List of monarchs of Germany on arvau

Wikipedia / List of monarchs of Germany

This is a list of monarchs who ruled over East Francia, later known as the Kingdom of Germany (), from the division of the Frankish Empire in 843 and the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 until the collapse of the German Empire in 1918.

General notes

The Frankish kingdom 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 late 11th century, when the pope began to refer to his enemy Henry IV as rex teutonicorum (another exonym for 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. In this and related entries, the kings and 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.
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.
Regnal numbers were not formally adopted until the late Middle Ages. Many of the early Frankish monarchs shared names and even nicknames. For example, Emperor Louis IV is enumerated after the three previous emperors named Louis, while King Louis IV is enumerated after the three previous kings named Louis, even though they were all members of the same family. Both German and French monarchs saw themselves as the successors of Charlemagne, hence why he and Louis the Pious, both emperors, are enumerated as "Charles I" and "Louis I" in both lists. Emperors beginning with Emperor Lothair III, who was actually the second emperor of that name, abandoned any distinction in numbering between his rule as king and his rule as emperor,
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 did not get crowned by the Pope anymore. 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.
The list is heavely intertwined with the List of Holy Roman Emperors and Austrian monarchs until the 19th century. The German state of Prussia formally established Germany as a nation-state in 1871.

Emperors are listed in bold.

East Francia (843–962)

Carolingian dynasty

Portrait	Name	Term as King began	Term as Emperor began	Term(s) ended	Succession and notes	Ref.
Louis II "the German"Ludwig	10 August 843	—	28 August 876	Son of Louis the Pious and grandson of Charlemagne.De jure subordinate king under emperors Lothair I (r. 840–855), Louis II (r. 855–875) and Charles II (r. 875–877).
Non-contemporary	Carloman "the Bavarian"Karlmann	28 August 876	—	November 879	Son of Louis the German, ruled as king of Bavaria. Also became king of Italy after the death of Emperor Charles II, who ruled Italy and West Francia, in October 877. Abdicated the throne and died of an illness shortly after, on 20 March 880.
Non-contemporary	Louis III "the Saxon"Ludwig	—	20 January 882	Son of Louis the German, initially king of Saxony. Inherited Carloman's territories in Bavaria in November 879.
Charles III "the Fat"Karl	12 February 881	17 November 887	Son of Louis the German, initially king of Alemannia, then crowned King of Italy (March 880) and Roman Emperor (February 881). Became sole king of East Francia in January 882, and also king of West Francia after the death of Carloman II in December 884, briefly reunited the Carolingian Empire before being deposed.
ArnulfArnulf	27 November 887	25 April 896	8 December 899	Illegitimate son of Carloman of Bavaria and Duke of Carinthia, took power after a coup against Charles the Fat. Also king of Italy.
Non-contemporary	Louis IV "the Child"Ludwig	8 December 899	—	24 September 911	Son of Arnulf of Carinthia; sometimes called "Louis III".

Conradine dynasty

Portrait	Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes	R.
Conrad IKonrad	10 November 911	—	23 December 918	Elected by the nobility

Ottonian dynasty

Seal/Portrait	Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes	R.
Henry I "the Flowler"Heinrich	12 May 919	—	2 July 936	Elected by the nobility
—	Arnulf "the Evil"Arnulf	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, denoted a ruler elected by the German princes whose authority was primarily exercised over the Germanic-speaking territories of the empire. While no formal “King of Germany” existed, the king’s election and governance effectively corresponded to that of a monarch over these lands. After election, the king would traditionally proceed to Rome to be crowned emperor by the pope.

Ottonian dynasty (continued)

Portrait	Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes	R.
Otto I "the Great"	2 July 936	2 February 962	7 May 973	Son of Henry I; first king crowned in Aachen Cathedral since Lothair I; crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 962
Otto II "the Red"	26 May 961(co-king)	25 December 967(co-emperor)7 May 973(senior emperor)	7 December 983	Son of Otto I; first king and then emperor under his father.
Otto III	25 December 983	21 May 996	21 January 1002	Son of Otto II
Henry II "the Saint"Heinrich	7 June 1002	14 February 1014	13 July 1024	Great-grandson of Henry I

Salian dynasty

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

13 September 1125

4 June 1133

4 December 1137

Was Lothair II of Germany, but Lothair III of Italy.

Gave rise to the Guelph faction, named after his heir and son-in-law Henry the Proud of the House of Welf

Hohenstaufen dynasty

Seal/Portrait	Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes	R.
Conrad IIIKonrad III.	7 March 1138	—	15 February 1152	Grandson of Henry IV (through his mother);Previously rival king to Lothair III 1127–1135
Henry BerengarHeinrich (VI.)	30 March 1147	—	1150	Son of Conrad III;King of Germany under his father 1147–1150
Frederick I "Barbarossa"Friedrich I.	4 March 1152	18 June 1155	10 June 1190	Nephew of Conrad III
Henry VI(Heinrich VI.)	15 August 1169(as co-king)	15 April 1191	28 September 1197	Son of Frederick I; crowned co-king at the age of 3.
Frederick IIFriedrich II.	1196	—	1198	Son of Henry VI;King of Germany under his father 1196–1198
Philip of SwabiaPhilipp II.	8 March 1198	—	21 June 1208	Son of Frederick I; elected rival king to Otto IVCalled himself "Philip II," after the Roman emperor Philip the Arab.
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 in 1215; died on 19 May 1218
Frederick IIFriedrich II.	5 December 1212	22 November 1220	26 December 1250	Son of Henry VI;Rival king to Otto IV until 5 July 1215
Henry (VII)Heinrich (VII.)	23 April 1220	—	4 July 1235	Son of Frederick II; crowned co-king at the age of 10
Conrad IV(Konrad IV.)	February 1237	—	21 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	R.
Henry RaspeHeinrich Raspe	Ludovingians	22 May 1246	—	16 February 1247	Rival King to Frederick II and great-great-great-grandson of Henry IV
William of HollandWilhelm	Holland	3 October 1247	—	28 January 1256	Rival King to Frederick II and Conrad IV 1247–1254; unopposed 1254-1256 Married Elisabeth of the House of Welf in January 1252 to gain support of the Guelph faction
Richard of Cornwall	Plantagenet	13 January 1257	—	2 April 1272	Brother-in-law of Frederick II and first-cousin of Otto IV, held little real authority Supported by the Guelph faction
Alfonso X of Castile	Ivrea	1 April 1257	21 August 1257(self-proclaimed)	1275	Grandson of Philip of Swabia; rival king to Richard of Cornwall; he held no authority and never went to Germany Supported by the Ghibelline faction, but lost their support when he was opposed by Rudolf I in 1273 Relinquished claims in 1275

Changing dynasties

Image	Coat of arms	Name	House	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes	R.
Rudolf I	Habsburg	1 October 1273	—	15 July 1291	First of the Habsburgs
Adolf	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 IAlbrecht I.	Habsburg	27 July 1298	—	1 May 1308	Son of Rudolf I; Rival king to Adolf of Nassau, 1298
Henry VIIHeinrich VII.	Luxembourg	27 November 1308	29 June 1312	24 August 1313	First emperor since the death of Frederick II in 1250.
Louis IV "the Bavarian"Ludwig 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"Friedrich	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 WenceslausKarl 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	Schwarzburg	30 January 1349	—	26 May 1349	Rival king to Charles IV
Wenceslaus of BohemiaWenzel	Luxembourg	10 June 1376(junior king)29 November 1378(senior king)	—	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 PalatinateRuprecht	Wittelsbach	21 August 1400	—	18 May 1410	Great-grandnephew of Louis IV
Sigismund	Luxembourg	20 September 1410	31 May 1433	9 December 1437	Son of Charles IV. Also King of Bohemia-Croatia and prince-elector of Brandenburg.
Jobst of Moravia	Luxembourg	1 October 1410	—	8 January 1411	Nephew of Charles IV; elected rival king to Sigismund

Habsburg dynasty

Image	Coat of arms	Name	King	Emperor	Ended	Notes	R.
Albert IIAlbrecht II.	18 March 1438	—	27 October 1439	4th in descent from Albert I; son-in-law of Sigismund. Also Duke of Austria
Frederick IIIFriedrich III.	2 February 1440	19 March 1452	19 August 1493	4th in descent from Albert I; 2nd cousin of Albert II. His 53-year reign was the longest of any German monarch. Also ruled as duke of Inner Austria since 1424, amounting to a total reign of 69 years.
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 VKarl V.	28 June 1519	3 August 1556	Grandson of Maximilian I; was also King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, and ruler of several other territories. Reigned over a massive empire, but abdicated and divided his realm before his death on 21 September 1558. Last Emperor to receive the imperial coronation from the Pope.
Ferdinand I	5 January 1531(under Charles V)	3 August 1556(de facto)14 March 1558(de jure)	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.
Maximilian II	30 November 1562(under Ferdinand I)	25 July 1564	12 October 1576	Son of Ferdinand I;King of Germany under his father 1562–1564
Rudolf II	27 October 1575(under Maximilian II)	12 October 1576	20 January 1612	Son of Maximilian II;King of Germany under his father, 1575–1576
Matthias	13 June 1612	20 March 1619	Son of Maximilian II
Ferdinand II	28 August 1619	15 February 1637	Grandson of Ferdinand I
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	31 May 1653(under Ferdinand III)	—	9 July 1654	Son of Ferdinand III;King of Germany under his father
Leopold I	18 July 1658	5 May 1705	Son of Ferdinand III; elected after an interregnum of 17 months.
Joseph I	23 January 1690(under Leopold I)	5 May 1705	17 April 1711	Son of Leopold I; King of Germany under his father 1690–1705
Charles VIKarl VI.	12 October 1711	20 October 1740	Son of Leopold I; also claimed the throne of Spain
Charles VIIKarl VII.	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 IFranz I.	13 September 1745	18 August 1765	Husband of Maria Theresa. Member of the House of Lorraine.
Joseph II	27 March 1764(under Francis I)	18 August 1765	20 February 1790	Son of Maria Theresa and Francis I; King of Germany under his mother and father 1764–1765
Leopold II	30 September 1790	1 March 1792	Son of Maria Theresa and Francis I
Francis IIFranz II.	5 July 1792	6 August 1806	Son of Leopold II; also Emperor of Austria 1804–1835 as Francis I and later President of the German Confederation 1815–1835; died 1835

Modern Germany (1806–1918)

Following the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire, modern-day Germany was reorganized into the Confederation of the Rhine and later the German Confederation. In 1871, Prussia ended the unification of Germany, excluding the Habsburg monarchy from the process. For earlier rulers of Prussia, see List of Prussian monarchs.

Confederation of the Rhine (1806–1813)

Name	Portrait	Title	House	Began	Ended	Ref.
Napoleon Bonaparte,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 RegensburgGrand Duke of Frankfurt	Prince-primate of theConfederation of the Rhine	Dalberg

German Confederation (1815–1866)

Name	Portrait	Title	House	Began	Ended	Ref.
Francis I,Emperor of Austria	Head of the presiding power(Präsidialmacht) Austria	Habsburg-Lorraine	20 June 1815	2 March 1835
Ferdinand I,Emperor of Austria	Head of the presiding power(Präsidialmacht) Austria	2 March 1835	12 July 1848
Archduke John of Austria	Regent (Reichsverweser) of the revolutionary German Empire	12 July 1848	20 December 1849
Frederick William IV,King of Prussia	Emperor-elect of the Germans(unrecognized by himself)	Hohenzollern	28 March 1849	28 April 1849
Presidium of the Union(Unionsvorstand) of the Erfurt Union	26 May 1849	29 November 1850
Francis Joseph I,Emperor of Austria	Head of the presiding power(Präsidialmacht) Austria	Habsburg-Lorraine	29 November 1850	23 August 1866

North German Confederation (1866–1871)

Name	Portrait	Title	House	Term began	Term ended
Wilhelm I,King of Prussia	Holder of the Bundespräsidium of theNorth German Confederation	Hohenzollern	18 August 1866	1 January 1871

German Empire (1871–1918)

Name	Portrait	House	Term began	Term ended
Wilhelm I	Hohenzollern	1 January 1871	9 March 1888
Friedrich III	9 March 1888	15 June 1888
Wilhelm II	15 June 1888	9 November 1918