German queen (german: Deutsche Königin) is the informal title used when referring to the wife of the king of the

Kingdom of Germany The Kingdom of Germany or German Kingdom ( la, regnum Teutonicorum "kingdom of the Germans", "German kingdom", "kingdom of Germany") was the mostly Germanic-speaking East Frankish kingdom, which was formed by the Treaty of Verdun in 843, especi ...

. The official titles of the wives of German kings were Queen of the Germans and later Queen of the Romans ( la, Regina Romanorum, ''Königin der Römer''). Empress

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). ...

(1745–1780) is often considered to be a ruler in her own right, as she was Queen regnant of Bohemia and Hungary, and despite her husband being elected as Holy Roman Emperor, it was she who ruled the Empire and continued to do so even after the death of her husband before ruling jointly with her son

Emperor Joseph II Joseph II (German: Josef Benedikt Anton Michael Adam; English: ''Joseph Benedict Anthony Michael Adam''; 13 March 1741 – 20 February 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from August 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg lands from November 29, 1780 un ...

German (East Francian) Queens

With the Treaty of Verdun in 843, the Carolingian Empire was divided. Lothair, the King of the middle Kingdom of Lotharingia or Burgundy, obtained the title of ''Emperor''; Louis obtained Eastern Francia, the area which would become Germany. The wives of that realm's Kings are thus German Queens (or more precisely, East Francian Queens – 'Germany' is historically deemed to have developed with the election of Henry the Fowler), but not always Empresses.

Carolingian

Conradine

German Queens

With the elevation of Otto I of Germany in 962 to the Imperial title, the title 'Roman King/Emperor' became inaliably associated with the Kingdom of Germany – although a King of Germany might not bear the Imperial title, it would eventually become impossible to conceive of a Holy Roman Emperor ''not'' being King of Germany (a viewpoint reinforced with the equation of ''King of the Romans'' with ''King of Germany'' from the 12th century). Thus, the following women, though not all Holy Roman Empresses, were all Queens of Germany, and – from the inception of the Hohenstaufen dynasty – all Queens of the Romans.

Ottonian Dynasty

Salian Dynasty

House of Supplinburg

House of Hohenstaufen (1)

House of Welf

House of Hohenstaufen (2)

House of Habsburg (1)

House of Nassau

House of Habsburg (2)

House of Luxemburg (1)

House of Habsburg (3)

House of Wittelsbach (1)

House of Luxemburg (2)

House of Wittelsbach (2)

House of Luxemburg (3)

House of Habsburg

House of Wittelsbach (3)

House of Habsburg-Lorraine

Consorts of disputed Kings

In addition to the above, the following women were the wives of men who made claim to the Kingship of Germany, but who are not recognised as official Kings: * Adelheid of Savoy (d.1080). She was the wife of

Rudolf of Rheinfeld Rudolf of Rheinfelden ( – 15 October 1080) was Duke of Swabia from 1057 to 1079. Initially a follower of his brother-in-law, the Salian emperor Henry IV, his election as German anti-king in 1077 marked the outbreak of the Great Saxon Revolt an ...

, anti-King between 1077 and 1080. *

Beatrice of Brabant Beatrice of Brabant (1225 – 11 November 1288), was a Landgravine consort of Thüringia and a Countess consort of Flanders, married first to Henry Raspe, Landgrave of Thuringia, and later to William II, Count of Flanders. Biography Béatr ...

(1225 – 11 November 1288). On 10 March 1241, she became the second wife of

Henry Raspe Henry Raspe (; – 16 February 1247) was the Landgrave of Thuringia from 1231 until 1239 and again from 1241 until his death. In 1246, with the support of the Papacy, he was elected King of the Romans, King of Germany in Anti-king, opposition t ...

, anti-King between 1246 and 1247. *

Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1230 – 27 May 1266) was Queen of the Romans, Countess of Holland, and Countess of Zeeland as the wife of William II of Holland. Biography Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg was born in 1230 to Otto I, Duke ...

(d.1266). She was the wife of

William II of Holland William II (February 1227 – 28 January 1256) was the Count of Holland and Zeeland from 1234 until his death. He was elected anti-king of Germany in 1248 and ruled as sole king from 1254 onwards. Early life William was the eldest son and heir ...

, who was elected as an anti-King of Germany in 1247. He was crowned ''King of the Romans'' at Aachen in 1248, and married Elizabeth in 1252. *

Sanchia of Provence Sanchia of Provence (c. 1225 – 9 November 1261) was Queen of the Romans from 1257 until her death in 1261 as the wife of King Richard. Sanchia was the third daughter of Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence, and Beatrice of Savoy. She ...

(1225–1261) and Beatrice of Falkenburg (d.1277). They were the second and third (m.1269) wives respectively of

Richard of Cornwall Richard (5 January 1209 – 2 April 1272) was an English prince who was King of the Romans from 1257 until his death in 1272. He was the second son of John, King of England, and Isabella, Countess of Angoulême. Richard was nominal Count of P ...

, who was elected King of Germany and of the Romans in 1257, in the hope that he would reestablish order in Germany. He was crowned ''King of the Romans'' by the Pope at Aachen in 1257; with him was crowned Sanchia. *

Violant of Aragon Violant or Violante of Aragon, also known as Yolanda of Aragon (8 June 1236 – 1301), was Queen consort of Castile and León from 1252 to 1284 as the wife of King Alfonso X of Castile. Life Violant was born in Zaragoza, the daughter of King ...

(1236–1301). She was the wife of

Alfonso X of Castile Alfonso X (also known as the Wise, es, el Sabio; 23 November 1221 – 4 April 1284) was King of Castile, León and Galicia from 30 May 1252 until his death in 1284. During the election of 1257, a dissident faction chose him to be king of Germ ...

, who claimed and was elected as anti-King to the German throne in 1257 as a grandson of

Philip of Swabia Philip of Swabia (February/March 1177 – 21 June 1208) was a member of the House of Hohenstaufen and King of Germany from 1198 until his assassination. The death of his older brother Emperor Henry VI in 1197 meant that the Hohenstaufen rule (whi ...

. Alfonso never visited Germany, held no authority there, and relinquished his claims in 1275. * Elisabeth von Hohnstein (died c. 4 April 1380). She was the wife of

Günther von Schwarzburg Günther XXI von Schwarzburg (c. 1304 – 14 June 1349), disputed King of Germany, was a descendant of the counts of Schwarzburg. Biography Born as the younger son of Henry VII, Count of Schwarzburg-Blankenburg (c. 1267 - 1324) and his wife, ...

, who was elected King of Germany and of the Romans in place of Louis IV on 30 January 1348, but who was forced to resign his claims by Charles IV on 24 May 1349.