College of Electors

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The College of Electors was the elite assembly of prince-electors in the Holy Roman Empire responsible for choosing the emperor.

Observed surface forms (4)


Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf electoral body
institution of the Holy Roman Empire
alsoKnownAs College of Electors
surface form: Electoral College of the Holy Roman Empire
authorityScope imperial level within the Holy Roman Empire
composedOf prince-electors
country Holy Roman Empire
developedFrom earlier assemblies of leading princes
dissolvedWith dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806
electsTitle Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
surface form: King of the Romans
governsOffice imperial throne succession
hasCeremony formal electoral capitulation agreements with emperor-elect
hasCollectiveTitle Kurfürstenkollegium
hasInfluenceOn balance of power between emperor and princes
political structure of the Holy Roman Empire
hasMemberType ecclesiastical prince-elector
secular prince-elector
hasPrivilege exclusive right to elect the emperor
hasProcedure majority vote among electors
hasRole electing the Holy Roman Emperor
electing the King of the Romans
historicalPeriod Early Modern period
surface form: Early modern period

Middle Ages
includesOffice Archbishop of Cologne
surface form: Archbishop-Elector of Cologne

Arch-chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire
surface form: Archbishop-Elector of Mainz

Prince-Archbishopric of Trier
surface form: Archbishop-Elector of Trier

Count Palatine of the Rhine
Duke of Saxony
King of Bohemia
Kurfürsten
surface form: Margrave of Brandenburg
increasedNumberOfElectors 10
8
9
more than 10 in later periods
language German
Latin
legalBasis Golden Bull of 1356
meetsAt Frankfurt am Main
meetsFor imperial election
nativeName Kurfürstenkollegium
numberOfElectors 7
partOf Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire
surface form: imperial constitution of the Holy Roman Empire
recognizedBy Golden Bull of 1356
relatedTo Imperial Diet
surface form: Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire

prince-elector
religiousContext Latin Christianity
selectionCriteriaForMembers possession of specific principalities and archbishoprics
significantEvent codification in the Golden Bull of 1356
typeOfElection indirect monarchy election

Referenced by (19)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

College of Electors alsoKnownAs College of Electors
this entity surface form: Electoral College of the Holy Roman Empire
Kurfürstenkollegium alsoKnownAs College of Electors
Archchancellor of Germany associatedWith College of Electors
Kurfürstenkollegium category College of Electors
this entity surface form: Electoral colleges
Prince-elector of Cologne electoralCollege College of Electors
Prince-elector of Mainz electoralCollege College of Electors
Imperial Diet hasPart College of Electors
Prince-elector of Mainz hasSeatIn College of Electors
Count Palatine of the Rhine memberOf College of Electors
Count Palatine of the Rhine memberOf College of Electors
this entity surface form: Electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire
Elector of Baden memberOf College of Electors
Prince-Archbishopric of Trier memberOf College of Electors
this entity surface form: Electoral College of the Holy Roman Empire
Prince-elector of Trier memberOf College of Electors
College of Princes parallelTo College of Electors
Archbishop of Cologne partOf College of Electors
Prince-elector partOf College of Electors
Prince-elector relatedTo College of Electors
this entity surface form: Electoral college