1764 imperial election
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27 March 1764
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The imperial election of 1764 was an imperial election held to select the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. It took place in Frankfurt on 27 March.
Background
Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor called for the election of his successor. The prince-electors called to Frankfurt were:
- Emmerich Joseph von Breidbach zu Bürresheim, elector of Mainz
- Johann IX Philipp von Walderdorff, elector of Trier
- Maximilian Friedrich von Königsegg-Rothenfels, elector of Cologne
- Maria Theresa, queen regnant of Bohemia
- Maximilian III Joseph, elector of Bavaria
- Frederick Augustus III, elector of Saxony
- Frederick II, elector of Brandenburg
- Charles Theodore, elector of the Electoral Palatinate
- George III, elector of Hanover
Election results
The 1764 imperial election, held on 27 March 1764 in Frankfurt, unanimously elected Joseph II as King of the Romans.[1][2] The Golden Bull of 1356 established seven prince-electors with the right to vote: three ecclesiastical electors (the Archbishops of Mainz, Trier, and Cologne) and four secular electors (the King of Bohemia, the Count Palatine of the Rhine, the Duke of Saxony, and the Margrave of Brandenburg).
| Elector | Title | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Emmerich Joseph von Breidbach zu Bürresheim | Archbishop of Mainz | Joseph II |
| Johann IX Philipp von Walderdorff | Archbishop of Trier | Joseph II |
| Maximilian Friedrich von Königsegg-Rothenfels | Archbishop of Cologne | Joseph II |
| Maria Theresa | Queen of Bohemia | Joseph II |
| Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria | Count Palatine of the Rhine | Joseph II |
| Frederick Christian, Elector of Saxony | Duke of Saxony | Joseph II |
| Frederick II of Prussia | Margrave of Brandenburg | Joseph II |
| Total | 7 votes, 100% (unanimous) | |
Aftermath
Joseph came to the throne on the death of his father on 18 August 1765.
References
- ^ Stollberg-Rilinger, Barbara (2015). The Emperor's Old Clothes: Constitutional History and the Symbolic Language of the Holy Roman Empire. Berghahn Books. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-78238-805-0. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
- ^ Beales, Derek (1987-04-30). Joseph II: Volume 1, In the Shadow of Maria Theresa, 1741-1780. Cambridge University Press. p. 110. ISBN 978-0-521-24240-0. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
