What is the relationship between the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the Pope?
Holy Roman Emperor (German: Rmisch-deutscher
Kaiser, Latin: Imperatores Romani
Sacri) is the name given by the Pope in the Middle Ages by historians. Title "Roman Emperor" King of the East Franks and the Roman People, and elected monarch who ruled the Holy Roman Empire after 1356. In the Middle Ages, the succession of emperors often required the coronation of the pope, and the resulting conflicts and disputes were deeply rooted. So what kind of existence is the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire? Let’s explore it together.
The origin of the title of Holy Roman Emperor
The standard title of Holy Roman Emperor is "Roman Emperor Augustus" (transliteration)
or "Supreme "Roman Emperor" (free translation) (Romanorum Imperator
Augustus). When Charlemagne was crowned in 800, his title was "Karolus, the most noble, great and peaceful emperor crowned by God, ruler of the Roman Empire" (Karolus
serenissimus Augustus a Deo coronatus magnus pacificus imperator Romanum
Serenissimus Augustus a Deo coronatus magnus pacificus imperator Romanum
p>
gubernans
imperium), which contains both "holy" and "roman" elements. The word "holy" never appears in official documents in imperial titles, and the word "Roman" reflects the "imperial transition" (translatio
imperii), the recognition of the Holy Roman Emperor as the emperor's successor. This title remained vacant until Nepos' death in 480 AD.
The relationship between the succession of the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope
The succession to the throne is restricted by many complex factors. Election meant that the king of the Roman people was only partially hereditary, unlike the throne of France, but in fact the throne remained hereditary until there was no male heir in the dynasty. Some scholars believe that elections are only used to resolve disputes when dynastic governance is unclear, and that the electoral process requires major candidates to make election promises (Wahlkapitulationen), and then electors vote. In 1356 there were seven stipulations (3 archbishops and 4 lay nobles). When it ended in 1648, the peace treaty stipulated that an elector should be added to maintain the balance of peace and power in the empire. An additional elector was added in 1690, and the entire electoral college was completely reorganized in 1803, only three years before the empire collapsed.
After 1438, except for Karl VII, the rest of the kings came from the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty. (Emperor from 1508 to 1519) and his successors never went to Rome in person to be crowned emperor by the Pope. Therefore, these monarchs could not obtain the title of "Roman Emperor".