Lyla Lindsey
The prince-electors were the members of the Electoral College of the Holy Roman Empire, which elected the Holy Roman Emperor. The electors held exclusive privileges that were not shared with other princes of the Empire, and they continued to hold their original titles alongside that of elector. Austria was not an elector because they had not yet achieved the hold on the Holy Roman Empire that they would enjoy in the subsequent centuries, and a rival house sought to diminish and contain their power when Electors were selected. In 1356, their power was largely challenged by two houses: Habsburg and Wittelsbach, who ruled both the Palatinate on the Rhine and Bavaria.
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What You'll Learn
Austria's rivalry with Luxembourg
Austria was not an elector in the Holy Roman Empire due to its rivalry with Luxembourg, which sought to diminish and contain Austrian power. The electors of the Holy Roman Empire were finalized in 1356 in the Golden Bull of the Imperial Diets of Metz and Nuremberg. At this time, the House of Luxembourg was consistently elected, while the House of Habsburg, which ruled Austria, was not. The House of Luxembourg held the title of King of the Romans and, at times, were also kings of Hungary and Bohemia and counts of various counties. The Habsburgs, on the other hand, had only recently begun their centuries-long rise to power, which saw them gain the inheritance of the Burgundian dukes and the Spanish Crown of Castile.
The rivalry between Austria and Luxembourg can be understood in the context of the prestige and privileges associated with the position of elector. Electors were considered to be behind only the emperor, kings, and the highest dukes in prestige. They enjoyed exclusive privileges, such as the right to enter into alliances, autonomy in relation to dynastic affairs, and precedence over other subjects. They also continued to hold their original titles alongside that of elector.
The omission of Austria from the rank of electors was controversial at the time, and the Habsburgs attempted to circumvent this through a forgery called the Privilegium Maius. This document was purportedly issued by Frederick Barbarossa and granted Austria the title of Archduchy, along with privileges that resembled those of an elector, including primogeniture inheritance.
The rivalry between Austria and Luxembourg had significant consequences for the political landscape of the Holy Roman Empire and beyond. The Habsburgs' pursuit of power and their attempts to increase their hold on territories such as Bohemia contributed to tensions that culminated in the Thirty Years' War. This ultimately led to the defeat of the Bohemians and the suppression of notions of Bohemian autonomy.
In the subsequent centuries, Austria became one of the most powerful German states within the Holy Roman Empire, alongside Prussia. This led to a struggle for supremacy among smaller German states, characterized by territorial conflicts and economic, cultural, and political aspects. The rivalry between Austria and Prussia became known as Deutscher Dualismus, or German dualism, and played a significant role in shaping the course of history in the region.
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The Habsburgs' hold on the HRE
In the 13th century, the prince-electors, or members of the Electoral College of the HRE, gained the privilege of electing the King of the Romans, who would then be crowned Emperor by the pope. The electors held exclusive privileges, such as the right to enter into alliances and autonomy in dynastic affairs. However, the process of electing an emperor was not standardized until 1356 with the Golden Bull, and before this, the House of Luxembourg was more consistently elected than the Habsburgs.
The Habsburgs' rise to power was marked by their rivalry with the House of Luxembourg. In 1356, the Habsburgs and Wittelsbachs challenged Luxembourg's power, and while the Habsburgs were not granted an elector title, they continued to gain influence. For example, in 1273, six out of seven electors voted for Rudolf of Habsburg to become king, and in 1298, all seven voted for Albrecht of Austria. The Habsburgs also gained control of Bohemia in the 16th century, which further solidified their power.
The Electors of the HRE played a crucial role in the Habsburgs' rise and hold on power, and the Habsburgs' influence extended beyond their territories through their control of key positions within the Empire. However, it is important to note that the HRE was abolished in 1806, bringing an end to the Electors' power.
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The prestige of the Elector title
The prince-electors were the members of the Electoral College of the Holy Roman Empire, which elected the Holy Roman Emperor. The dignity of the Elector title carried great prestige and was considered to be behind only the emperor, kings, and the highest dukes. The electors held exclusive privileges that were not shared with other princes of the Empire, and they continued to hold their original titles alongside that of elector. The heir apparent to a secular prince-elector was known as an electoral prince (German: Kurprinz). Electors were rulers of Reichsstände (Imperial Estates), enjoying precedence over the other Imperial Princes. They were, until the 18th century, exclusively entitled to be addressed with the title Durchlaucht (Serene Highness). In 1742, the electors became entitled to the superlative Durchlauchtigste (Most Serene Highness), while other princes were promoted to Durchlaucht. As rulers of Imperial Estates, the electors enjoyed all the privileges of princes, including the right to enter into alliances, to autonomy in relation to dynastic affairs, and to precedence over other subjects.
The Golden Bull granted them the Privilegium de non appellando, which prevented their subjects from lodging an appeal to a higher Imperial court. Although this privilege, and some others, were automatically granted to Electors, they were not exclusive to them and many of the larger Imperial Estates were also to be individually granted some or all those rights and privileges. The electors, like the other princes ruling States of the Empire, were members of the Imperial Diet, which was divided into three collegia: the Council of Electors, the Council of Princes, and the Council of Cities. In addition to being members of the Council of Electors, most electors were also members of the Council of Princes by virtue of possessing territory or holding ecclesiastical positions. The assent of both bodies was required for important decisions affecting the structure of the Empire, such as the creation of new electorates or States of the Empire.
The number of Electors was not always constant and changed multiple times. In 1777, the number of Electors dropped from nine to eight, until 1803, when Württemberg was raised to an electorate by the Imperial diet, while the prince himself was elevated from Standard-Bearer (Bannerherr) to Arch-Standardbearer. Hesse-Cassel was added in 1803. Principality of Regensburg, ruled by the former prince-archbishop of Mainz was added in 1803, after the annexation of Mainz by the French. Grand Duchy of Salzburg was added in 1803. After it was mediatized to Austria in 1805, its electoral vote was transferred to Würzburg. In 1803, electorates were created for the Duke of Württemberg, the Margrave of Baden, the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, and the Duke of Salzburg, bringing the total number of electors to ten.
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The privileges of Electors
Austria was not an elector in the Holy Roman Empire because, despite its dominant position in the Empire, it had not yet achieved the hold it would later have on the Empire. A rival house, Luxembourg, also sought to diminish and contain Austrian power when electors were selected.
The Elector title carried great prestige and was considered to be behind only the emperor, kings, and the highest dukes. The electors held exclusive privileges that were not shared with other princes of the Empire, and they continued to hold their original titles alongside that of Elector. The heir apparent to a secular prince-elector was known as an electoral prince (Kurprinz in German). Electors were rulers of Reichsstände (Imperial Estates), enjoying precedence over the other Imperial Princes. They were, until the 18th century, exclusively entitled to be addressed with the title Durchlaucht (Serene Highness). In 1742, the electors became entitled to the superlative Durchlauchtigste (Most Serene Highness), while other princes were promoted to Durchlaucht. As rulers of Imperial Estates, the electors enjoyed all the privileges of princes, including the right to enter into alliances, to autonomy in relation to dynastic affairs, and to precedence over other subjects. The Golden Bull granted them the Privilegium de non appellando, which prevented their subjects from lodging an appeal to a higher Imperial court. Although this privilege, and some others, were automatically granted to Electors, they were not exclusive to them, and many of the larger Imperial Estates were also to be individually granted some or all of those rights and privileges. The electors, like the other princes ruling States of the Empire, were members of the Imperial Diet, which was divided into three collegia: the Council of Electors, the Council of Princes, and the Council of Cities. In addition to being members of the Council of Electors, most electors were also members of the Council of Princes by virtue of possessing territory or holding an ecclesiastical position. The assent of both bodies was required for important decisions affecting the structure of the Empire, such as the creation of new electorates or States of the Empire.
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The process of electing an Elector
The title of Elector carried great prestige and was considered to be behind only the emperor, kings, and the highest dukes. Electors held exclusive privileges not shared with other princes of the Empire, including the right to enter into alliances, autonomy in relation to dynastic affairs, and precedence over other subjects. The most important privilege was primogeniture, which allowed for the inheritance of titles.
The electors were usually archbishops and were members of the Electoral College of the Holy Roman Empire, which elected the Holy Roman Emperor. The king would then be crowned Emperor by the pope. The electors were also members of the Imperial Diet, which was divided into three collegia: the Council of Electors, the Council of Princes, and the Council of Cities.
The number of Electors changed over time, from seven in the 13th century to eight in 1777, and then to ten in 1803. In 1806, the Holy Roman Empire was abolished, and the new electorates were never confirmed by the Emperor.
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Frequently asked questions
Austria was not an elector because they had not yet achieved the hold on the Holy Roman Empire that they would enjoy in later centuries, and a rival house sought to diminish and contain their power when electors were selected.
The prince-electors were the members of the Electoral College of the Holy Roman Empire, which elected the Holy Roman Emperor. The dignity of elector carried great prestige and was considered to be behind only the emperor, kings, and the highest dukes.
Usually, half of the electors were archbishops. From the 13th century onwards, a small group of prince-electors gained the privilege of electing the King of the Romans.
The number of electors changed over time. In 1448, there were seven electors, and in 1777, the number of electors dropped from nine to eight. In 1803, electorates were created for four rulers, bringing the total number of electors to ten.
