List of German queens
German queen (German: Deutsche Königin) is the informal title used when referring to the wife of the ruler of the Kingdom of Germany. The official titles of the wives of German kings were Queen of the Germans and later Queen of the Romans (Latin: Regina Romanorum, Königin der Römer).
There has never been a German queen regnant, as women were prohibited from ruling Germany. However Empress Maria Theresa (1745–1780) is often considered to be a ruler in her own right, as she was Queen regnant of Bohemia and Hungary, and despite her husband being elected as Holy Roman Emperor, it was she who ruled the Empire and continued to do so even after the death of her husband before ruling jointly with her son Emperor Joseph II.
German (East Francian) Queens
With the Treaty of Verdun in 843, the Carolingian Empire was divided. Lothair, the King of the middle Kingdom of Lotharingia or Burgundy, obtained the title of Emperor; Louis obtained Eastern Francia, the area which would become Germany. The wives of that realm's Kings are thus German Queens (or more precisely, East Francian Queens – 'Germany' is historically deemed to have developed with the election of Henry the Fowler), but not always Empresses.
Carolingian
Picture | Name | House | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emma of Altdorf Queen of the East Franks | Elder Welf | 808 | 827 | 11 August 843 | never Empress | 31 January 876 | Louis I/II | ||
Liutgard Queen of the East Franks | Liudolfing | c. 845 | 29 November 874 | 26 August 876 | never Empress | 20 January 882 | 17/30 November 885 | Louis II/III | |
Richardis | Ahalolfinger | c.840 | 862 | 20 January 882 | 12 February 881 | As Queen: 11 November 887 husband's deposition as King As Empress: 13 January 888 husband's death | 18 September, 894-896 | Charles the Fat | |
Ota | Conradine | c. 874 | 888 | 22 February 896 | 8 December 899 | 30 November 903 | Arnulf | ||
Picture | Name | House | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Conradine
Picture | Name | House | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cunigunde of Swabia Queen of East Francia | Ahalolfings | c.870 | 913 | never Empress | 23 December 918 | 7 February after 918 | Conrad I | ||
Picture | Name | House | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
German Queens
With the elevation of Otto I of Germany in 962 to the Imperial title, the title 'Roman King/Emperor' became inaliably associated with the Kingdom of Germany - although a King of Germany might not bear the Imperial title, it would eventually become impossible to conceive of a Holy Roman Emperor not being King of Germany (a viewpoint reinforced with the equation of King of the Romans with King of Germany from the 12th century). Thus, the following women, though not all Holy Roman Empresses, were all Queens of Germany, and - from the inception of the Hohenstaufen dynasty - all Queens of the Romans.
Ottonian Dynasty
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Matilda Queen of the East Franks | Dietrich, Count of Westphalia(Immedinger) | c.895 | 909 | 23 April 919 | never Empress | 2 July 936 | 14 March 968 | Henry I | |
Edith of Wessex Queen of the East Franks | Edward the Elder of England | 910 | 929 | 7 August 936 | never Empress | 26 January 946 | Otto I | ||
Adelaide of Italy | Rudolph II of Burgundy (Welf) | 931 | 951 | 2 February 962 (Crowned on this date) | 7 May 973 | 16 December 999 | |||
Theophanu of Byzantium | Konstantinos Skleros | 960 | 14 April 972 | 14 April 972 husband as co-Emperor with his father/ 7 May 973 husband as sole Emperor Crowned 14 April 972 | 7 December 983 husband's death | 15 June 991 | Otto II | ||
Cunigunde of Luxembourg | Siegfried, Count of Luxemburg | c.975 | c.1000 | 17 June 1002 | 26 April 1014 | 13 July 1024 | 3 March 1033 | Henry II | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Salian Dynasty
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gisela of Swabia | Herman II, Duke of Swabia (Conradines) |
11 November 995 | 1016 | 8 September 1024 | 26 March 1027 | 4 June 1039 husband's death |
14 February 1043 | Conrad II | |
Gunhilda Knutsdatter of Denmark Queen of the Germans |
Cnut the Great (Denmark) |
c.1020 | 1036 | never Empress | 1038 | Henry III | |||
Agnes de Poitou | William V, Duke of Aquitaine (Ramnulfids) |
1025 | 21 November 1043 | 25 December 1046 | 5 October 1056 | 14 December 1077 | |||
Bertha of Savoy | Otto, Count of Savoy (Savoy) |
21 September 1051 | 13 July 1066 | 21 March 1084 | 27 December 1087 | Henry IV | |||
Eupraxia of Kiev | Vsevolod I, Grand Prince of Kiev (Rurikids) |
1071 | 14 August 1089 | 14 August 1089 | 31 December 1105 husband's deposition |
20 July 1109 | |||
Constanze Queen of the Romans |
Roger I of Sicily (Hauteville) |
1077–1087 | 1095 | never Empress | 1098 husband's deposition |
27 November 1198 | Conrad, King of the Romans | ||
Matilda of England | Henry I of England (Normandy) |
7 February 1101 | 7 January 1114 | 23 May 1125 | 10 September 1167 | Henry V | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Supplinburg
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richenza of Northeim | Henry the Fat, Margrave of Frisia | c.1087/89 | c.1100 | 30 August 1125 | 4 June 1133 | 4 December 1137 | 10 June 1141 | Lothair III | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Hohenstaufen (1)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gertrud von Komburg Queen of the Romans in opposition |
Henry, Count of Rothenburg | c.1115 | 1127 husband King in opposition |
never Empress | c.1130-1131 | Conrad III | |||
Gertrude of Sulzbach | Berengar II, Count of Sulzbach | 1136 | 7 March 1138 | never Empress | 14 April 1146 | ||||
Adelheid of Vohburg | Diepold III, Margrave of Vohburg | c.1128 | 1147 | 4 March 1152 | never Empress | March 1153 marriage annulled |
after 1187 | Frederick I | |
Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy | Renaud III, Count of Burgundy | 1148 | 9 June 1156 | 15 November 1184 | |||||
Constance of Sicily | Roger II, King of Sicily (Hauteville) |
1154 | 27 January 1186 | 14 April 1191 | 28 September 1197 | 27 November 1198 | Henry VI | ||
Irene Angelina | Isaac II Angelos, Byzantine Emperor | 1177/1181 | 25 May 1197 | 6 March 1198 | never Empress | 21 August 1208 | 27 August 1208 | Philip of Swabia | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Welf
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beatrice of Swabia | Philip, King of Germany (Hohenstaufen) |
1198 | 1209 or 1212 | 1212 | Otto IV | ||||
Marie of Brabant | Henry I, Duke of Brabant | c.1190 | after 19 May 1214 | 5 July 1215 husband's deposition |
May 1260 | ||||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Hohenstaufen (2)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Constance of Aragon | Alfonso II, King of Aragon | 1179 | 5 August 1209 | 1211-1212 husband as King in opposition/ 5 July 1215 husband unopposed |
22 November 1220 | 23 April 1220 Ceased to be Queen: son elected as King; 23 June 1222 Ceased to be Empress upon death |
Frederick II | ||
Yolande of Brienne | John of Brienne, King of Jerusalem | 1212 | 9 November 1225 | 25 April 1228 | |||||
Isabella of England | John, King of England | 1214 | 15/20 July 1235 | 1 December 1241 | |||||
Bianca Lancia | a child of Manfred I Lancia (one of his sons, Manfred II or Bonifacio, or one daughter, Bianca) | c.1200 | c.1244? Evidence for marriage is dubious |
never German Queen | c.1244? evidence for marriage is dubious |
c.1244 | |||
Margaret of Austria Queen of the Romans |
Leopold VI of Babenberg, Duke of Austria | c.1204 | 29 November 1225 Queen by marriage: husband was King under his father, Frederick II; 23 March 1227 Crowned as Queen |
never Empress | 4 July 1235 husband dethroned; 12 February 1242 husband's death |
29 October 1266 | Henry, King of the Romans | ||
Elisabeth of Bavaria Queen of the Romans |
Otto II Wittelsbach, Duke of Bavaria | 1227 | 1 September 1246 | never Empress | 21 May 1254 | 9 October 1273 | Conrad IV | ||
Picture | Name | House | Father | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Habsburg (1)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Gertrude of Hohenberg Queen of the Romans |
Burchard V, Count of Hohenburg | 1225 | 1245 | 29 September 1273 | never Empress | 16 February 1281 | Rudolph I | ||
Isabelle of Burgundy Queen of the Romans |
Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy | c.1270 | 6 February 1284 | never Empress | 15 July 1291 husband's death |
c.1323 | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Nassau
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Imagina of Isenburg-Limburg | Gerlach IV of Isenburg-Limburg (Isenburg-Limburg) |
1259 | 1271 | 5 May 1292 | never Empress | 23 June 1298 | 29 September 1313 | Adolf of Nassau-Weilburg | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Habsburg (2)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elisabeth of Tirol Queen of the Romans |
Meinhard, Duke of Carinthia | c.1262 | 20 December 1274 | 27 July 1298 | never Empress | 1 May 1308 | 28 October 1312 | Albert I | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Luxemburg (1)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Margaret of Brabant Queen of the Romans |
John I, Duke of Brabant | 4 October 1276 | 9 July 1292 | 27 November 1308 | never Empress | 14 December 1311 | Henry VII | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Habsburg (3)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Isabella of Aragon Queen of the Romans |
James II of Barcelona, King of Aragon and Sicily | 1296 | 11 May 1314 | 19 October 1315 husband's election (in opposition)/ 5 September 1325 husband recognised as co-King |
never Empress | 28 September 1322 husband abandons claim/ 13 January 1330 husband's death |
12 July 1330 | Frederick the Handsome | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Wittelsbach (1)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beatrix of Świdnica Queen of the Romans |
Bolko I, Duke of Świdnica | 1290 | 1308 | 20 October 1314 husband's election |
never Empress | 24 August 1322 | Louis IV | ||
Margaret, Countess of Hainaut | William of Avesnes, Count of Hainaut | 1311 | 26 February 1324 | January 1328 | 11 October 1347 | 23 June 1356 | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Luxemburg (2)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blanche of Valois Queen of the Romans |
Charles of Valois | 1316 | May 1329 | 11 July 1346 husband's election (in opposition) |
never Empress | 1 August 1348 | Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Anna of Bavaria Queen of the Romans |
Rudolf II, Duke of Bavaria (Wittelsbach) |
26 September 1329 | 4 March 1349 | 17 June 1349 husband's election (without opposition) |
never Empress | 2 February 1353 | |||
Anna of Świdnica | Henry II, Duke of Świdnica | c. 1339 | 27 May 1353 | 5 April 1355 coronation with husband |
11 July 1362 | ||||
Elizabeth of Pomerania | Bogislav V, Duke of Pomerania | 1347 | 21 May 1363 | 1 November 1368 coronation |
29 November 1378 husband's death | 14 February 1393 | |||
Johanna of Bavaria Queen of the Romans |
Albert I, Duke of Bavaria (Wittelsbach) |
c. 1362 | 29 September 1370 | 10 June 1376 | never Empress | 31 December 1386 | Wenceslaus, King of the Romans | ||
Sofia of Bavaria Queen of the Romans |
John II, Duke of Bavaria (Wittelsbach) |
1376 | 2 May 1389 | never Empress | 20 August 1400 husband's deposition |
26 September 1425 | |||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Wittelsbach (2)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elisabeth of Nuremberg Queen of the Romans |
Frederick V, Burgrave of Nuremberg (Hohenzollern) |
1358 | 27 June 1374 | 21 August 1400 husband's election |
never Empress | 18 May 1410 husband's death |
26 July 1411 | Rupert of Germany | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Luxemburg (3)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barbara of Celje | Hermann II (Celje) |
1390 to 1395 | 1408 | 21 July 1411 husband's election |
31 May 1433 husband's coronation |
9 December 1437 husband's death |
11 July 1451 | Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor | |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Habsburg
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elizabeth of Bohemia Queen of the Romans |
Emperor Sigismund (Luxemburg) |
1409 | 1422 | 18 March 1438 husband's election |
never Empress | 27 October 1439 husband's death |
25 December 1442 | Albert II of Germany | |
Eleanor of Portugal | Edward of Portugal (Aviz) |
18 September 1434 | 16 March 1452 | 19 March 1452 husband's coronation |
3 September 1467 | Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor | |||
Bianca Maria of Milan | Galeazzo Maria, Duke of Milan (Sforza) |
5 April 1472 | 16 March 1494 | 4 February 1508 husband declared "emperor-elect" |
31 December 1510 | Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor | |||
Isabella of Portugal | Manuel I of Portugal (Aviz) |
23 October 1503 | 10 March 1526 | 24 February 1530 husband's coronation |
1 May 1539 | Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor | |||
Anna of Bohemia and Hungary Queen of the Romans |
Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary (Jagiello) |
23 July 1503 | 25 May 1521 | January 1531 husband's election |
never Empress | 27 January 1547 | Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Maria of Spain | Emperor Charles V (Habsburg) |
21 June 1528 | 13 September 1548 | November 1562 husband's election |
25 July 1564 husband's ascension |
12 October 1576 husband's death |
26 February 1603 | Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor | |
Anna of Austria | Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria (Habsburg) |
4 October 1585 | 4 December 1611 | 1612 husband's election |
14 December 1618 | Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor | |||
Eleonore of Mantua | Vincenzo I, Duke of Mantua (Gonzaga) |
23 September (23 February?) 1598 | 4 February 1622 | 15 February 1637 husband's death |
27 June 1655 | Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor | |||
Maria Anna of Spain | Philip III of Spain (Habsburg) |
18 August 1606 | 20 February 1631 | 22 December 1636 husband's election |
15 February 1637 husband's ascension |
13 May 1646 | Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Maria Leopoldine of Austria | Leopold V, Archduke of Austria (Habsburg) |
6 April 1632 | 2 July 1648 | 7 August 1649 | |||||
Eleanor of Mantua | Charles II, Duke of Mantua (Gonzaga) |
18 November 1630 | 30 April 1651 | 2 April 1657 husband's death |
6 December 1686 | ||||
Margaret Theresa of Spain | Philip IV of Spain (Habsburg) |
12 July 1651 | 12 December 1666 | 12 March 1673 | Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor | ||||
Claudia Felicitas of Austria | Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria (Habsburg) |
30 May 1653 | 15 October 1673 | 8 April 1676 | |||||
Eleonore-Magdalena of Neuburg | Philip William, Elector Palatine (Wittelsbach) |
6 January 1655 | 14 December 1676 | 5 May 1705 husband's death |
19 January 1720 | ||||
Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick | John Frederick, Duke of Calenburg (Welf) |
21 April 1673 | 24 February 1699 | 5 May 1705 husband's ascension |
17 April 1711 husband's death |
10 April 1742 | Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel | Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (Welf) |
28 August (28 September?) 1691 | 1 August 1708 | December 1711 husband's election |
20 October 1740 husband's death |
21 December 1750 | Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Wittelsbach (3)
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maria Amalia of Austria | Joseph I (Habsburg) |
22 October 1701 | 5 October 1722 | 24 January 1742 husband's election |
20 January 1745 husband's death |
11 December 1756 | Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
House of Habsburg-Lorraine
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maria Theresa | Charles VI (Habsburg) |
13 May 1717 | 12 February 1736 | 13 September 1745 husband's election |
18 August 1765 husband's death |
29 November 1780 | Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Maria Josepha of Bavaria | Charles VII (Wittelsbach) |
30 March 1739 | 23 January 1765 | 18 August 1765 husband's ascension |
28 May 1767 | Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor | |||
Maria Luisa of Spain | Charles III of Spain (Bourbon) |
24 November 1745 | 5 August 1765 | 30 September 1790 husband's election |
1 March 1792 husband's death |
15 May 1792 | Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Maria Teresa of the Two Sicilies | Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (Bourbon) |
6 June 1772 | 15 August 1790 | 5 July 1792 husband's election |
6 August 1806 husband's abdication |
13 April 1807 | Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Queen | Became Empress | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
Consorts of disputed Kings
In addition to the above, the following women were the wives of men who made claim to the Kingship of Germany, but who are not recognised as official Kings:
- Adelheid of Savoy (d.1080). She was the wife of Rudolf of Rheinfeld, anti-King between 1077 and 1080.
- Beatrice of Brabant (1225 – 11 November 1288). On 10 March 1241, she became the second wife of Henry Raspe, anti-King between 1246 and 1247.
- Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg (d.1266). She was the wife of William II of Holland, who was elected as an anti-King of Germany in 1247. He was crowned King of the Romans at Aachen in 1248, and married Elizabeth in 1252.
- Sanchia of Provence (1225–1261) and Beatrice of Falkenburg (d.1277). They were the second and third (m.1269) wives respectively of Richard of Cornwall, who was elected King of Germany and of the Romans in 1257, in the hope that he would reestablish order in Germany. He was crowned King of the Romans by the Pope at Aachen in 1257; with him was crowned Sanchia.
- Violant of Aragon (1236–1301). She was the wife of Alfonso X of Castile, who claimed and was elected as anti-King to the German throne in 1257 as a grandson of Philip of Swabia. Alfonso never visited Germany, held no authority there, and relinquished his claims in 1275.
- Elisabeth von Hohnstein (died c. 4 April 1380). She was the wife of Günther von Schwarzburg, who was elected King of Germany and of the Romans in place of Louis IV on 30 January 1348, but who was forced to resign his claims by Charles IV on 24 May 1349.