The Holy Roman Emperor (Latin: Imperator Romanus Sacer) is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope. After the 16th century, this elected monarch governed the Holy Roman Empire, a Central European union of territories of the Medieval and Early Modern period. In the feudal hierarchy, a medieval Holy Roman Emperor was primus inter pares (first among equals) among the other medieval Roman Catholic monarchs; he was the "Senior Monarch in (Catholic) Christendom" and the "secular arm of the Catholic Church".
Read more about Holy Roman Emperor: Title, Succession, List of Emperors, Coronation
Famous quotes containing the words holy, roman and/or emperor:
“Ce corps qui sappelait et qui sappelle encore le saint empire romain nétait en aucune manière ni saint, ni romain, ni empire. This agglomeration which called itself and still calls itself the Holy Roman Empire was in no way holy, nor Roman, nor an empire.”
—Voltaire [François Marie Arouet] (16941778)
“I remember when I was first assigned to jets. I said to the colonel, Colonel, I joined this mans air force to fly an airplane. But nobodys gonna hitch me to no Roman candle.”
—Kurt Neumann (19061958)
“Man you ought to see his plans for allsteel buildins. Hes got an idea the skyscraper of the futurell be built of steel and glass. Weve been experimenting with vitrous tile recently... crist-amighty some of his plans would knock you out... Hes got a great sayin about some Roman emperor who found Rome of brick and left it of marble. Well he says hes found New York of brick an that hes goin to leave it of steel... steel an glass.”
—John Dos Passos (18961970)