King of the Romans (Latin: Rex Romanorum) was, since the days of Emperor Henry II (1014–1024), the title used by the ruler of the Kingdom of Germany following his election to the office by the German princes. The title was predominantly a claim by the German kings to become emperor, a title, which in contemporary views of the Middle Ages, also had a religious aspect and was dependent on the coronation by the Pope.
The title originally referred to any elected king who had not yet been granted the Imperial Regalia and title of "Emperor" at the hands of the Pope; later it came to be used solely for the heir apparent to the Imperial throne between his election (during the lifetime of a sitting Emperor) and his succession on the Emperor's death.
Read more about King Of The Romans: Heirs Designate, First French Empire
Famous quotes containing the words king of the, king of, king and/or romans:
“Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered, “You say so.””
—Bible: New Testament, Luke 23:3.
“I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England, too.”
—Elizabeth I (1533–1603)
“I should think that an ordinary copy of the King James version would have been good enough for those Congressmen.”
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“I’ll stay by your side until you confess. And if you don’t, I’ll feed you to the villagers like the Romans fed Christians to the lions.”
—Willis Cooper. Rowland V. Lee. Krogh (Lionel Atwill)