List of German monarchs

German kingdom (blue) in the Holy Roman Empire around 1000

This is a list of monarchs who ruled over East Francia, and the Kingdom of Germany (Regnum Teutonicum), from the division of the Frankish Empire in 843 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"), rex Francorum orientalium ("king of the East 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. (Note: in this and related entries, the kings are called kings of Germany, for clarity's sake)
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.^[1]
In the Middle Ages, the king did not assume the title "emperor" (from 982 the full title was Imperator Augustus Romanorum, Venerable Emperor of the Romans) 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.
Maximilian I was the first king to bear the title of emperor-elect. After his march to Rome for his Imperial coronation failed in 1508, he had himself proclaimed emperor-elect 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 emperors-elect, 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.

Emperors are listed in bold. Rival kings, anti-kings, and junior co-regents are italicized.

East Francia, 843–962[]

Carolingian dynasty[]

Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Louis II the German Ludwig der Deutsche^[2]	c.10 August 843	—	2 August 876	Son of Emperor Louis the Pious and grandson of Charlemagne
Carloman (Karlmann)	28 August 876	—	22 March 880	Son of Louis the German; ruled in Bavaria; from 877, also King of Italy
Louis III the Younger (Ludwig III. der Jüngere)	28 August 876	—	20 January 882	Son of Louis the German; ruled in East Francia, Saxony; from 880, also Bavaria
Charles III the Fat (Karl III. der Dicke)^[3]	28 August 876	12 February 881	c.17 November 887	Son of Louis the German; ruled in Alemannia, Raetia, from 882 in the entire Eastern Kingdom; from 879, also King of Italy
Arnulf of Carinthia (Arnulf von Kärnten)	c.27 November 887	25 April 896	8 December 899	Illegitimate son of Carloman
Louis IV the Child (Ludwig IV. das Kind)	21 January 900	—	20/24 September 911	Son of Arnulf of Carinthia

Conradine dynasty[]

Seal	Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
	Conrad I (Konrad I.)	10 November 911	—	23 December 918	Elected by the nobility

Ottonian dynasty[]

Seal/Portrait	Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
	Henry I the Fowler (Heinrich I. der Vogler)	23 April 919	—	2 July 936	Elected by the nobility
	Arnulf the Bad (Arnulf der Böse, Herzog von Bayern)	919	—	921	Rival king to Henry I, member of the Luitpoldings

Holy Roman Empire, 962–1806[]

The title "King of the Romans", used in the Holy Roman Empire, was, from the coronation of Henry II, considered equivalent to King of Germany. A king was chosen by the German electors and would then proceed to Rome to be crowned emperor by the pope.

Ottonian dynasty (continued)[]

Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Otto I the Great (Otto I. der Große)	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;^[4] crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 961
Otto II the Red (Otto II. der Rote)	26 May 961	25 December 967	7 December 983	Son of Otto I; Otto by the grace of God King^[4] under his father 961–973; also crowned emperor in his father's lifetime
Otto III (Otto III.)	25 December 983	21 May 996	21 January 1002	Son of Otto II; Otto by the grace of God King^[4]
Henry II the Saint (Heinrich II. der Heilige)	7 June 1002	26 April 1014	13 July 1024	Great-grandson of Henry I

Salian dynasty[]

Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Conrad II (Konrad II.)	8 September 1024	26 March 1027	4 June 1039	Great-great-grandson of Otto I
Henry III (Heinrich III.)	14 April 1028	25 December 1046	5 October 1056	Son of Conrad II; King (of the Germans?)^[4] under his father 1028–1039
Henry IV (Heinrich IV.)	17 July 1054	21 March 1084	31 December 1105	Son of Henry III; King of Germany under his father, 1054–1056
Rudolf of Rheinfelden (Rudolf von Rheinfelden)	15 March 1077	—	15 October 1080	Rival king to Henry IV; member of the Rheinfeld.
Hermann of Salm (Hermann von Salm)	6 August 1081	—	28 September 1088	Rival king to Henry IV; member of the Salm family.
Conrad (Konrad)	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 (Heinrich V.)	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[]

Seal/Portrait	Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
	Lothair III (Lothar III.)	13 September 1125	4 June 1133	4 December 1137	He was Lothair II of Germany, but Lothair III of Italy

Hohenstaufen dynasty[]

Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Conrad III (Konrad III.)	7 March 1138	—	15 February 1152	Grandson of Henry IV (through his mother); Previously rival king to Lothair III 1127–1135
Henry Berengar (Heinrich (VI.))	30 March 1147	—	August? 1150	Son of Conrad III; King of Germany under his father 1147–1150
Frederick I Barbarossa (Friedrich I. Barbarossa)	4 March 1152	18 June 1155	10 June 1190	Nephew of Conrad III
Henry VI (Heinrich VI.)	15 August 1169	15 April 1191	28 September 1197	Son of Frederick I; King of Germany under his father 1169–1190
Frederick II (Friedrich II.)	1197	—	1197	Son of Henry VI; King of Germany under his father, 1196
Philip of Swabia (Philipp von Schwaben)	8 March 1198	—	21 June 1208	Son of Frederick I; rival king to Otto IV

Otto IV (Otto IV.)	9 June 1198	21 October 1209	1215	Great grandson of Lothair III, member of the House of Welf; later opposed by Frederick II; deposed, 1215; died 19 May 1218

Frederick II (Friedrich II.)	5 December 1212	22 November 1220	26 December 1250	Son of Henry VI; Rival king to Otto IV until 5 July 1215
Henry (Heinrich (VII.))	April 1220	—	2 July 1235	Son of Frederick II; King of Germany under his father, 1220–1235
Conrad IV (Konrad IV.)	February 1237	—	21 May 1254	Son of Frederick II; King of Germany under his father, 1237–1250

Interregnum[]

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Henry Raspe (Heinrich Raspe)	Thuringia	22 May 1246	—	16 February 1247	Rival King to Frederick II and great-great-great grandson of Henry IV
William of Holland (Wilhelm von Holland)	Holland	3 October 1247	—	28 January 1256	Rival King to Frederick II and Conrad IV, 1247–1254
Richard of Cornwall (Richard von 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 (Alfons von Kastilien)	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

Changing dynasties[]

Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Rudolf I (Rudolf I. von Habsburg)	Habsburg	29 September 1273	—	15 July 1291	First of the Habsburgs
Adolf of Nassau (Adolf von 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 (Albrecht I. von Habsburg)	Habsburg	24 June 1298	—	1 May 1308	Son of Rudolf I; Rival king to Adolf of Nassau, 1298
Henry VII (Heinrich VII.)	Luxembourg	27 November 1308	29 June 1312	24 August 1313	Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV (V) the Bavarian (Ludwig der Bayer)	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 (Friedrich der Schöne)	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 (Karl 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 (Günther von Schwarzburg)	Schwarzburg	30 January 1349	—	24 May 1349	Rival king to Charles IV
Wenceslaus (Wenzel von Böhmen)	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 (Ruprecht von der Pfalz)	Wittelsbach	21 August 1400	—	18 May 1410	Great-grandnephew of Louis IV
Sigismund (Sigismund)	Luxembourg	10 September 1410 /21 July 1411	3 May 1433	9 December 1437	Son of Charles IV
Jobst of Moravia (Jobst von Mähren)	Luxembourg	1 October 1410	—	8 January 1411	Nephew of Charles IV; rival king to Sigismund

Habsburg dynasty[]

Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes
Albert II (Albrecht II.)	18 March 1438	—	27 October 1439	4th in descent from Albert I; son-in-law of Sigismund
Frederick III (Friedrich III.)	2 February 1440	16 March 1452	19 August 1493	4th in descent from Albert I; 2nd cousin of Albert II
Maximilian I (Maximilian I.)	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 (Karl V.)	28 June 1519	28 June 1519	3 August 1556	Grandson of Maximilian I; died 21 September 1558. Last Emperor to receive the imperial coronation from the Pope.
Ferdinand I (Ferdinand I.)	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 (Maximilian II.)	22 November 1562	25 July 1564	12 October 1576	Son of Ferdinand I; King of Germany under his father 1562–1564
Rudolf II (Rudolf II.)	27 October 1575	12 October 1576	20 January 1612	Son of Maximilian II; King of Germany under his father, 1575–1576
Matthias (Matthias)	13 June 1612	13 June 1612	20 March 1619	Son of Maximilian II
Ferdinand II (Ferdinand II.)	28 August 1619	28 August 1619	15 February 1637	Grandson of Ferdinand I
Ferdinand III (Ferdinand III.)	22 December 1636	15 February 1637	2 April 1657	Son of Ferdinand II; King of Germany under his father 1636–1637
Ferdinand IV (Ferdinand IV.)	31 May 1653	—	9 July 1654	Son of Ferdinand III; King of Germany under his father
Leopold I (Leopold I.)	18 July 1658	18 July 1658	5 May 1705	Son of Ferdinand III
Joseph I (Joseph I.)	23 January 1690	5 May 1705	17 April 1711	Son of Leopold I; King of Germany under his father 1690–1705
Charles VI (Karl VI.)	12 October 1711	12 October 1711	20 October 1740	Son of Leopold I

Charles VII (Karl VII.)	24 January 1742	24 January 1742	20 January 1745	Member of the House of Wittelsbach. Great-great-grandson of Ferdinand II; Husband of Maria Amalia, daughter of Joseph I

Francis I (Franz I.)	13 September 1745	13 September 1745	18 August 1765	Husband of Maria Theresa I
Joseph II (Joseph II.)	27 March 1764	18 August 1765	20 February 1790	Son of Maria Theresa I and Francis I; King of Germany under his mother and father 1764–1765
Leopold II (Leopold II.)	30 September 1790	30 September 1790	1 March 1792	Son of Maria Theresa I and Francis I
Francis II (Franz II.)	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 (1815-1835), died 1835

Modern Germany, 1806–1918[]

Confederation of the Rhine, 1806–1813[]

Name	Title	House	Began	Ended
Napoleon I Emperor of the French King of Italy	Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine	Bonaparte	12 July 1806	19 October 1813
Karl Theodor von Dalberg, Prince-Archbishop of Regensburg Grand Duke of Frankfurt	Prince-primate of the Confederation of the Rhine	Dalberg	25 July 1806	26 October 1813
Eugène de Beauharnais, Grand Duke of Frankfurt	Prince-primate of the Confederation of the Rhine	Beauharnais	26 October 1813	December 1813

German Confederation, 1815–1866[]

Name	Title	House	Began	Ended
Francis I, Emperor of Austria (Franz I., Kaiser von Österreich)	Head of the presiding power (Präsidialmacht) Austria^[5]	Habsburg-Lorraine	20 June 1815	2 March 1835
Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria (Ferdinand I., Kaiser von Österreich)	Head of the presiding power (Präsidialmacht) Austria^[5]	Habsburg-Lorraine	2 March 1835	12 July 1848
Archduke John of Austria (Erzherzog Johann von Österreich)	Imperial Vicar (Reichsverweser) of the revolutionary German Empire^[6]	Habsburg-Lorraine	12 July 1848	20 December 1849
Frederick William IV, King of Prussia (Friedrich Wilhelm IV., König von Preußen)	Emperor of the Germans elect^[7]	Hohenzollern	28 March 1849	28 April 1849
	Presidium of the Union (Unionsvorstand) of the Erfurt Union^[8]	Hohenzollern	26 May 1849	29 November 1850
Francis Joseph I, Emperor of Austria (Franz Joseph I., Kaiser von Österreich)	Head of the presiding power (Präsidialmacht) Austria	Habsburg-Lorraine	1 May 1850	24 August 1866

North German Confederation, 1867–1871[]

Name	Portrait	Title	House	Began	Ended
Wilhelm I, King of Prussia (Wilhelm I, König von Preußen)		Holder of the Bundespräsidium of the North German Confederation	Hohenzollern	1 July 1867	1 January 1871^[9]

German Empire, 1871–1918[]

Name	House	Began	Ended
Wilhelm I Wilhelm Friedrich Ludwig	Hohenzollern	1 January 1871^[9]	9 March 1888
Friedrich III Friedrich Wilhelm Nikolaus Karl	Hohenzollern	9 March 1888	15 June 1888
Wilhelm II Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert	Hohenzollern	15 June 1888	9/28 November 1918^[10]

Footnotes[]

^ Germany - Britannica Educational Publishing
^ His father Louis the Pious is both Louis I of France and Louis I of Germany.
^ Enumerated after Emperor Charles the Great (Charlemagne) and Charles II the Bald.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Medieval Europeans: studies in ethnic identity and national perspectives in medieval Europe By Alfred P. Smyth, Palgrave Macmillan (1998), p. 64
^ ^a ^b Ernst Rudolf Huber: Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte seit 1789. Vol. I: Reform und Restauration 1789 bis 1830. 2nd edition, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart [et.al.] 1967, p. 589.
^ Ernst Rudolf Huber: Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte seit 1789. Vol. I: Reform und Restauration 1789 bis 1830. 2nd edition, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart [et.al.] 1967, pp. 625–627, 808.
^ Elected Emperor of the Germans by the Frankfurt National Assembly on 28 March 1849, but refused the crown on 28 April 1849. Manfred Botzenhart: Deutscher Parlamentarismus in der Revolutionszeit 1848–1850. Droste Verlag, Düsseldorf 1977, pp. 697/698.
^ Anlage II: Additional-Akte zu dem Entwurf der Verfassung des Deutschen Reichs. In: Thüringer Landtag Erfurt (ed.): 150 Jahre Erfurter Unionsparlament (1850–2000) (= Schriften zur Geschichte des Parlamentarismus in Thüringen. H. 15) Wartburg Verlag, Weimar 2000, ISBN 3-86160-515-5, S. 27–44, here pp. 185–187.
^ ^a ^b Ernst Rudolf Huber: Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte seit 1789. Band III: Bismarck und das Reich. 3. Auflage, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart 1988, S. 750/751.
^ His abdication was announced by the Chancellor on 9 November, and the Emperor went into exile in the Netherlands. He did not formally abdicate until 28 November.

External links[]

[1] Germany - Britannica Educational Publishing

[2] His father Louis the Pious is both Louis I of France and Louis I of Germany.

[3] Enumerated after Emperor Charles the Great (Charlemagne) and Charles II the Bald.

[Smyth-4] Medieval Europeans: studies in ethnic identity and national perspectives in medieval Europe By Alfred P. Smyth, Palgrave Macmillan (1998), p. 64

[Ernst_Rudolf_Huber_1830._p._589-5] Ernst Rudolf Huber: Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte seit 1789. Vol. I: Reform und Restauration 1789 bis 1830. 2nd edition, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart [et.al.] 1967, p. 589.

[6] Ernst Rudolf Huber: Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte seit 1789. Vol. I: Reform und Restauration 1789 bis 1830. 2nd edition, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart [et.al.] 1967, pp. 625–627, 808.

[7] Elected Emperor of the Germans by the Frankfurt National Assembly on 28 March 1849, but refused the crown on 28 April 1849. Manfred Botzenhart: Deutscher Parlamentarismus in der Revolutionszeit 1848–1850. Droste Verlag, Düsseldorf 1977, pp. 697/698.

[8] Anlage II: Additional-Akte zu dem Entwurf der Verfassung des Deutschen Reichs. In: Thüringer Landtag Erfurt (ed.): 150 Jahre Erfurter Unionsparlament (1850–2000) (= Schriften zur Geschichte des Parlamentarismus in Thüringen. H. 15) Wartburg Verlag, Weimar 2000, ISBN 3-86160-515-5, S. 27–44, here pp. 185–187.

[Ernst_Rudolf_Huber_1789-9] Ernst Rudolf Huber: Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte seit 1789. Band III: Bismarck und das Reich. 3. Auflage, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart 1988, S. 750/751.

[10] His abdication was announced by the Chancellor on 9 November, and the Emperor went into exile in the Netherlands. He did not formally abdicate until 28 November.

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v t Monarchs of Germany
East Francia during the Carolingian dynasty (843–911)	Louis the German Carloman Louis the Younger Charles the Fat Arnulf Louis the Child
East Francia (911–919) Kingdom of Germany (919–962)	Conrad I Henry I Arnulf Otto I
Kingdom of Germany within the Holy Roman Empire (962–1806)	Otto I Otto II Otto III Henry II Conrad II Henry III Henry IV Rudolf Hermann Conrad (III) Henry V Lothair II/III Conrad III Henry (VI) Frederick I Henry VI Philip Otto IV Frederick II Henry (VII) Conrad IV Henry (VIII) William Richard Alfonso Rudolf I Adolf Albert I Henry VII Louis IV Frederick (III) Charles IV Günther Wenceslaus Frederick I, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Rupert Jobst Sigismund Albert II Frederick III Maximilian I Charles V Ferdinand I Maximilian II Rudolf II Matthias Ferdinand II Ferdinand III Ferdinand IV Leopold I Joseph I Charles VI Charles VII Francis I Joseph II Leopold II Francis II
Confederation of the Rhine (1806–1813)	Napoleon I
German Confederation (1815–1848)	Francis I Ferdinand I
German Empire (1848/1849)	Archduke John of Austria (Imperial Regent)
German Confederation (1850–1866)	Franz Joseph I
North German Confederation (1867–1871)	William I
German Empire (1871–1918)	William I Frederick III William II