias | Habsburg | 13 June 1612 | 13 June 1612 | 20 March 1619 | Son of Maximilian II | ||
| Ferdinand II | Habsburg | 28 August 1619 | 28 August 1619 | 15 February 1637 | Grandson of Ferdinand I | ||
| Ferdinand III | Habsburg | 22 December 1636 | 15 February 1637 | 2 April 1657 | Son of Ferdinand II; King of Germany under his father 1636–1637 | ||
| Ferdinand IV | Habsburg | 31 May 1653 | — | 9 July 1654 | Son of Ferdinand III; King of Germany under his father | ||
| Leopold I | Habsburg | 18 July 1658 | 18 July 1658 | 5 May 1705 | Son of Ferdinand III | ||
| Joseph I | Habsburg | 23 January 1690 | 5 May 1705 | 17 April 1711 | Son of Leopold I; King of Germany under his father 1690–1705 | ||
| Charles VI | Habsburg | 12 October 1711 | 12 October 1711 | 20 October 1740 | Son of Leopold I |
Wittelsbach
| Image | Coat of arms | Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
| Charles VII | Wittelsbach | 24 January 1742 | 24 January 1742 | 20 January 1745 | Great-great-grandson of Ferdinand II; Husband of Maria Amalia, daughter of Joseph I |
Habsburg-Lorraine
| Image | Coat of arms | Name | House | King | Emperor | Ended | Notes |
| Francis I | Lorraine | 13 September 1745 | 13 September 1745 | 18 August 1765 | Great-grandson of Ferdinand III; Husband of Maria Theresa, daughter of Charles VI | ||
| Joseph II | Habsburg-Lorraine | 27 March 1764 | 18 August 1765 | 20 February 1790 | Son of Francis I and Maria Theresa; King of Germany under his father 1764–1765 | ||
| Leopold II | Habsburg-Lorraine | 30 September 1790 | 30 September 1790 | 1 March 1792 | Son of Francis I and Maria Theresa | ||
| Francis II | Habsburg-Lorraine | 5 July 1792 | 5 July 1792 | 6 August 1806 | Son of Leopold II; Dissolved the Holy Roman Empire; also Emperor of Austria 1804–1835; President of the German Confederation, died 1835 |