An Attempt To Date
the Holy Roman Empire
G.D.O'Bradovich III
July 28, 2015
Courtesy of the Oxford English dictionary.
Etymology:
< holy adj. + Roman adj.1 + empire n. Compare (all now hist.)
German Heiliges Römisches Reich (c1400 as heiliges rœmisches rīch ; also more fully Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation ),
post-classical Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (12th cent.),
Italian Sacro Romano Impero (c1613 or earlier),
French Saint Empire Romain (1740 or earlier; also more fully Saint Empire Romain Germanique ).
The empire set up in western Europe following the coronation of Charlemagne in 800. The Holy Roman Empire was created by the Papacy in an attempt to unite Christendom under one ruler. At times the territory of the empire included all of what is now Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, together with parts of Italy and other neighbouring regions. The empire was formally dissolved in 1806 upon the abdication of the last emperor, Francis II (Francis I of Austria).
[1610 E. Bolton Elements of Armories 147 The sacred Romane Empire.]
1698 tr. J. Bernard Acts & Negotiations of Peace of Ryswick 77
The Sieur Henry John Stratman, Sieur de Puerbach, Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Lord of Orth.
1701 tr. Emperor's Manifesto 33/1
Those [Fiefs]..which they have receiv'd from the Holy Roman Church, and from the Holy Roman Empire.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Empire,
The Empire of Germany, call'd also, in Juridical Acts and Laws, the Holy Roman Empire.
1762 P. Murdoch tr. A. F. Büsching New Syst. Geogr. IV. 368
The abbess is also still stiled..a princess and prelatess of the holy Roman Empire.
1781 D. Williams et al. tr. Voltaire Ann. Empire 532
Maximilian, till now elector and Duke of Bavaria, has actually incurred the ban and reban of ourselves and the holy Roman empire.
1829 Scott Anne of Geierstein I. vii. 172
These dignitaries, because they held their fiefs of the Holy Roman Empire, claimed as complete sovereignty [etc.].
1864 J. Bryce (title)
The Holy Roman Empire.
1898 Cosmopolitan July 297/1
They are pur sang beyond all question. They were grandees under the Holy Roman Empire!
1907 Eng. Hist. Rev. 22 203
One element of the modern German constitution, the Bundesrat, may be traced historically from the old Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire.
1937 G. Slaughter Amazing Frederic p. ix,
Frederic II..fell heir to the sovereignty of the most civilized country of Europe, ‘the first modern state’, and to the greatest civil power of the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire.
1962 Listener 5 Apr. 585/2
The popularist fear of going into Europe is the fear of being swamped in another Holy Roman Empire.
2002 M. Kurlansky Salt (2003) ix. 147
Alsace, known as Elsass in German, was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
Etymology:
< holy adj. + Roman adj.1 + emperor n., after Holy Roman Empire n.
Compare German heiliger römischer Kaiser (1696 or earlier as †heiliger römischer keyser ).
(A title for) the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire; = emperor n. 1b.
1784 J. O'Keeffe Agreeable Surprise (new ed.) 23
Fringe. A Princess! Thomas. The Princess Rusky Fusky. She killed two Counts of the holy Roman Emperor.
1866 T. H. Gill Papal Drama ii. 25
Knight, saint, mighty king, and first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne has been indeed a power among men.
1912 C. Sarolea Anglo-German Probl. 77
The Lutheran King of Prussia is gradually transforming himself into a Holy Roman Emperor; Holy because he is ruler by right divine, Roman because he receives his orders from the Eternal City.
1963 L. W. Cowie 18th-cent. Europe i. 4
Besides being Archdukes of Austria and Kings of Bohemia and Hungary, the Habsburgs also held the office of Holy Roman Emperor, which was an elective position.
2002 R. Cohen By Sword i. iii. 45
In 1527 Francis reneged on a treaty with Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.
b.
The sovereign ruler of the Holy Roman Empire; = Holy Roman Emperor n.
Now hist.The Holy Roman Empire was frequently referred to using alternative names, such as Almaigne, Germany, etc. N.E.D. (1891) notes: ‘Until the present century “the Emperor” always, unless otherwise interpreted by the context, denoted the “emperor of Germany”.’
c1325 (▸c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 9946
Þe aumperour frederic, & þe king philip of france Alle hii wende to ierusalem.
c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 114
Þe frendis of þis knyght complenyd of þis wurthi man vnto þe Emperour Frederike.
a1500 (▸?a1475) Guy of Warwick (Cambr. Ff.2.38) l. 4205
Therfore y sey yow, syr emperere [MS Empere].
?1530 J. Rastell Pastyme of People sig. *Bii,
Philyppe Auguste..wanne a great battell agaynst Otton the Emperour.
a1563 J. Bale King Johan (1969) i. 10
My granfather was an emperowre excelent.
1615 E. Howes Stow's Annales (new ed.) 661/1
His lordship..taking leaue of the Emperour, departed from Vienna.
1622 Bacon Hist. Raigne Henry VII 10
At which time [sc. 1485] Innocent the Eight was Pope of Rome; Fredericke the Third, Emperour of Almaine; and Maximilian his sonne newly chosen King of the Romans.
1670 J. Evelyn tr. Moral Pract. Jesuites 202
Their Cause was so unjust, that they failed of their hopes in Germany, and in Italy, from the Emperour, the Apostolical Nuncio, and the Arch-Duke of Inspruch.
1735 J. Oldmixon Hist. Eng.: George I vi. 763
The Treaty of Vienna between the Emperor and King of Spain.
1759 G. Sale et al. in Mod. Part Universal Hist. XII. 105
The German emperor was no less impatient on his part for an end of the war.
1804 tr. Proclam. Francis II 11 Aug. in Ann. Reg. 695
Immediately after our title of elected emperor of the Romans shall be inserted that of hereditary emperor of Austria.
1864 J. Bryce Holy Rom. Empire v. 83
No act of sovereignty is recorded to have been done by any of the Emperors in England.
1894 Catholic World July 511
The same neglect would be manifested by an ambitious and egoistic emperor (Charles V.).
1973 Ebony May 76/2
[The musical] Pippin, which deals with the trials and tribulations of Emperor Charlemagne's son.
2008 J. M. Riddle Hist. Middle Ages xi. 324
Adrian..relented and crowned Frederick emperor on June 18, 1155.
The empire set up in western Europe following the coronation of Charlemagne in 800. The Holy Roman Empire was created by the Papacy in an attempt to unite Christendom under one ruler. At times the territory of the empire included all of what is now Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, together with parts of Italy and other neighbouring regions. The empire was formally dissolved in 1806 upon the abdication of the last emperor, Francis II (Francis I of Austria).
[1610 E. Bolton Elements of Armories 147 The sacred Romane Empire.]
1698 tr. J. Bernard Acts & Negotiations of Peace of Ryswick 77
The Sieur Henry John Stratman, Sieur de Puerbach, Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Lord of Orth.
1701 tr. Emperor's Manifesto 33/1
Those [Fiefs]..which they have receiv'd from the Holy Roman Church, and from the Holy Roman Empire.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Empire,
The Empire of Germany, call'd also, in Juridical Acts and Laws, the Holy Roman Empire.
1762 P. Murdoch tr. A. F. Büsching New Syst. Geogr. IV. 368
The abbess is also still stiled..a princess and prelatess of the holy Roman Empire.
1781 D. Williams et al. tr. Voltaire Ann. Empire 532
Maximilian, till now elector and Duke of Bavaria, has actually incurred the ban and reban of ourselves and the holy Roman empire.
1829 Scott Anne of Geierstein I. vii. 172
These dignitaries, because they held their fiefs of the Holy Roman Empire, claimed as complete sovereignty [etc.].
1864 J. Bryce (title)
The Holy Roman Empire.
1898 Cosmopolitan July 297/1
They are pur sang beyond all question. They were grandees under the Holy Roman Empire!
1907 Eng. Hist. Rev. 22 203
One element of the modern German constitution, the Bundesrat, may be traced historically from the old Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire.
1937 G. Slaughter Amazing Frederic p. ix,
Frederic II..fell heir to the sovereignty of the most civilized country of Europe, ‘the first modern state’, and to the greatest civil power of the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire.
1962 Listener 5 Apr. 585/2
The popularist fear of going into Europe is the fear of being swamped in another Holy Roman Empire.
2002 M. Kurlansky Salt (2003) ix. 147
Alsace, known as Elsass in German, was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
The citations in chronological order.
1325c (▸c1300) Þe aumperour frederic, & þe king...
1450c (1904) ... þis wurthi man vnto þe Emperour Frederike.
1500a (▸?a1475) Therfore y sey yow, syr emperere [MS Empere].
1530? *Bii, Philyppe Auguste....t Otton the Emperour.
1563 a (1969) My granfather was an emperowre excelent.
1610 The sacred Romane Empire.]
1615 ... of the Emperour, departed from Vienna.
1622 At which time [sc. 1485] ...Emperour ...Maximilian... King of the Romans.
1670 ... and in Italy, from the Emperour, the Apostolical Nuncio...
1698 ... Count of the Holy Roman Empire,...
1701 ...which they have receiv'd ... from the Holy Roman Empire.
1728 ... in Juridical Acts and Laws, the Holy Roman Empire.
1735 The Treaty of Vienna between the Emperor and ...
1759 The German emperor was no less impatient...
1762 The abbess is also still stiled...a princess and prelatess of the holy Roman Empire.
1781 Maximilian,... the holy Roman empire.
1784 Fringe. . ...of the holy Roman Emperor.
1804 ...our title of elected emperor of the Romans ....
1829 ... the Holy Roman Empire, claimed as complete ...
1864 The Holy Roman Empire.
1864 Holy Rom. Empire v. 83 No act of sovereignty is recorded to have been done by ...
1866 Knight, saint, mighty king, and first Holy Roman Emperor, ...
1894 ... ambitious and egoistic emperor (Charles V.).
1898 ...They were grandees under the Holy Roman Empire!
1907 ... the old Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire.
1912 ... gradually transforming himself into a Holy Roman Emperor; ...
1937 ... the Holy Roman Empire.
1962 ... Europe is the fear of being swamped in another Holy Roman Empire.
1963 ... office of Holy Roman Emperor, which was an elective position.
1973 [The musical] ... and tribulations of Emperor Charlemagne's son.
2002 (2003) Alsace... the Holy Roman Empire.
2002 In 1527... with Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.
2008 ... crowned Frederick emperor on June 18, 1155.
Etymology:
< holy adj. + Roman adj.1 + empire n. Compare (all now hist.)
German Heiliges Römisches Reich (c1400 as heiliges rœmisches rīch ; also more fully Heiliges Römisches Reich Deutscher Nation ),
post-classical Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (12th cent.),
Italian Sacro Romano Impero (c1613 or earlier),
French Saint Empire Romain (1740 or earlier; also more fully Saint Empire Romain Germanique ).
The empire set up in western Europe following the coronation of Charlemagne in 800. The Holy Roman Empire was created by the Papacy in an attempt to unite Christendom under one ruler. At times the territory of the empire included all of what is now Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, together with parts of Italy and other neighbouring regions. The empire was formally dissolved in 1806 upon the abdication of the last emperor, Francis II (Francis I of Austria).
[1610 E. Bolton Elements of Armories 147 The sacred Romane Empire.]
1698 tr. J. Bernard Acts & Negotiations of Peace of Ryswick 77
The Sieur Henry John Stratman, Sieur de Puerbach, Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Lord of Orth.
1701 tr. Emperor's Manifesto 33/1
Those [Fiefs]..which they have receiv'd from the Holy Roman Church, and from the Holy Roman Empire.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Empire,
The Empire of Germany, call'd also, in Juridical Acts and Laws, the Holy Roman Empire.
1762 P. Murdoch tr. A. F. Büsching New Syst. Geogr. IV. 368
The abbess is also still stiled..a princess and prelatess of the holy Roman Empire.
1781 D. Williams et al. tr. Voltaire Ann. Empire 532
Maximilian, till now elector and Duke of Bavaria, has actually incurred the ban and reban of ourselves and the holy Roman empire.
1829 Scott Anne of Geierstein I. vii. 172
These dignitaries, because they held their fiefs of the Holy Roman Empire, claimed as complete sovereignty [etc.].
1864 J. Bryce (title)
The Holy Roman Empire.
1898 Cosmopolitan July 297/1
They are pur sang beyond all question. They were grandees under the Holy Roman Empire!
1907 Eng. Hist. Rev. 22 203
One element of the modern German constitution, the Bundesrat, may be traced historically from the old Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire.
1937 G. Slaughter Amazing Frederic p. ix,
Frederic II..fell heir to the sovereignty of the most civilized country of Europe, ‘the first modern state’, and to the greatest civil power of the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire.
1962 Listener 5 Apr. 585/2
The popularist fear of going into Europe is the fear of being swamped in another Holy Roman Empire.
2002 M. Kurlansky Salt (2003) ix. 147
Alsace, known as Elsass in German, was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
Etymology:
< holy adj. + Roman adj.1 + emperor n., after Holy Roman Empire n.
Compare German heiliger römischer Kaiser (1696 or earlier as †heiliger römischer keyser ).
(A title for) the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire; = emperor n. 1b.
1784 J. O'Keeffe Agreeable Surprise (new ed.) 23
Fringe. A Princess! Thomas. The Princess Rusky Fusky. She killed two Counts of the holy Roman Emperor.
1866 T. H. Gill Papal Drama ii. 25
Knight, saint, mighty king, and first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne has been indeed a power among men.
1912 C. Sarolea Anglo-German Probl. 77
The Lutheran King of Prussia is gradually transforming himself into a Holy Roman Emperor; Holy because he is ruler by right divine, Roman because he receives his orders from the Eternal City.
1963 L. W. Cowie 18th-cent. Europe i. 4
Besides being Archdukes of Austria and Kings of Bohemia and Hungary, the Habsburgs also held the office of Holy Roman Emperor, which was an elective position.
2002 R. Cohen By Sword i. iii. 45
In 1527 Francis reneged on a treaty with Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.
b.
The sovereign ruler of the Holy Roman Empire; = Holy Roman Emperor n.
Now hist.The Holy Roman Empire was frequently referred to using alternative names, such as Almaigne, Germany, etc. N.E.D. (1891) notes: ‘Until the present century “the Emperor” always, unless otherwise interpreted by the context, denoted the “emperor of Germany”.’
c1325 (▸c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 9946
Þe aumperour frederic, & þe king philip of france Alle hii wende to ierusalem.
c1450 Alphabet of Tales (1904) I. 114
Þe frendis of þis knyght complenyd of þis wurthi man vnto þe Emperour Frederike.
a1500 (▸?a1475) Guy of Warwick (Cambr. Ff.2.38) l. 4205
Therfore y sey yow, syr emperere [MS Empere].
?1530 J. Rastell Pastyme of People sig. *Bii,
Philyppe Auguste..wanne a great battell agaynst Otton the Emperour.
a1563 J. Bale King Johan (1969) i. 10
My granfather was an emperowre excelent.
1615 E. Howes Stow's Annales (new ed.) 661/1
His lordship..taking leaue of the Emperour, departed from Vienna.
1622 Bacon Hist. Raigne Henry VII 10
At which time [sc. 1485] Innocent the Eight was Pope of Rome; Fredericke the Third, Emperour of Almaine; and Maximilian his sonne newly chosen King of the Romans.
1670 J. Evelyn tr. Moral Pract. Jesuites 202
Their Cause was so unjust, that they failed of their hopes in Germany, and in Italy, from the Emperour, the Apostolical Nuncio, and the Arch-Duke of Inspruch.
1735 J. Oldmixon Hist. Eng.: George I vi. 763
The Treaty of Vienna between the Emperor and King of Spain.
1759 G. Sale et al. in Mod. Part Universal Hist. XII. 105
The German emperor was no less impatient on his part for an end of the war.
1804 tr. Proclam. Francis II 11 Aug. in Ann. Reg. 695
Immediately after our title of elected emperor of the Romans shall be inserted that of hereditary emperor of Austria.
1864 J. Bryce Holy Rom. Empire v. 83
No act of sovereignty is recorded to have been done by any of the Emperors in England.
1894 Catholic World July 511
The same neglect would be manifested by an ambitious and egoistic emperor (Charles V.).
1973 Ebony May 76/2
[The musical] Pippin, which deals with the trials and tribulations of Emperor Charlemagne's son.
2008 J. M. Riddle Hist. Middle Ages xi. 324
Adrian..relented and crowned Frederick emperor on June 18, 1155.
The empire set up in western Europe following the coronation of Charlemagne in 800. The Holy Roman Empire was created by the Papacy in an attempt to unite Christendom under one ruler. At times the territory of the empire included all of what is now Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and the Netherlands, together with parts of Italy and other neighbouring regions. The empire was formally dissolved in 1806 upon the abdication of the last emperor, Francis II (Francis I of Austria).
[1610 E. Bolton Elements of Armories 147 The sacred Romane Empire.]
1698 tr. J. Bernard Acts & Negotiations of Peace of Ryswick 77
The Sieur Henry John Stratman, Sieur de Puerbach, Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Lord of Orth.
1701 tr. Emperor's Manifesto 33/1
Those [Fiefs]..which they have receiv'd from the Holy Roman Church, and from the Holy Roman Empire.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Empire,
The Empire of Germany, call'd also, in Juridical Acts and Laws, the Holy Roman Empire.
1762 P. Murdoch tr. A. F. Büsching New Syst. Geogr. IV. 368
The abbess is also still stiled..a princess and prelatess of the holy Roman Empire.
1781 D. Williams et al. tr. Voltaire Ann. Empire 532
Maximilian, till now elector and Duke of Bavaria, has actually incurred the ban and reban of ourselves and the holy Roman empire.
1829 Scott Anne of Geierstein I. vii. 172
These dignitaries, because they held their fiefs of the Holy Roman Empire, claimed as complete sovereignty [etc.].
1864 J. Bryce (title)
The Holy Roman Empire.
1898 Cosmopolitan July 297/1
They are pur sang beyond all question. They were grandees under the Holy Roman Empire!
1907 Eng. Hist. Rev. 22 203
One element of the modern German constitution, the Bundesrat, may be traced historically from the old Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire.
1937 G. Slaughter Amazing Frederic p. ix,
Frederic II..fell heir to the sovereignty of the most civilized country of Europe, ‘the first modern state’, and to the greatest civil power of the Middle Ages, the Holy Roman Empire.
1962 Listener 5 Apr. 585/2
The popularist fear of going into Europe is the fear of being swamped in another Holy Roman Empire.
2002 M. Kurlansky Salt (2003) ix. 147
Alsace, known as Elsass in German, was part of the Holy Roman Empire.
The citations in chronological order.
1325c (▸c1300) Þe aumperour frederic, & þe king...
1450c (1904) ... þis wurthi man vnto þe Emperour Frederike.
1500a (▸?a1475) Therfore y sey yow, syr emperere [MS Empere].
1530? *Bii, Philyppe Auguste....t Otton the Emperour.
1563 a (1969) My granfather was an emperowre excelent.
1610 The sacred Romane Empire.]
1615 ... of the Emperour, departed from Vienna.
1622 At which time [sc. 1485] ...Emperour ...Maximilian... King of the Romans.
1670 ... and in Italy, from the Emperour, the Apostolical Nuncio...
1698 ... Count of the Holy Roman Empire,...
1701 ...which they have receiv'd ... from the Holy Roman Empire.
1728 ... in Juridical Acts and Laws, the Holy Roman Empire.
1735 The Treaty of Vienna between the Emperor and ...
1759 The German emperor was no less impatient...
1762 The abbess is also still stiled...a princess and prelatess of the holy Roman Empire.
1781 Maximilian,... the holy Roman empire.
1784 Fringe. . ...of the holy Roman Emperor.
1804 ...our title of elected emperor of the Romans ....
1829 ... the Holy Roman Empire, claimed as complete ...
1864 The Holy Roman Empire.
1864 Holy Rom. Empire v. 83 No act of sovereignty is recorded to have been done by ...
1866 Knight, saint, mighty king, and first Holy Roman Emperor, ...
1894 ... ambitious and egoistic emperor (Charles V.).
1898 ...They were grandees under the Holy Roman Empire!
1907 ... the old Reichstag of the Holy Roman Empire.
1912 ... gradually transforming himself into a Holy Roman Emperor; ...
1937 ... the Holy Roman Empire.
1962 ... Europe is the fear of being swamped in another Holy Roman Empire.
1963 ... office of Holy Roman Emperor, which was an elective position.
1973 [The musical] ... and tribulations of Emperor Charlemagne's son.
2002 (2003) Alsace... the Holy Roman Empire.
2002 In 1527... with Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.
2008 ... crowned Frederick emperor on June 18, 1155.