1792 imperial election

The 1792 imperial election, held on 5 July 1792 in Frankfurt, elected Francis of the House of Habsburg as the final Holy Roman Emperor, succeeding his father, Leopold II, who died on 1 March 1792. The seven prince-electors unanimously chose Francis.

Background

The Holy Roman Empire’s elective monarchy, established by the Golden Bull of 1356, tasked seven prince-electors with selecting the King of the Romans, typically crowned Holy Roman Emperor. The electors in 1792 were:

Leopold II’s death on 1 March 1792, during the French Revolution and Great Turkish War, necessitated the election. Leopold’s Declaration of Pillnitz had escalated tensions with France, leading to the War of the First Coalition in April 1792. Francis, Leopold’s son and King of Hungary, was the sole candidate, supported by Habsburg tradition.

Election results

The election took place in Frankfurt on 5 July 1792. Francis, as King of Bohemia, voted. The seven electors unanimously elected Francis, who was crowned King of the Romans in Frankfurt on 14 July 1792.

Aftermath

Francis II faced immediate challenges in the War of the First Coalition, defending the Empire against revolutionary France. His reign ended with the Holy Roman Empire’s dissolution in 1806 under pressure from Napoleon, making the 1792 election the final imperial election.