List of Holy Roman Empresses

Holy Roman Empress or Empress of the Holy Roman Empire is the title given to the consort of the Holy Roman Emperor. The elective dignity of Holy Roman Emperor was restricted to males only, therefore there was never a Holy Roman Empress regnant, though women such as Theophanu or Maria Theresa of Austria, who controlled the power of rule, served as de facto Empresses regnant.

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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 consorts were thus Empresses, but not necessarily German Queens.

Carolingian

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Ermengarde of Hesbaye
Queen of the Franks, Empress		 Ingram, Count of Hesbaye
(Robertians)		 c.778 794/795 Queen of Aquitaine 794/795
Queen of the Franks 28 January 814		 813
husband as co-Emperor with his father/
28 January 814
husband as sole Emperor		 3 October 818 Louis I
Judith of Bavaria
Queen of the Franks, Empress		 Welf, Count of Altdorf
(Welfs)		 805 819 20 June 840
husband's death		 19/23 April 843
Ermengarde of Tours
Queen of Italy and the Middle Franks, Empress		 Hugh, Count of Tours
(Etichonids)		  ? 821 Queen of Italy 17 April 818
Queen of Middle Francia August 843		 821
husband as co-Emperor with his father/
20 June 840
husband as sole Emperor		 851 Lothair I
Engelberga of Parma
Queen of Italy, Empress		 Adelchis I, Count of Parma
(Supponids)		  ? 5 October 851 Queen of Italy 5 October 851 5 October 851
husband as co-Emperor with his father/
23 September 855
husband as sole Emperor		 12 August 875
husband's death		 896-901 Louis II
Richilde of Provence
Queen of the West Franks, Empress		 Bivin, Count of the Ardennes
(Bosonids)		 845 870 Queen of the West Franks 870 29 December 875 5/6 October 877
husband's death		 2 June 910 Charles the Bald
Richardis
Queen of the Franks, Empress		 Erchanger, count of Nordgau
(Ahalolfings)		 c.840 862 Various 12 February 881 As Queen: 11 November 887
husband's deposition as King
As Empress: 13 January 888
husband's death		 18 September, 894-896 Charles the Fat
Ageltrude
Queen of Italy, Empress		 Adelchis, Prince of Benevento  ? before 880 Queen of Italy 889 May 891 12 December 894
husband's death		 27 August 923 Guy III of Spoleto
Ota Berengar I of Neustria
(Conradines)		  ? 888 22 February 896 8 December 899 30 November 903 Arnulf
Anna of Constantinople
Queen of Italy and Provence, Empress
[1]		 Leo VI the Wise
(Macedonian)		 885 around 900 900
in Provence (Lower Burgundy)
12 October 900
in Italy		 15/22 Feb 901 21 July 905
in the Empire and Italy
912
in Provence		 912 Louis the Blind
Bertila of Spoleto
Queen of Italy, Empress		 Suppo II, Count of Parma
(Supponids)		 860 c.880 Queen of Italy 26 December 887
husband's restoration		 January 915 before December 915 Berengar I of Italy
Anna of Provence
Queen of Italy, Empress		 Louis the Blind, Emperor, King of Provence and Italy
(Bosonids)		 - by December 915 7 April 924
husband's death		 after May 930
Picture Name House Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Holy Roman Empresses/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. The following were all Queens of Germany as well as Roman Empresses.

Ottonian Dynasty

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Adelaide of Italy Rudolph II of Burgundy
(Welf)		 931 951 2 February 962 (Crowned on this date) 7 May 973 16 December 999 Otto I
Theophanu of Byzantium Konstantinos Skleros 960 14 April 972 14 April 972
husband as co-Emperor with his father/
7 May 973
husband as sole Emperor
Crowned 14 April 972		 7 December 983
husband's death		 15 June 991 Otto II
Cunigunde of Luxembourg Siegfried, Count of Luxemburg c.975 c.1000 17 June 1002 26 April 1014 13 July 1024 3 March 1033 Henry II
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Salian Dynasty

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Gisela of Swabia Hermann II, Duke of Swabia
(Conradines)		 11 November 995 1016 8 September 1024 26 March 1027 4 June 1039
husband's death		 14 February 1043 Conrad II
Agnes de Poitou William V, Duke of Aquitaine
(Ramnulfids)		 1025 21 November 1043 25 December 1046 5 October 1056 14 December 1077 Henry III
Bertha of Savoy Otto, Count of Savoy
(Savoy)		 21 September 1051 13 July 1066 21 March 1084 27 December 1087 Henry IV
Eupraxia of Kiev Vsevolod I, Grand Prince of Kiev
(Rurikids)		 1071 14 August 1089 14 August 1089 31 December 1105
husband's deposition		 20 July 1109
Matilda of England Henry I of England
(Normandy)		 7 February 1101 7 January 1114 23 May 1125 10 September 1167 Henry V
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Supplinburg

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Richenza of Northeim Henry the Fat, Margrave of Frisia c.1087/89 c.1100 30 August 1125 4 June 1133 4 December 1137 10 June 1141 Lothair III
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Hohenstaufen

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Beatrice Renaud III, Count of Burgundy 1143 9 June 1156 15 November 1184 Frederick I
Constance Roger II, King of Sicily
(Hauteville)		 1154 27 January 1186 14 April 1191 28 September 1197 27 November 1198 Henry VI
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Welf

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Beatrix of Swabia Philip, King of Germany
(Hohenstaufen)		 1198 1209 or 1212 1212 Otto IV
Marie of Brabant Henry I, Duke of Brabant c.1190 after 19 May 1214 5 July 1215
husband's deposition		 May 1260
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Hohenstaufen

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Constance of Aragon Alfonso II, King of Aragon 1179 5 August 1209 1211-1212
husband as King in opposition/
5 July 1215
husband unopposed		 22 November 1220 23 April 1220
Ceased to
be Queen:
son elected
as King;
23 June 1222
Ceased to be
Empress upon death		 Frederick II
Yolande of Brienne John of Brienne, King of Jerusalem 1212 9 November 1225 never German Queen 9 November 1225 25 April 1228
Isabella of England John, King of England 1214 15/20 July 1235 May 1237
Ceased to
be Queen:
husband's second
son elected as King;
1 December 1241
Ceased to be
Empress upon death
Picture Name House Father Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Wittelsbach

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Margaret II, Countess of Hainaut William of Avesnes, Count of Hainaut 1311 26 February 1324 January 1328 11 October 1347 23 June 1356 Louis IV
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Luxemburg

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Anna of Świdnica Henry II, Duke of Świdnica c. 1339 27 May 1353 5 April 1355
coronation with husband		 11 July 1362 Charles IV
Elizabeth of Pomerania Bogislav V, Duke of Pomerania 1347 21 May 1363 1 November 1368
coronation		 29 November 1378
husband's death		 14 February 1393
Barbara of Cilli Hermann II, Count of Celje 1390 to 1395 1408 21 July 1411
husband's election		 31 May 1433
husband's coronation		 9 December 1437
husband's death		 11 July 1451 Sigismund
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Habsburg

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Leonor of Portugal Edward of Portugal
(Aviz)		 18 September 1434 16 March 1452 19 March 1452
husband's coronation		 3 September 1467 Frederick III
Bianca Maria of Milan Galeazzo Maria, Duke of Milan
(Sforza)		 5 April 1472 16 March 1494 4 February 1508
husband declared "emperor-elect"		 31 December 1510 Maximilian I
Isabella of Portugal Manuel I of Portugal
(Aviz)		 23 October 1503 10 March 1526 24 February 1530
husband's coronation		 1 May 1539 Charles V
Maria of Spain Emperor Charles V
(Habsburg)		 21 June 1528 13 September 1548 November 1562
husband's election		 25 July 1564
husband's ascension		 12 October 1576
husband's death		 26 February 1603 Maximilian II
Anna of Austria Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria
(Habsburg)		 4 October 1585 4 December 1611 13 June 1612
husband's election		 14 December 1618 Matthias
Eleonore of Mantua Vincenzo I, Duke of Mantua
(Gonzaga)		 23 September (23 February?) 1598 4 February 1622 15 February 1637
husband's death		 27 June 1655 Ferdinand II
Maria Anna of Spain Philip III of Spain
(Habsburg)		 18 August 1606 20 February 1631 22 December 1636
husband's election		 15 February 1637
husband's ascension		 13 May 1646 Ferdinand III
Maria Leopoldine of Austria Leopold V, Archduke of Austria
(Habsburg)		 6 April 1632 2 July 1648 7 August 1649
Eleanor of Mantua Charles II, Duke of Mantua
(Gonzaga)		 18 November 1630 30 April 1651 2 April 1657
husband's death		 6 December 1686
Margarita Teresa of Spain Philip IV of Spain
(Habsburg)		 12 July 1651 12 December 1666 12 March 1673 Leopold I
Claudia Felicitas of Austria Archduke Ferdinand Charles of Austria
(Habsburg)		 30 May 1653 15 October 1673 8 April 1676
Eleonore-Magdalena of Neuburg Philip William, Elector Palatine
(Wittelsbach)		 6 January 1655 14 December 1676 5 May 1705
husband's death		 19 January 1720
Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick John Frederick, Duke of Calenburg
(Welf)		 21 April 1673 24 February 1699 5 May 1705
husband's ascension		 17 April 1711
husband's death		 10 April 1742 Joseph I
Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
(Welf)		 28 August (28 September?) 1691 1 August 1708 December 1711
husband's election		 20 October 1740
husband's death		 21 December 1750 Charles VI
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Wittelsbach

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Maria Amalia of Austria Emperor Joseph I
(Habsburg)		 22 October 1701 5 October 1722 24 January 1742
husband's election		 20 January 1745
husband's death		 11 December 1756 Charles VII
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

House of Habsburg-Lorraine

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Maria Theresa of Austria Emperor Charles VI
(Habsburg)		 13 May 1717 12 February 1736 13 September 1745
husband's election		 18 August 1765
husband's death		 29 November 1780 Francis I
Maria Josepha of Bavaria Emperor Charles VII
(Wittelsbach)		 30 March 1739 23 January 1765 18 August 1765
husband's ascension		 28 May 1767 Joseph II
Maria Louisa of Spain Charles III of Spain
(Bourbon)		 24 November 1745 5 August 1765 30 September 1790
husband's election		 1 March 1792
husband's death		 15 May 1792 Leopold II
Maria Teresa of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies
(Bourbon)		 6 June 1772 15 August 1790 5 July 1792
husband's election		 6 August 1806
husband's abdication		 13 April 1807 Francis II
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Queen Became Empress Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

See also

References

  1. ^ Some historians believed that Anna never married Louis the Blind. Although there are proves that they were betrothed to one another, Anna was buried in Constantinople showing that she never left her father's court. The main reason some believe that she was his wife was because of Louis' son, Charles-Constantine's second name.