The election of a Holy Roman Emperor was generally a two-stage process whereby the King of the Romans was elected by a small body of the greatest princes of the realm, the prince-electors. This was then followed shortly thereafter by his coronation as king, originally at Aachen and later at Frankfurt. The king was then expected to march to Rome, to be crowned Emperor by the pope.[1] In 1356, the Emperor Charles IV promulgated the Golden Bull, which became the fundamental law by which all future kings and emperors were elected.[2] After 1508, rulers usually were recognized as "Emperor elect" after their first, royal coronation.
- ^ Noble; Strauss; Osheim; Neuschel; Accampo. Western Civilization: Beyond Boundaries.
- ^ "The Golden Bull of Charles IV 1356". ordham.edu. Retrieved 2017-11-22.