The 1273 Imperial Election

[Wendell]

I have two questions regarding the 1273 Imperial Election in the Holy Roman Empire.

First, what would it have taken for Frederick I the Brave, Margrave of Meissen, to have been elected?

Second, why was the Burgrave of Nuremburg able to vote on behalf of Brandenburg, an electorate his family would not rule for another century and a half?

 

[Wendell]

This strikes me as an under-explored idea as the OTL outcome caused the rise of the Hapsburgs to prominence, unless I'm looking at it the wrong way.

 

[kasumigenx]

I have two questions regarding the 1273 Imperial Election in the Holy Roman Empire.

First, what would it have taken for Frederick I the Brave, Margrave of Meissen, to have been elected?

Second, why was the Burgrave of Nuremburg able to vote on behalf of Brandenburg, an electorate his family would not rule for another century and a half?

They will reclaim sicily for their kin butterflying the war of vespers.

 

[Wendell]

They will reclaim sicily for their kin butterflying the war of vespers.

That I had not considered at all. Would they really be in a position to do so?

 

[kasumigenx]

That I had not considered at all. Would they really be in a position to do so?

Perhaps a double marriage between the Wettins and Anjou-Sicily might be an alternative.

 

[John7755 يوحنا]

@Wendell

Frederick III of Hohenzollern was the elector in this instance as a result of disunity in the Northern March, the Margraviate of Brandenburg. At the time, Brandenburg was divided into four different rulers of the Ascanian house. Their realms were divided in two and then separated further by each sector having two monarchs. As such, four were margraves. Hence, Frederick III lord of an important realm, was nominated to represent the divided state of affairs of Brandenburg.

Custom dictated an elector-ship for the margrave, but since this realm had four margraves, such was untenable. Innocent III ruled that the emperor had powers to distribute ‘elector’ status to another in event of circumstance. However, the electorship role remained with the name of the official elector. In other words, the emperor could not create new elector titles, but could distribue an existing privilege to another as representative of the other.

 

[Wendell]

@Wendell

Frederick III of Hohenzollern was the elector in this instance as a result of disunity in the Northern March, the Margraviate of Brandenburg. At the time, Brandenburg was divided into four different rulers of the Ascanian house. Their realms were divided in two and then separated further by each sector having two monarchs. As such, four were margraves. Hence, Frederick III lord of an important realm, was nominated to represent the divided state of affairs of Brandenburg.

That makes sense. It's prescient that they went with him given his family's later successes in Brandenburg.

 

[John7755 يوحنا]

That makes sense. It's prescient that they went with him given his family's later successes in Brandenburg.

I added an addendum as well, which you may look at to help to define why he was made representative of Brandenburg. Rather than Nuremberg becoming itself an elector.

 

[Wendell]

I added an addendum as well, which you may look at to help to define why he was made representative of Brandenburg. Rather than Nuremberg becoming itself an elector.

That makes sense. Thanks.