Editing Prince-elector (section)

== Rights and privileges ==
Electors were rulers of {{lang|de|Reichsstände}} ([[Imperial Estate|Imperial Estates]]), enjoying precedence over the other [[Princes of the Holy Roman Empire|Imperial Princes]]. They were, until the 18th century, exclusively entitled to be addressed with the title {{lang|de|Durchlaucht}} (Serene Highness). In 1742, the electors became entitled to the superlative {{lang|de|Durchlauchtigste}} (Most Serene Highness), while other princes were promoted to {{lang|de|Durchlaucht}}.

As rulers of Imperial Estates, the electors enjoyed all the privileges of princes, including the right to enter into alliances, to autonomy in relation to dynastic affairs, and to precedence over other subjects. The [[Golden Bull of 1356|Golden Bull]] granted them the [[Privilegium de non appellando]], which prevented their subjects from lodging an appeal to a higher Imperial court. Although this privilege, and some others, were automatically granted to Electors, they were not exclusive to them and many of the larger Imperial Estates were also to be individually granted some or all those rights and privileges.<ref>Even a small [[Free Imperial City]] such as [[Schwäbisch Gmünd]] had been granted the ''Privilegium de non appellando'' in 1475. Cf. [[:s:de:Kaiser Friedrich III.: Privilegium de non appellando für Schwäbisch Gmünd, 1475|Kaiser Friedrich III.: Privilegium de non appellando für Schwäbisch Gmünd, 1475]]</ref>