Electorate of the Holy Roman Empire

The prince-electors (or simply electors) of the Holy Roman Empire (German: Kurfürst ( listen ), pl. Kurfürsten, Czech: Kurfiřt, Latin: Princeps Elector) were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire.

From the 13th century onwards, the Prince-Electors had the privilege of electing the King of the Romans, who would be crowned by the Pope as Holy Roman Emperor. Charles V was the last to be a crowned Emperor (elected 1519, crowned 1530); his successors were elected Emperors directly by the electoral college, each being titled "Elected Emperor of the Romans" (German: erwählter Römischer Kaiser; Latin: electus Romanorum imperator). In practice, all but one Emperor (Charles VII from the House of Wittelsbach) from 1440 onwards came from the Austrian House of Habsburg, and the Electors merely ratified the Habsburg succession.

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