Imperial election, 1273
The imperial election of 1273 was an imperial election held to select the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. It took place in Frankfurt on October 1.
Background
The Holy Roman Empire was in the midst of a period known as the Great Interregnum. In July 1245, the pope Pope Innocent IV had declared the then emperor, Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, deposed, opening a split between two factions, the Guelphs and Ghibellines.
The previous Holy Roman Emperor, Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall, died on April 2, 1272 in Berkhamsted following a stroke he had suffered in December 1271. The seven prince-electors called to Frankfurt included:
- Albert II, Duke of Saxony, elector of Saxony
- Louis II, Duke of Bavaria, elector of the Electoral Palatinate
- Ottokar II of Bohemia, king of Bohemia
Albert and Louis were betrothed to the daughters of Rudolf I of Germany.
Elected
Rudolf was elected over the opposition of Ottokar, himself a candidate. He was crowned at Aachen Cathedral on October 24.
Aftermath
Rudolf was the first member of the House of Habsburg to rule the Holy Roman Empire. The house would occupy the seat continuously from 1438 to 1740 and produce emperors and kings of Bohemia, England, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Mexico, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, as well as rulers of several Dutch and Italian principalities.
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