= German Monarchs = A history of '''German monarchs'''. <> ---- == Kingdom of Germany == The territories that constituted East Francia had previously been organized as tribal duchies. However, [[WorldHistory/Francia|Charlemagne]] had thoroughly dissolved them as political entities. In their place, '''stem duchies''' (''stammesherzogtum'') emerged under [[WorldHistory/EastFrancia|East Francia]]. They were: * Saxony * Bavaria * Swabia (a.k.a. Alemannia) * Franconia * Lotharingia (a.k.a. Lorraine) * Note that Lotharingia quickly dissolved, but the powerful office of the count palatine of Lotharingia was enshrined into the county palatine of the Rhine, which eventually evolved into the '''Electoral Palatinate''' These duchies variably claimed to be kingdoms. When '''Louis the Child''' died in 911, the dukes of Saxony, Bavaria, and Swabia intervened to bar '''Charles the Simple''' of [[WorldHistory/WestFrancia|West Francia]] from inheriting. They elected the duke of Franconia, '''Conrad I''', to be king instead. As a non-Carolingian had been crowned, this is considered to be the moment when [[WorldHistory/EastFrancia|East Francia]] evolved into the '''kingdom of Germany'''. In 936 the '''duke of Saxony''', '''Otto I''', was elected king. Through conquest he then claimed the title of [[Italy/Monarchs#Kingdom_of_Italy|king of Italy]] in 961. '''Pope John XII''' crowned him '''emperor of the Romans''' in 962. This is considered the establishment of the [[WorldHistory/HolyRomanEmpire|Holy Roman Empire]]. The delineation of German history, HRE history, and [[Austria/Monarchs#Duchy_of_Austria|Austrian history]] becomes difficult here. Effectively though, the kingdom of Germany became a constituent title of the empire, so continuing history is detailed there. ---- == Margraviate of Brandenburg == ---- == Kingdom of Prussia == TODO: more history! ---- == North German Confederation == TODO: learn some history! ---- == German Empire == TODO: learn some history! ---- == Dynasties == === Carolingian === === Conradine === === Ottonian === '''Otto I''' was elected king of Germany and claimed the [[Italy/Monarchs#Kingdom_of_Italy|kingdom of Italy]] through conquest. '''Pope John XII''' crowned him '''emperor of the Romans''' in 962. The Ottonian kings established a practice of ensuring the succession by seeing to their intended heir's election as king of Germany and Italy while they themselves retained the imperial title. ||'''Monarchs'''||'''Local Name'''||'''Reign'''|| ||Otto I || ||936 - 973 || ||Otto II || ||961 - 983 || ||Otto III || ||983 - 1002 || ||Henry II ||Heinrich ||1002 - 1024|| === Salian === The '''count of Worms''', '''Conrad the Red''', was one of the most powerful supporters of '''Otto I'''. He was rewarded with creation as '''duke of Lorraine''' and marriage to Otto's daughter, '''Liutgarde'''. Through this, the '''Salic House''' claimed legitimacy as heirs to the Ottonian kings. As noted above, several kings ensured the succession by seeing to their intended heir's election as king of Germany and Italy while they themselves retained the imperial title. ||'''Monarchs'''||'''Local Name'''||'''Reign''' || ||Conrad II ||Konrad ||1024 - 1039 || ||Henry III ||Heinrich ||1028 - 1056 || ||Henry IV || ||1054 - 1105 || ||Conrad * || ||''1087 - 1098''|| ||Henry V || ||1098 - 1125 || * '''Conrad''' would have been ''Conrad III'', but he was deposed in favor of his younger brother '''Henry V'''. He never wielded effective authority. === Hohenstaufen === === Welf === The '''house of Welf''' was established as a branch of the '''house of Este''' by '''Welf I''', '''duke of Bavaria'''. The house of Este was itself a branch of the '''Elder House of Welf''', which originated in the [[Netherlands/Democratization#Duchy_of_Burgundy_and_the_Low_Countries|second kingdom of Burgundy]]. '''Henry X''' succeeded his father, '''Henry IX''', as duke of Bavaria in 1126 and inherited the '''duchy of Saxony''' from [[WorldHistory/HolyRomanEmpire|Lothair III]] in 1135. As a result of contesting the election of '''Conrad III''', however, he was removed from both. Conrad returned Saxony to Henry's son, '''Henry XI''', in 1142. [[WorldHistory/HolyRomanEmpire/FrederickI|Frederick Barbarossa]] eventually also returned Bavaria to him. However, Henry declined to support Frederick in war against Lombardy, and was punished in 1180 with removal of all titles. He was eventually restored to the lower titles, but the duchies were permanently lost to the Welfs. === Ascanian === The '''house of Ascania''', also known as the '''house of Anhalt''', rose to prominence mostly through the fall of the Welfs. When '''Henry X''' was removed from the '''duchy of Saxony''' in 1139, '''Conrad III''' enfeoffed '''Albert the Bear''' with it. However, he was forced to renounce the duchy just a few years later so that Conrad could restore Henry's son, '''Henry XI''', to the title. Henry declined to support [[WorldHistory/HolyRomanEmpire/FrederickI|Frederick Barbarossa]] in war against Lombardy, and was punished in 1180 with removal of all titles. Now Frederick partitioned Saxony, and enfeoffed '''Bernhard''' with only most of it. Saxony was further divided by inheritance into the duchies of '''Saxe-Wittenberg''' and '''Saxe-Lauenburg'''. The former became known as the '''electorate of Saxony''' (''Kursachsen'') when '''Rudolf I''' was made an [[WorldHistory/HolyRomanEmpire#Electors|elector]]. When the Wittenberg branch of the Ascanian house became extinct, [[Hungary/Sigismund|Sigismund]] granted the electorate to '''Frederick IV''', '''margrave of Meissen'''. === Wettin === The '''house of Wettin''' rose to prominence in the Saxon marches. '''Dedi I''' inherited the '''Eastern March''' (''Ostmark'') from Odo II in 1041 by marrying his sister, Oda. In 1089 [[WorldHistory/HolyRomanEmpire|Henry IV]] enfeoffed Dedi's son, '''Henry I''', with the '''march of Meissen'''. When the Wittenberg branch of the Ascanian house became extinct, [[Hungary/Sigismund|Sigismund]] granted those titles to '''Frederick IV'''. Despite the small territory of Saxe-Wittenberg, it was the direct descendent of the '''duchy of Saxony''' that conferred the position of [[WorldHistory/HolyRomanEmpire#Electors|elector]]. The Wettin realms came to be known as '''Upper Saxony''' or '''Ducal Saxony''', as opposed to the old '''Lower Saxony'''. The '''house of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha''' is a cadet branch of the Wettins. === Hohenzollern === ---- CategoryRicottone CategoryTodoLearnHistory