the german princes who chose the holy roman empire were called
prince-electors the Prince-Electors
title: Holy Roman Emperor text: Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor (historically "", "Emperor of the Romans") was the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire (800/962-1806 AD, from Charlemagne/Otto I to Francis II). The title was, almost without interruption, held in conjunction with the rule of the Kingdom of Germany. From an autocracy in Carolingian times the title evolved into an elected monarchy chosen by the prince-electors. The Holy Roman Emperor was widely perceived to rule by divine right, though he often contradicted or rivaled the Pope, most notably during the Investiture controversy. In theory, the Holy Roman Emperor was "primus inter pares" (first title: Holy Roman Empire text: Emperor himself. The imperial estates comprised: A sum total of 1,500 Imperial estates has been reckoned. For a list of "Reichsstände" in 1792, see List of Imperial Diet participants (1792). A prospective Emperor had first to be elected King of the Romans (Latin: "Rex Romanorum"; German: "römischer König"). German kings had been elected since the 9th century; at that point they were chosen by the leaders of the five most important tribes (the Salian Franks of Lorraine, Ripuarian Franks of Franconia, Saxons, Bavarians, and Swabians). In the Holy Roman Empire, the main dukes and bishops of the kingdom elected the title: Holy Roman Empire text: Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire (; ) was a multi-ethnic complex of territories in Western and Central Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. The largest territory of the empire after 962 was the Kingdom of Germany, though it also came to include the neighboring Kingdom of Bohemia, the Kingdom of Burgundy, the Kingdom of Italy, and numerous other territories. On 25 December 800, Pope Leo III crowned the Frankish king Charlemagne as Emperor, reviving the title in Western Europe, more than three centuries after the title: Holy Roman Emperor text: period (1920s to 1930s); formerly the title had also been rendered "German-Roman emperor" in English. The elective monarchy of the kingdom of Germany goes back to the early 10th century, the election of Conrad I of Germany in 911 following the death without issue of Louis the Child, the last Carolingian ruler of Germany. Elections meant the kingship of Germany was only partially hereditary, unlike the kingship of France, although sovereignty frequently remained in a dynasty until there were no more male successors. The process of an election meant that the prime candidate had to make concessions, by which the title: Holy Roman Empire text: sacral status he had previously enjoyed. The Pope and the German princes had surfaced as major players in the political system of the empire. When the Salian dynasty ended with Henry V's death in 1125, the princes chose not to elect the next of kin, but rather Lothair, the moderately powerful but already old Duke of Saxony. When he died in 1137, the princes again aimed to check royal power; accordingly they did not elect Lothair's favoured heir, his son-in-law Henry the Proud of the Welf family, but Conrad III of the Hohenstaufen family, the grandson of Emperor Henry IV