The Holy Roman Empress or Empress of the Holy Roman Empire (''Kaiserin des Heiligen Römischen Reiches'') was the wife or widow of the
Holy Roman Emperor. The elective dignity of Holy Roman emperor was restricted to males only, but some empresses, such as
Theophanu and
Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (german: Maria Theresia; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was ruler of the Habsburg dominions from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position '' suo jure'' (in her own right) ...
, were ''
de facto
''De facto'' ( ; , "in fact") describes practices that exist in reality, whether or not they are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms. It is commonly used to refer to what happens in practice, in contrast with '' de jure'' ("by l ...
'' rulers of the Empire.
Holy Roman empresses
Before 924, the title of emperor was not always associated with the German Kingdom; rather, it was initially associated with the Carolingian dynasty, and then possessed by several other figures of the 9th and 10th centuries. Their wives were thus empresses, but not necessarily German queens.
Carolingian
Holy Roman Empresses/Queens of Germany
With the elevation of Otto I of Germany in 962 to the Imperial title, the title 'Roman King/Emperor' became inalienably associated with the Kingdom of Germany – although a King of Germany might not bear the Imperial title, it would be impossible to become a Holy Roman Emperor, without being King of Germany first. The women in the following sections were all Queens of Germany as well as Roman Empresses.
Ottonian Dynasty
Salian Dynasty
House of Supplinburg
House of Hohenstaufen
House of Welf
House of Hohenstaufen
House of Wittelsbach
House of Luxemburg
House of Habsburg
House of Wittelsbach
House of Lorraine
House of Habsburg-Lorraine
See also
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List of Roman Empresses
This is a list of Roman and Byzantine empresses. A Roman empress was a woman who was the wife of a Roman emperor, the ruler of the Roman Empire.
The Romans had no single term for the position: Latin and Greek titles such as '' augusta'' (Greek ...
(24 BC–AD 1453).
*
List of Austrian Empresses (1804–1918).
*
List of German queens
*
List of Italian queens
*
List of Burgundian consorts
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holy Roman Empresses
*
Empresses
Holy Roman
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 unti ...