Conrad IV (Hohenstaufen), the last widely recognized ruler as King of the Romans, died in southern Italy. His death is commonly treated as the start of the Great Interregnum, when no single king could secure undisputed authority in the Empire.
Pope Innocent IV died at Naples, after years of conflict between the papacy and the Hohenstaufen. The papal transition mattered for imperial politics because papal policy strongly affected recognition and legitimacy of would-be kings.
Cardinal Rinaldo dei Conti was elected Pope Alexander IV. His pontificate continued papal engagement in imperial and Italian affairs during the interregnum years.
William II of Holland—who had served as King of the Romans (initially as an anti-king to the Hohenstaufen)—died in 1256. His death removed the last effective German king before the contested double election that followed.
A group of prince-electors chose Richard of Cornwall as King of the Romans. His kingship was contested, illustrating how electoral politics and rival blocs of princes prolonged the interregnum’s instability.
A rival electoral faction selected Alfonso X of Castile as King of the Romans, creating a prolonged split claim (Richard vs. Alfonso). The contested election is a hallmark of the Great Interregnum’s fragmented authority.
Richard of Cornwall was crowned King of the Romans at Aachen. Despite the prestigious coronation site, his ability to govern in Germany remained limited, and the rival claim of Alfonso X persisted.
Ottokar II of Bohemia defeated Béla IV of Hungary at the Battle of Kressenbrunn (July 1260), strengthening Ottokar’s control in the Austrian lands. His growing power shaped the electors’ later calculations in choosing Rudolf in 1273.
Richard died in 1272, weakening one side of the rival kingship created in 1257. The absence of a viable, broadly acceptable claimant increased pressure on the electors to reach a new settlement.
The prince-electors chose Rudolf of Habsburg at Frankfurt, a decisive step that is widely treated as ending the Great Interregnum. His selection reflected a preference for a candidate acceptable to multiple factions rather than the most powerful territorial prince.
Rudolf was crowned at Aachen, reinforcing the legitimacy of his election through the traditional coronation rite of the Kings of the Romans.
Pope Gregory X formally recognized Rudolf’s election (after initial curial hesitation), strengthening Rudolf’s standing and helping stabilize the post-interregnum settlement between empire and papacy.
Alfonso X abandoned his long-running claim to the German kingship, removing a major rival title from interregnum politics and further consolidating Rudolf’s position.
At a major imperial assembly at Augsburg, Rudolf moved against Ottokar II of Bohemia for refusing to return disputed imperial fiefs and to acknowledge Rudolf’s authority. The Reichsacht (imperial ban) escalated the conflict that would define Rudolf’s early reign.
The Great Interregnum and Rudolf I of Habsburg's election (1254–1273)
