1790 imperial election

Last updated August 29, 2025

The 1790 imperial election, held on 30 September 1790 in Frankfurt, elected Leopold of the House of Habsburg as Holy Roman Emperor, succeeding his brother Joseph II, who died on 20 February 1790. The election was uncontested, with Leopold securing unanimous support from the six voting prince-electors. It occurred during the Great Turkish War and the early French Revolution, shaping the Empire’s political challenges.

Background

The Holy Roman Empire’s elective monarchy, codified by the Golden Bull of 1356, entrusted seven prince-electors to select the King of the Romans, typically crowned Holy Roman Emperor.^[1] The electors in 1790 were:

The death of Joseph II without heirs prompted the election. Joseph’s reign involved controversial reforms and the Great Turkish War against the Ottoman Empire, alongside tensions with revolutionary France.^[2] Leopold, previously Grand Duke of Tuscany, was the sole candidate.^[3]

Election

The election occurred in Frankfurt on 30 September 1790. Leopold, as King of Bohemia, abstained from voting to avoid a tie, per custom.^[4] The six voting electors unanimously chose Leopold, with no other candidates recorded.^[5] He was crowned King of the Romans in Frankfurt on 9 October 1790.

Results

Elector	Vote
Friedrich Karl Joseph von Erthal (Archbishop of Mainz)	Leopold
Clemens Wenceslaus of Saxony (Archbishop of Trier)	Leopold
Maximilian Francis of Austria (Archbishop of Cologne)	Leopold
Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria (Elector of Bavaria)	Leopold
Frederick Augustus III of Saxony (Elector of Saxony)	Leopold
Frederick William II of Prussia (Elector of Brandenburg)	Leopold

^[4]

References

↑ Whaley, Joachim (2012). Germany and the Holy Roman Empire: Volume II. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199693078.
↑ Blanning, T.C.W. (1983). The French Revolution in Germany. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198225645.
↑ Okey, Robin (2001). The Habsburg Monarchy, c.1765–1918. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0333396544.
1 2 Heer, Friedrich (1968). The Holy Roman Empire. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0297176725.
↑ Wilson, Peter H. (2016). The Holy Roman Empire: A Thousand Years of Europe's History. Penguin. ISBN 978-1846143182.

External links

"Holy Roman Empire". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 28 June 2025.
"The Habsburg Monarchy". habsburger.net. Retrieved 28 June 2025.

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[1] Whaley, Joachim (2012). Germany and the Holy Roman Empire: Volume II. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199693078.

[2] Blanning, T.C.W. (1983). The French Revolution in Germany. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0198225645.

[3] Okey, Robin (2001). The Habsburg Monarchy, c.1765–1918. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0333396544.

[heers-4] 1 2 Heer, Friedrich (1968). The Holy Roman Empire. Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 978-0297176725.

[5] Wilson, Peter H. (2016). The Holy Roman Empire: A Thousand Years of Europe's History. Penguin. ISBN 978-1846143182.

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