THE HISTORY OF EUROPE & THE CHURCH: Part Six THE HABSBURG EMPIRE - Keith W Stump - January 1984

Keith W Stump

The two decades of anarchy known as the "Great Interregnum" (l254-1273) leave Germany in political ruins. It is the "terrible time without an emperor"- or as the Germans word it, die kaiserlose, schreckliche Zeit. A new period of German history begins when the German princes assemble at Frankfurt in the early autumn of 1273 and elect a Swiss count as German king. He is Rudolf of Habsburg. Three weeks later on October 24, 1273- Rudolf is crowned at the city of Aachen, Charlemagne's old capital. Late the following year he is recognized by Pope Gregory X. Rudolf is the first Habsburg to hold the office of Holy Roman Emperor, though French influence in Rome prevents him from being officially crowned as such by the Pope. - Information Supplied By: Herbert W Armstrong Library