Holy Roman Emperorn.
/ˌhəʊlɪ ˌrəʊmən ˈɛmp(ə)rə/, U.S. /ˌhoʊli ˌroʊmən ˈɛmp(ə)rər/ Now historical.
(A title for) the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire; = emperor n. 1b.
ΘΚΠ
society > authority > rule or government > ruler or governor > sovereign ruler or monarch > emperor > [noun] > of western or Holy Roman Empire
emperorc1325
Kaisera1425
King (also Emperor) of the Romansc1450
Roman Emperor1567
Caesar1673
Holy Roman Emperor1784
Western emperor1790
1784 J. O'Keeffe Agreeable Surprise (new ed.) 23 Fringe. A Princess! Thomas. The Princess Rusky Fusky. She killed two Counts of the holy Roman Emperor.
1866 T. H. Gill Papal Drama ii. 25 Knight, saint, mighty king, and first Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne has been indeed a power among men.
1912 C. Sarolea Anglo-German Probl. 77 The Lutheran King of Prussia is gradually transforming himself into a Holy Roman Emperor; Holy because he is ruler by right divine, Roman because he receives his orders from the Eternal City.
1963 L. W. Cowie 18th-cent. Europe i. 4 Besides being Archdukes of Austria and Kings of Bohemia and Hungary, the Habsburgs also held the office of Holy Roman Emperor, which was an elective position.
2002 R. Cohen By Sword i. iii. 45 In 1527 Francis reneged on a treaty with Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, November 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1784