Wikipedia:Today's featured article/December 22, 2004

In the Holy Roman Empire, the prince-electors were the members of the electoral college, having the function of electing the king of Germany before his accession as the next emperor. During and after the fifteenth century they often merely made formal what was in fact a dynastic succession. Formally, they elected a King of the Romans, who became Holy Roman Emperor only when crowned by the pope. Charles V was the last to be actually crowned; all of his successors were merely "Emperors-Elect." Electors were among the princes of the Empire, but they had several privileges (in addition to electoral ones) which were disallowed to their non-electoral brethren. (more...)

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