Electors (Kurfilrsten) were a body of German princes, originally seven in number, with whom rested the election of the
German king from the 13th until the beginning of the 19th century. The German kings, from the time of Henry the Fowler
(919-936) until the middle of the 13th century, succeeded to their position partly by heredity and partly by election.
German king from the 13th until the beginning of the 19th century. The German kings, from the time of Henry the Fowler
(919-936) until the middle of the 13th century, succeeded to their position partly by heredity and partly by election.
Primitive Germanic practice had emphasized the element of heredity: the man whom a German tribe recognized as its king
must be in the line of hereditary descent from Woden; Even from the first, however, there had been some opening for
election. In medieval Germany, the principle of heredity eventually sank formally into the background, and legal
recognition was finally given to the elective principle. The principle of heredity began to fail because there were often no
heirs among the German kings.
must be in the line of hereditary descent from Woden; Even from the first, however, there had been some opening for
election. In medieval Germany, the principle of heredity eventually sank formally into the background, and legal
recognition was finally given to the elective principle. The principle of heredity began to fail because there were often no
heirs among the German kings.
After 1356 the seven electors are regularly the three Rhenish Archbishops, Mainz, Cologne and Trier, and four lay
magnates, the Palatine of the Rhine, the Duke of Saxony, the Margrave of Brandenburg, and the King of Bohemia; the
three former being vested with the three archchancellorships, and the four latter with the four offices of the royal
household. The rights of the seven electors, in their collective capacity as an electoral college, were often a matter of
dispute with the papacy. The result of the election, whether made, as at first, by the princes generally or, as after 1257,
by the seven electors exclusively, was in itself simply the creation of a German king - an electio in regem. But since 962
the German king was also, after coronation by the pope, Roman emperor. Therefore the election had a double result: the
man elected was not only electus in regem, but also promovendus. ad imperium.
magnates, the Palatine of the Rhine, the Duke of Saxony, the Margrave of Brandenburg, and the King of Bohemia; the
three former being vested with the three archchancellorships, and the four latter with the four offices of the royal
household. The rights of the seven electors, in their collective capacity as an electoral college, were often a matter of
dispute with the papacy. The result of the election, whether made, as at first, by the princes generally or, as after 1257,
by the seven electors exclusively, was in itself simply the creation of a German king - an electio in regem. But since 962
the German king was also, after coronation by the pope, Roman emperor. Therefore the election had a double result: the
man elected was not only electus in regem, but also promovendus. ad imperium.
Again the strength of tribal feeling in Germany made the monarchy into a prize, which must not be the appendage of any
single tribe, but must circulate, as it were, from Franconian to Saxon, from Saxon to Bavarian, from Bavarian to
Franconian, from Franconian to Swabian. The fact that the German kings were also Roman emperors finally and
irretrievably consolidated the growing tendency toward the elective principle. The church had substituted for that descent
from Woden, which had elevated the old pagan kings to their thrones, the conception that the monarch derived his crown
from the choice of God. The decay of the great duchies, and the narrowing of the class of princes into a close
corporation, some of whose members were the equals of the old dukes in power, introduced difficulties and doubts into
the practice of election which had been used in the 12th century. By the date of the election of Rudolph of Habsburg
(1273) the seven electors may be regarded as a definite body, with an acknowledged right.
single tribe, but must circulate, as it were, from Franconian to Saxon, from Saxon to Bavarian, from Bavarian to
Franconian, from Franconian to Swabian. The fact that the German kings were also Roman emperors finally and
irretrievably consolidated the growing tendency toward the elective principle. The church had substituted for that descent
from Woden, which had elevated the old pagan kings to their thrones, the conception that the monarch derived his crown
from the choice of God. The decay of the great duchies, and the narrowing of the class of princes into a close
corporation, some of whose members were the equals of the old dukes in power, introduced difficulties and doubts into
the practice of election which had been used in the 12th century. By the date of the election of Rudolph of Habsburg
(1273) the seven electors may be regarded as a definite body, with an acknowledged right.
By the end of the 14th century the position of the electors, both individually and
as a corporate body, had become definite and precise. Individually, they were
distinguished from all other princes by the indivisibility of their territories and by
the custom of primogeniture which secured that indivisibility; and they were still
further distinguished by the fact that their person, like that of the emperor
himself, was protected by the law of treason, while their territories were only
subject to the jurisdiction of their own courts. They were independent territorial
sovereigns; and their position was at once the envy and the ideal of the other
princes of Germany.
as a corporate body, had become definite and precise. Individually, they were
distinguished from all other princes by the indivisibility of their territories and by
the custom of primogeniture which secured that indivisibility; and they were still
further distinguished by the fact that their person, like that of the emperor
himself, was protected by the law of treason, while their territories were only
subject to the jurisdiction of their own courts. They were independent territorial
sovereigns; and their position was at once the envy and the ideal of the other
princes of Germany.
From 1356-1648, the composition of the electoral body had remained unchanged. In 1623, however, in the course of the
Thirty Years' War, the vote of the Count Palatine of the Rhine had been transferred to the Duke of Bavaria; and at the
treaty of Westphalia the vote, with the office of imperial butler which it carried, was left to Bavaria, while an eighth vote,
along with the new office of imperial treasurer, was created for the Count Palatine. In 1708, a ninth vote, along with the
office of imperial standard-bearer, was created for Hanover; while finally, in 1778, the vote of Bavaria and the office of
imperial butler returned to the Counts Palatine, as heirs of the duchy, on the extinction of the ducal line, while the new vote
created for the Palatinate in 1648, with the office of imperial treasurer, was transferred to Brunswick-Luneburg (Hanover)
in lieu of the one which this house already held. In 1806, on the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, the electors
ceased to exist. Taken in part from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannia
Thirty Years' War, the vote of the Count Palatine of the Rhine had been transferred to the Duke of Bavaria; and at the
treaty of Westphalia the vote, with the office of imperial butler which it carried, was left to Bavaria, while an eighth vote,
along with the new office of imperial treasurer, was created for the Count Palatine. In 1708, a ninth vote, along with the
office of imperial standard-bearer, was created for Hanover; while finally, in 1778, the vote of Bavaria and the office of
imperial butler returned to the Counts Palatine, as heirs of the duchy, on the extinction of the ducal line, while the new vote
created for the Palatinate in 1648, with the office of imperial treasurer, was transferred to Brunswick-Luneburg (Hanover)
in lieu of the one which this house already held. In 1806, on the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, the electors
ceased to exist. Taken in part from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannia
| Electors |
THE IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF HERALDRY OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE OF THE GERMAN NATION
