List of German monarchs

Inaccurate{{efn|The depiction on Louis the German's seal is of Roman emperor Hadrian, not himself.}}

|Louis II the German
   (Ludwig der Deutsche)His father Louis the Pious is both Louis I of France and Louis I of Germany.

|{{Circa}}10 August 843

|—

|28 August 876

|Son of Emperor Louis the Pious and grandson of Charlemagne

|{{Cite web |title=Ludwig der Deutsche |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/gnd118863746.html |website=Neue Deutsche Biographie}}

Non-contemporary

|Carloman
(Karlmann)

|28 August 876

|—

|22 March 880

|Son of Louis the German ruled in Bavaria; from 876, also King of Italy

|{{Cite web |title=Karlman |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/gnd118640127.html |website=Neue Deutsche Biographie}}

Non-contemporary

|Louis III the Younger
(Ludwig der Jüngere)

|22 March 880

|—

|20 January 882

|Son of Louis the German ruled in East Francia, Saxony; from 880, also Bavaria

|{{Cite web |title=Louis III |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-III-king-of-the-East-Franks |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica|date=22 March 2024 }}

|Charles III the Fat
 (Karl der Dicke)Enumerated after Emperor Charles the Great (Charlemagne) and Charles II the Bald.

|20 January 882

|12 February 881

|{{Circa}}17 November 887

|Son of Louis the German ruled in Alemannia, Raetia, from 882 in the entire Eastern Kingdom; from 880, also King of Italy

|{{Cite web |title=Karl III |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/gnd118630938.html |website=Neue Deutsche Biographie}}

|Arnulf of Carinthia
(Arnulf von Kärnten)

|{{Circa}}27 November 887

|25 April 896

|8 December 899

|Illegitimate son of Carloman

|{{Cite web |title=Arnulf |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/gnd118650440.html |website=Neue Deutsche Biographie}}{{Cite web |title=Arnulf |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Arnulf-Holy-Roman-emperor |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica}}

|Louis IV the Child
(Ludwig das Kind)

|8 December 899

|—

|24 September 911

|Son of Arnulf of Carinthia

|{{Cite web |title=Ludwing das Kind |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/gnd118729462.html |website=Neue Deutsche Biographie}}{{Cite web |title=Louis IV |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Louis-IV-king-of-the-East-Franks |website=Encyclopaedia Britannica|date=22 March 2024 }}

|Conrad I
(Konrad I.)

|10 November 911

|—

|23 December 918

|Elected by the nobility

|{{Cite web |title=Konrad I. |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/gnd119308339.html |website=Neue Deutsche Biographie}}

|Henry I the Fowler
(Heinrich I. der Vogler)

|14 / 24 May 919

|—

|2 July 936

|Elected by the nobility

|Böhmer, Johann Friedrich. (1893). [https://books.google.com/books?id=LYWK3tKtRlMC&pg=PA4 Die Regesten des Kaiserreichs unter den Herrschern aus dem Sæchsischen Hause, 919-1024]. p. 4. "Der wahltag ist nicht überliefert... er fallt vielmehr zwischen 12. und 24. mai 919". [The day of the election is not recorded... but it falls between 12 and 24 May 919]

|Arnulf the Evil
(Arnulf der Böse)

|919

|—

|921

|Rival king to Henry I, member of the Luitpoldings

|

|Otto I the Great
(Otto I. der Große)

|2 July 936

|2 February 962

|7 May 973

|Son of Henry I; first king crowned in Aachen Cathedral since Lothair I; crowned as Otto by the grace of God King;Medieval Europeans: studies in ethnic identity and national perspectives in medieval Europe By Alfred P. Smyth, Palgrave Macmillan (1998), p. 64 crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 962

|Otto II the Red
(Otto II. der Rote)

|26 May 961

|25 December 967

|7 December 983

|Son of Otto I;
Otto by the grace of God King under his father 961–973;
also crowned emperor in his father's lifetime

|Otto III
(Otto III.)

|25 December 983

|21 May 996

|21 January 1002

|Son of Otto II; Otto by the grace of God King

|Henry II the Saint
(Heinrich II. der Heilige)

|7 June 1002

|26 April 1014

|13 July 1024

|Great-grandson of Henry I

Non-contemporary

|Conrad II
(Konrad II.)

|8 September 1024

|26 March 1027

|4 June 1039

|Great-great-grandson of Otto I

|Henry III
(Heinrich III.)

|14 April 1028

|25 December 1046

|5 October 1056

|Son of Conrad II;
King (of the Germans?) under his father 1028–1039

|Henry IV
(Heinrich IV.)

|17 July 1054

|21 March 1084

|31 December 1105

|Son of Henry III;
King of Germany under his father, 1054–1056

|Rudolf of Rheinfelden
(Rudolf von Rheinfelden)

|15 March 1077

|—

|15 October 1080

|Rival king to Henry IV; member of the Rheinfeld.

|Hermann of Salm
(Hermann von Salm)

|6 August 1081

|—

|28 September 1088

|Rival king to Henry IV; member of the Salm family.

Non-contemporary

|Conrad
(Konrad)

|30 May 1087

|—

|27 July 1101

|Son of Henry IV;
King of Germany under his father, 1087–1098,
King of Italy, 1093–1098, 1095–1101 in rebellion.

|Henry V
(Heinrich V.)

|6 January 1099

|13 April 1111

|23 May 1125

|Son of Henry IV;
King of Germany under his father, 1099–1105, forced his father to abdicate

|Lothair III
(Lothar III.)

|13 September 1125

|4 June 1133

|4 December 1137

|He was Lothair II of Germany, but Lothair III of Italy

|Conrad III
(Konrad III.)

|7 March 1138

|—

|15 February 1152

|Grandson of Henry IV (through his mother);
Previously rival king to Lothair III 1127–1135

|30 March 1147

|—

|August? 1150

|Son of Conrad III;
King of Germany under his father 1147–1150

|Frederick I Barbarossa
(Friedrich I. Barbarossa)

|4 March 1152

|18 June 1155

|10 June 1190

|Nephew of Conrad III

|Henry VI
(Heinrich VI.)

|15 August 1169

|15 April 1191

|28 September 1197

|Son of Frederick I;
King of Germany under his father 1169–1190

|Frederick II
(Friedrich II. Stupor mundi)

|1196

|—

|1198

|Son of Henry VI;
King of Germany under his father 1196–1198{{cite encyclopedia|last=Kamp |first=N |title=Federico II di Svevia, imperatore, re di Sicilia e di Gerusalemme, re dei Romani|url= http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/federico-ii-di-svevia-imperatore-re-di-sicilia-e-di-gerusalemme-re-dei-romani_(Dizionario-Biografico)/ |encyclopedia=Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani |publisher=Treccani |access-date=26 May 2019 |lang=it |year=1995 |volume=45}}

|Philip of Swabia
(Philipp von Schwaben)

|8 March 1198

|—

|21 June 1208

|Son of Frederick I; rival king to Otto IV

|Otto IV
(Otto IV.)

|9 June 1198

|21 October 1209

|1215

|Great-grandson of Lothair III, member of the House of Welf; later opposed by Frederick II; deposed, 1215; died 19 May 1218

|Frederick II
(Friedrich II. Stupor mundi)

|5 December 1212

|22 November 1220

|26 December 1250

|Son of Henry VI;
Rival king to Otto IV until 5 July 1215

|Henry
(Heinrich (VII.))

|April 1220

|—

|2 July 1235

|Son of Frederick II;
King of Germany under his father, 1220–1235

|Conrad IV
(Konrad IV.)

|February 1237

|—

|21 May 1254

|Son of Frederick II;
King of Germany under his father, 1237–1250

|File:Arms of the house of Hesse (1200-1450).svg

|Henry Raspe
(Heinrich Raspe)

|Thuringia

|22 May 1246

|—

|16 February 1247

|Rival King to Frederick II and great-great-great-grandson of Henry IV

|File:Wapen graafschap Holland.svg

|William of Holland
(Wilhelm von Holland)

|Holland

|3 October 1247

|—

|28 January 1256

Frederick II and Conrad IV 1247–1254

|File:Arms of Richard of Cornwall, Earl of Cornwall.svg

|Richard of Cornwall
(Richard von Cornwall)

|Plantagenet

|13 January 1257

|—

|2 April 1272

|Brother-in-law of Frederick II rival king to Alfonso of Castile held no real authority.

|File:Royal Coat of Arms of the Crown of Castile (1230-1284).svg

|Alfonso of Castile
(Alfons von Kastilien)

|House of Ivrea

|1 April 1257

|—

|1275

|Grandson of Philip; rival king to Richard of Cornwall held no authority; later opposed by Rudolf I relinquished claims 1275, died 1284

|File:Arms of Counts of Habsbourg.svg

|Rudolf I
(Rudolf I. von Habsburg)

|Habsburg

|1 October 1273{{cite book |editor-last1=Abulafia |editor-first1=David |editor-last2=McKitterick |editor-first2=Rosamond

|date=1999 |title=The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 5, C.1198-c.1300 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/The_New_Cambridge_Medieval_History_Volum/bclfdU_2lesC?hl=en |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=395 |isbn=9780521362894 |access-date=February 4, 2025 |quote=Once again a league of prominent episcopal and imperial towns wished to acknowledge only a unanimously chosen king, and sent delegates to the electors' meeting in Frankfurt. On 1 October 1273 all the electors except the absent Ottokar of Bohemia voted for Rudolf, count of Habsburg.}}

|—

|15 July 1291

|First of the Habsburgs

|File:Wapen Nassauw.svg

|Adolf of Nassau
(Adolf von Nassau)

|Nassau

|5 May 1292

|—

|23 June 1298

|According to some historians, Adolf's election was preceded by the short-lived kingship of Conrad, Duke of Teck. See his article for details.

|File:Arms of the Archduchy of Austria.svg

|Albert I
(Albrecht I. von Habsburg)

|Habsburg

|24 June 1298

|—

|1 May 1308

|Son of Rudolf I; Rival king to Adolf of Nassau, 1298

|File:Arms of the Counts of Luxembourg.svg

|Henry VII
(Heinrich VII.)

|Luxembourg

|27 November 1308

|29 June 1312

|24 August 1313

|Holy Roman Emperor

|File:Bavaria Wittelsbach coa medieval.svg

|Louis IV (V)
the Bavarian
(Ludwig der Bayer)

|Wittelsbach

|20 October 1314

|17 January 1328

|11 October 1347

|Grandson of Rudolf I; rival king to Frederick the Fair, 1314–1322

|File:Arms of the Archduchy of Austria.svg

|Frederick the Fair
(Friedrich der Schöne)

|Habsburg

|19 October 1314/
5 September 1325

|—

|28 September 1322/
13 January 1330

|Son of Albert I;
rival king to Louis IV, 1314–1322;
associate king with Louis IV, 1325–1330

|File:Insigne Cechicum.svg

|Charles IV
(Karl IV.)

|Luxembourg

|11 July 1346

|5 April 1355

|29 November 1378

|Grandson of Henry VII; rival king to Louis IV, 1346–1347;
also King of Bohemia, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor

|File:CoA Schwarzburg County.svg

|Günther von Schwarzburg
(Günther von Schwarzburg)

|Schwarzburg

|30 January 1349

|—

|24 May 1349

|Rival king to Charles IV

|File:Arms of the Counts of Luxembourg.svg

|Wenceslaus
(Wenzel von Böhmen)

|Luxembourg

|10 June 1376

|—

|20 August 1400

|Son of Charles IV; king of Germany under his father 1376–1378; deposed 1400;
also by inheritance King of Bohemia; died 1419

|File:Armoiries Bavière-Palatinat.svg

|Rupert of the Palatinate
(Ruprecht von der Pfalz)

|Wittelsbach

|21 August 1400

|—

|18 May 1410

|Great-grandnephew of Louis IV

|File:Sigismund Arms Hungarian Czech per pale.svg

|Sigismund
(Sigismund)

|Luxembourg

|10 September 1410
/21 July 1411

|3 May 1433

|9 December 1437

|Son of Charles IV

|File:Armoiries Josse de Luxembourg.svg

|Jobst of Moravia
(Jobst von Mähren)

|Luxembourg

|1 October 1410

|—

|8 January 1411

|Nephew of Charles IV; rival king to Sigismund

|File:Arms of Albert II of Habsbourg (Variant).svg

|Albert II
(Albrecht II.)

|17 March 1438{{cite book |editor-last1=Decaluwé |editor-first1=Michiel |editor-last2=Izbicki |editor-first2=Thomas M. |editor-last3=Christianson |editor-first3=Gerald |date=November 2016 |title=A Companion to the Council of Basel |publisher=Brill |page=28 |isbn=9789004222649 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/A_Companion_to_the_Council_of_Basel/CyZoDQAAQBAJ?hl=en |access-date=February 3, 2025}}

|—

|27 October 1439

|4th in descent from Albert I;
son-in-law of Sigismund

|File:Arms of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor.svg

|Frederick III
(Friedrich III.)

|2 February 1440

|16 March 1452

|19 August 1493

|4th in descent from Albert I; 2nd cousin of Albert II

|File:Arms of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor.svg

|Maximilian I
(Maximilian I.)

|16 February 1486

|4 February 1508

|12 January 1519

|Son of Frederick III; King of Germany under his father, 1486–1493; assumed the title "Elected Emperor" in 1508 with the pope's approval

|File:Arms of Charles V Holy Roman Emperor, Charles I as King of Spain -Or shield variant.svg

|Charles V
(Karl V.)

|28 June 1519

|28 June 1519

|3 August 1556

|Grandson of Maximilian I; died 21 September 1558. Last Emperor to receive the imperial coronation from the Pope.

|File:Arms of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor (variant).svg

|Ferdinand I
(Ferdinand I.)

|5 January 1531

|27 August 1556

|25 July 1564

|Grandson of Maximilian I; brother of Charles V; King of Germany under his brother Charles V 1531–1556; last king to be crowned in Aachen Cathedral. Emperor

|File:Arms of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor (variant).svg

|Maximilian II
(Maximilian II.)

|22 November 1562

|25 July 1564

|12 October 1576

|Son of Ferdinand I;
King of Germany under his father 1562–1564

|File:Arms of Rudolph II, Holy Roman Emperor (variant).svg

|Rudolf II
(Rudolf II.)

|27 October 1575

|12 October 1576

|20 January 1612

|Son of Maximilian II;
King of Germany under his father, 1575–1576

|File:Arms of Rudolph II, Holy Roman Emperor (variant).svg

|Matthias
(Matthias)

|13 June 1612

|13 June 1612

|20 March 1619

|Son of Maximilian II

|File:Arms of Rudolph II, Holy Roman Emperor (variant).svg

|Ferdinand II
(Ferdinand II.)

|28 August 1619

|28 August 1619

|15 February 1637

|Grandson of Ferdinand I

|File:Arms of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor-Or shield variant.svg

|Ferdinand III
(Ferdinand III.)

|22 December 1636

|15 February 1637

|2 April 1657

|Son of Ferdinand II;
King of Germany under his father 1636–1637

|File:Arms of Ferdinand III and Ferdinand VI as Kings of the Romans.svg

|Ferdinand IV
(Ferdinand IV.)

|31 May 1653

|—

|9 July 1654

|Son of Ferdinand III;
King of Germany under his father

|File:Arms of Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor (variant).svg

|Leopold I
(Leopold I.)

|18 July 1658

|18 July 1658

|5 May 1705

|Son of Ferdinand III

|File:Arms of Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (variant).svg

|Joseph I
(Josef I.)

|23 January 1690

|5 May 1705

|17 April 1711

|Son of Leopold I; King of Germany under his father 1690–1705

|File:Arms of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor-Or shield variant.svg

|Charles VI
(Karl VI.)

|12 October 1711

|12 October 1711

|20 October 1740

|Son of Leopold I

|File:Arms of Charles VII Albert, Holy Roman Emperor-Or shield variant.svg

|Charles VII
(Karl VII.)

|24 January 1742

|24 January 1742

|20 January 1745

|Member of the House of Wittelsbach. Great-great-grandson of Ferdinand II; Husband of Maria Amalia, daughter of Joseph I

|File:Arms of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor-Or shield variant.svg

|Francis I
(Franz I.)

|13 September 1745

|13 September 1745

|18 August 1765

|Husband of Maria Theresa I

|File:Arms of Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor-Or shield variant.svg

|Joseph II
(Joseph II.)

|27 March 1764

|18 August 1765

|20 February 1790

|Son of Maria Theresa I and Francis I; King of Germany under his mother and father 1764–1765

|File:Arms of Leopold II and Francis II, Holy Roman Emperors-Or shield variant.svg

|Leopold II
(Leopold II.)

|30 September 1790

|30 September 1790

|1 March 1792

|Son of Maria Theresa I and Francis I

|File:Arms of Leopold II and Francis II, Holy Roman Emperors-Or shield variant.svg

|Francis II
(Franz II.)

|5 July 1792

|5 July 1792

|6 August 1806

|Son of Leopold II; Dissolved the Holy Roman Empire; also Emperor of Austria 1804–1835; President of the German Confederation (1815-1835), died 1835

|100px

|Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine

|File:Arms of the French Empire3.svg
Bonaparte

|12 July 1806

|19 October 1813

|100px

|Prince-primate of the
Confederation of the Rhine

|File:Wappen Großherzogtum Frankfurt.svg
Dalberg

|25 July 1806

|26 October 1813

|100px

|Prince-primate of the
Confederation of the Rhine

|File:Blason Eugène de Beauharnais (1781-1824).svg
Beauharnais

|26 October 1813

|December
1813

|125x125px

|Head of the presiding power

(Präsidialmacht) AustriaErnst Rudolf Huber: Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte seit 1789. Vol. I: Reform und Restauration 1789 bis 1830. 2nd edition, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart [et.al.] 1967, p. 589.

|File:Genealogical arms House of Habsburg-Lorraine 1806.svg
Habsburg-Lorraine

|20 June 1815

|2 March 1835

|100px

|100px

|Regent (Reichsverweser)
of the revolutionary German EmpireErnst Rudolf Huber: Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte seit 1789. Vol. I: Reform und Restauration 1789 bis 1830. 2nd edition, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart [et.al.] 1967, pp. 625–627, 808.

|File:Genealogical arms House of Habsburg-Lorraine 1806.svg
Habsburg-Lorraine

|12 July 1848

|20 December 1849

|rowspan="2"|127x127px

|Emperor of the Germans electElected Emperor of the Germans by the Frankfurt National Assembly on 28 March 1849, but refused the crown on 28 April 1849.

Manfred Botzenhart: Deutscher Parlamentarismus in der Revolutionszeit 1848–1850. Droste Verlag, Düsseldorf 1977, pp. 697/698.

|rowspan="2"|File:Wappen Hohenzollern 2.svg
Hohenzollern

|28 March 1849

|26 May 1849

|29 November 1850

|100px

|Head of the presiding power
(Präsidialmacht) Austria

|File:Genealogical arms House of Habsburg-Lorraine 1806.svg
Habsburg-Lorraine

|1 May 1850

|24 August 1866

| File:Kaiser Wilhelm I. .JPG

|Holder of the Bundespräsidium of the
North German Confederation

|File:Wappen Hohenzollern 2.svg
Hohenzollern

|1 July 1867

|1 January 1871Ernst Rudolf Huber: Deutsche Verfassungsgeschichte seit 1789. Band III: Bismarck und das Reich. 3. Auflage, Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart 1988, S. 750/751.

| File:Kaiser Wilhelm I. .JPG

|File:Wappenschild des Deutschen Kaiserreiches (1889-1918).svg
Hohenzollern

|1 January 1871

|9 March 1888

| File:Emperor Friedrich III.png

|File:Wappenschild des Deutschen Kaiserreiches (1889-1918).svg
Hohenzollern

|9 March 1888

|15 June 1888

| File:Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany - 1902.jpg

|File:Wappenschild des Deutschen Kaiserreiches (1889-1918).svg
Hohenzollern

|15 June 1888

|28 November 1918His abdication was announced by the Chancellor on 9 November, and the Emperor went into exile in the Netherlands. He did not formally abdicate until 28 November.