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 Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...
. The elective dignity of Holy Roman emperor was restricted to males only, but some empresses, such as
Theophanu
Theophanu (; also ''Theophania'', ''Theophana'', or ''Theophano''; Medieval Greek ; AD 955 15 June 991) was empress of the Holy Roman Empire by marriage to Emperor Otto II, and regent of the Empire during the minority of their son, Emperor Ott ...
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 la ...
'' 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'' (Gree ...
(24 BC–AD 1453).
*
List of Austrian Empresses (1804–1918).
*
List of German queens
German queen (german: Deutsche Königin) is the informal title used when referring to the wife of the king of the Kingdom of Germany. The official titles of the wives of German kings were Queen of the Germans and later Queen of the Romans ( la, ...
*
List of Italian queens
Queen of Italy (''regina Italiae'' in Latin language, Latin and ''regina d'Italia'' in Italian language, Italian) is a title adopted by many spouses of the rulers of the Italian peninsula after the fall of the Roman Empire. The details of wher ...
*
List of Burgundian consorts
This article lists queens, countesses, and duchesses consort of the Kingdom, County, Duchy of Burgundy.
Queen consort of Burgundy Queen consort of the Burgundians (till 534)
Frankish Burgundy (534–855) Merovingian dynasty (534–751)
...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Holy Roman Empresses
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Empresses
Holy Roman