Holy Roman Emperor

The Holy Roman Emperor, formally the Emperor of the Romans (Latin: Imperator Romanorum) is the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. The title was first created for Emperor Charlemagne when he was crowned by the Pope in 777, and pretends to the succession of the ancient Roman Empire, a claim it contends with the Byzantine Empire. The Holy Roman Emperor is elected by a college of seven electors, and the candidate so elected as King of the Romans (the precise title varied; until the accession of Odilo of Bavaria the title was King of the Franks, but that title was always held by a Karling) is then to be crowned by the Pope.

Election and Coronation
The title of Holy Roman Emperor has historically been within the gift of the Pope following the part that the successor of St. Peter played in crowning Emperor Charlemagne. However, according to the laws and customs first established by Charlemagne in his great reform of the Empire in his late reign, the actual power to designate the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire falls to the previous Emperor, assisted by a college of eight high-ranking vassals known as the Prince-Electors of the Empire. The person elected by the electors upon the death of the previous holder of the title is not immediately recognised as the Emperor, though he is to all intents and purposes the holder of the Imperial office. Until they are crowned by the Pope, the holders of the office are instead referred to as King (up until 818 as King of the Franks and after 821 also occasionally as King of the Romans, owing to the fact that the Carolingians are also hereditary holders of the former title). The fact that the election was formally an election of a King of the Franks signifies Charlemagne's intent to secure his dynasty through instituting the electoral system, and that the Carolingians initially regarded the vote as a mere formality. This was a bone of contention between the electors and the Carolingian Emperors.

Agilofing Dynasty
''The Agilofings on the Imperial throne were never crowned Emperor before Tassilo was forced to cede the Crown to Charles II Karling. As such, history generally considers them to have been anti-Kings.''