The Holy Roman Empire (962–1806) was a decentralized political order in which authority was shared among the monarch, territorial princes, ecclesiastical rulers, imperial cities, and other estates. The Golden Bull of 1356, issued by Charles IV (King of the Romans, 1346–1378; Holy Roman Emperor, 1355–1378), did not create imperial elections but codified their procedures and confirmed a college of seven prince-electors. Four votes constituted a majority in the election of the King of the Romans, the prospective emperor.
- Archbishop of Trier – the ecclesiastical elector who served ceremonially as Archchancellor for Burgundy, or the Kingdom of Arles; Boemund II of Saarbrücken held the office in 1356.
- Archbishop of Cologne – served as Archchancellor of Italy; Wilhelm of Gennep was archbishop when the Golden Bull was issued.
- King of Bohemia – the highest-ranking secular elector and ceremonial Arch-Cup-Bearer; the office was held in 1356 by Charles IV himself.
- Count Palatine of the Rhine – served as Arch-Steward (Seneschal) and exercised important royal and judicial authority in the Rhine region; Rupert I held the title in 1356.
- Duke of Saxony-Wittenberg – served as Arch-Marshal and carried the imperial sword at coronations; the Golden Bull also confirmed Saxony-Wittenberg’s disputed electoral right.
- Margrave of Brandenburg – served as Arch-Chamberlain and controlled an important northeastern territory of the Empire; Louis II “the Roman” was elector in 1356.
- Archbishop of Mainz – served as Archchancellor of Germany and held a particularly important role in summoning and conducting imperial elections; Gerlach of Nassau held the office in 1356.
The Golden Bull sought to reduce disputes over royal succession by defining who could vote, the order of voting, and the privileges of the electors. Elections were held at Frankfurt, with four of the seven votes sufficient for a majority. At the same time, the decree strengthened the territorial authority of the prince-electors and confirmed their elevated position within the Empire. It therefore brought greater procedural stability to imperial elections while reinforcing the decentralized character of the Holy Roman Empire.
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APA Style
Netchev, S. (2026, August 02). The Seven Prince-Electors of the Holy Roman Empire: The Golden Bull and the Election of the King of the Romans. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20526/the-seven-prince-electors-of-the-holy-roman-empire/
Chicago Style
Netchev, Simeon. "The Seven Prince-Electors of the Holy Roman Empire: The Golden Bull and the Election of the King of the Romans." World History Encyclopedia, August 02, 2026. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20526/the-seven-prince-electors-of-the-holy-roman-empire/.
MLA Style
Netchev, Simeon. "The Seven Prince-Electors of the Holy Roman Empire: The Golden Bull and the Election of the King of the Romans." World History Encyclopedia, 02 Aug 2026, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20526/the-seven-prince-electors-of-the-holy-roman-empire/.
