Editing Emperor (section)

===Holy Roman Empire===
{{Main|Holy Roman Emperor}}
[[File:Portrait of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, seated (1500–1558), formerly attributed to Titian (Alte Pinakothek, Munich).jpg|thumb|upright|[[Portrait of Charles V (Titian, Munich)|Portrait of Charles V]], Holy Roman Emperor in the 1550s, after [[Titian]]]]
The ''Emperor'' of the Romans' title was a reflection of the ''[[translatio imperii]]'' (''transfer of rule'') principle that regarded the Holy Roman emperors as the inheritors of the title of Emperor of the [[Western Roman Empire]], despite the continued existence of the [[Byzantine Empire|Roman Empire]] in the east, hence the [[problem of two emperors]].

From the time of [[Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor|Otto the Great]] onward, much of the former [[Carolingian]] kingdom of [[Eastern Francia]] became the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. The [[prince-elector]]s elected one of their peers as [[King of the Romans]] and [[Kingdom of Italy (Holy Roman Empire)|King of Italy]] before being crowned by the [[Pope]]. The emperor could also pursue the election of his heir (usually a son) as King, who would then succeed him after his death. This junior king then bore the title of King of the Romans. Although technically already ruling, after the election he would be crowned as emperor by the pope. The last emperor to be crowned by the pope was [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]]; all emperors after him were technically ''emperors-elect'', but were universally referred to as ''emperor''.

The Holy Roman emperor was considered the first among those in power. He was also the first defender of Christianity. From 1452 to the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 (except in the years 1742 to 1745) only members of the [[House of Habsburg]] were Holy Roman emperors. [[Karl von Habsburg]] is currently the head of the House of Habsburg.<ref>Heer, Friedrich. Holy Roman Empire (2002); Lonnie Johnson "Central Europe: Enemies, Neighbors, Friends" (2011), p. 81.</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.heraldica.org/topics/national/hre.htm| title = The Holy Roman Empire}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/heiliges-roemisches-reich-im-ueberblick-geschichte-der-staatlichen-emanzipation-1.827525-0#seite-2| title = Heiliges Römisches Reich : Geschichte der staatlichen Emanzipation| date = 27 August 2006}}</ref>