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The title had this function beginning late in the Salian period, but had already been used as early as Ottonian times onwards, especially by Emperor Henry II, when it began to supersede King of the Germans (Lat.: rex Teutonicorum), implying an imperial role that was, at that time, rejected by the papacy.

It was also the title of an heir-designate who was elected within the lifetime of the Emperor.

After coronation as Holy Roman Emperor (and sometimes even before that), the title was augmented with the imperial semper Augustus ("ever majestic" or "ever greater", Augustus deriving from the Latin verb augere, "to grow"). This connotation of "growth" implied an obligation to oppose the loss of royal prerogatives (as in Italy) or the loss of territory (as on the western border with France).

King of the Romans was also the name the Franks gave to Syagrius, a Roman general who ruled Northern Gaul in the late 5th century4th century 5th century 6th century other centuries) Events Rome sacked by Visigoths in 410. Attila the Hun conquers large parts of Europe, threatens to attack Rome in 452 Vandals conquer Carthage in 439, sack Rome in 455 At some point after 440, the Angl.

References

This article uses material translated from the in the German-language wikipedia, which, in turn, cites a source that contains further references:

• H. Beumann: Rex Romanorum, in: Lexikon des Mittelalters, Bd. 7, Sp. 777 f.