Emperor
The Emperor is the leader and ruler of The Empire, the most powerful nation of the Old World. [4a][4b]
He is chosen from the Elector Counts by the fifteen Electors and crowned by the Grand Theogonist. The first Emperor was Sigmar Heldenhammer and his crowning started the reckoning of the Imperial Calendar. The current Emperor, Karl Franz of House Holswig-Schliestein, was crowned in 2502 IC. [4a][4c]
Despite being technically both head-of-state and commander-in-chief of the Imperial military, the Emperor is by no means an absolute ruler. He has to share much of his power, influence and responsibilities with the powerful Elector Counts. [4b]
Contents
Election
Upon the death of an Emperor the throne does not automatically pass to his heir. An election is held with fifteen Electors, ten of which are Elector Counts. The heir of the deceased Emperor is an obvious candidate; under normal circumstances he will be supported by the friends and allies of his predecessor. Therefore a dynastic succession is a strong possibility. However the heir may lose the election due to personal enmities or because of personal failings.[4a]
Nearly all Emperors in Imperial history were chosen from among the Elector Counts and in many ways being an Emperor means being but the "First among equals". He is largely the leader of the Elector Counts, each of whom is powerful and independent. Many matters are debated between the Emperor and the Counts on an equal standing and then agreed upon, and not always as the Emperor wants.[4a]
Powers
The Emperor's power is severely limited by the inability of enforcing his edicts within the semi-independent provinces. Far from the capital and inside their own provinces, the Elector Counts rule and they can choose to largely ignore his edicts and decrees. Furthermore The Empire is not a centralised state, but a feudal confederacy. The Emperor does not control the entire military of the Empire and he does not receive all, or even the majority, of taxes. His taxes and resources are collected from his own province and his own personal treasury will pay the military units under his direct control.
Each of the Elector Counts collects taxes from his respective province and will spend his wealth as he sees fit. He will recruit and pay his own provincial army, who is far more loyal to its local ruler. Depending upon the wealth of the province, a wealthy Elector Count may even afford and recruit a larger army than the Emperor. A wise Emperor will realise that trying to subdue the Elector Counts through threats and/or force is a very dangerous errand, which all too easily ends up in open rebellion and civil war. Gaining their respect and loyalty through example and fair leadership tends to be the best policy.
The Electors can de facto depose a weak emperor and have done so at least once, with Dieter IV. [3a]
Politics
Through the centuries, these three dynamics have remained constant in Imperial politics: [3b]
- Emperors want a hereditary Imperial Throne and need to keep nobles and Grand Theogonist with himwithout yielding too much to them. [3b]
- Nobles want to elect strong and diplomatic Emperor that can defend the Empire, but not so powerful that the electorate system is abolished. [3b]
- Grand Theogonist want a strong Emperor that protects the interests of Cult of Sigmar, but not strong enough that influence the interests of the cult. [3b]
Symbol
Ghal Maraz, the Warhammer of Sigmar, has been the symbol of the Emperor's office since the founding of the Empire.[4c]
Known Emperors
| Name | Reign | Notes | Sources |
| Sigmar Heldenhammer | 1 IC - 50 IC | Chief of the Unberogens, founder of the Empire. Ascended to Godhood. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pg. 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition), pgs. 56, 58 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pg. 30 Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172 Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, pg. 28 |
| Siegrich I | 50 - 51 | Count of Averland.[*] | Tome of Salvation, pg. 15 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition) pg. 272 |
| Hedrich I of Unberogens | 51 - c. 100 | Moves the court back to Reikdorf. Receives the Runefangs from the Dwarfs. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition), pg. 57 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pg. 30 Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition) pg. 272 |
| Fulk | c. 100 | Moved the court to Nuln | Sigmar's Heirs, pg. 14 Forges of Nuln pg. 6 |
| Agnetha I of Nuln | "After Fulk" | Founded the first colleges of Nuln. | Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (1st Edition), pg. 285 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 69 Forges of Nuln pg. 6 |
| Wilhelm I | ? - 263 | Vain tyrant. Defied burial rights of Morr, now haunts the Gardens of Morr of Altdorf as a Wight. | Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pgs. 14, 55, Warhammer: Glottkin pg. 102 |
| Hündrod the Furious | c. 322 | Slays the dragon Mascar the Great in Drakwald Forest | Sigmar's Heirs, pg. 7, 20, Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pgs. 38 |
| Sigismund II the Conqueror | 479 - 505 [***] | The Empire conquers Marienburg. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pg. 30 Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172 Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, pg. 28 |
| Siefried the Lawgiver | 505 - at least 557 | Son of Sigismund II. Moved the court to Nuln, calling Altdorf the "The Great Reek". | Spires of Altdorf pg. 5 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pgs. 4, 10, 14 |
| Hasso | c. 632 | Created an Imperial Navy to combat Norse raiders | Sea of Claws (book) pg. 6 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 14 |
| Siegfried I | 677 - 732 | Corrupt and bellicose ruler. Accidentally burnt to crips by his own Dragon during the Battle of Fates. | Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 13 |
| Jürgen the Opuelent | "during the 9th century" | Sigmar's Heirs, pg. 16, Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 55 | |
| Joachim II | c. 852 | Known as the Witch Hunter Emperor he put the entire town of Stimmigen to the torch after its council was discovered using the services of a sorcerer. | Winds of Magic (book), pg. 10 |
| Ludwig II Hohenbach, also known as Ludwig der Grosse or Ludwig the Fat | c. 1000 | Establishes The Moot, and gives an electoral vote to the Elder of the Moot and the Cult of Sigmar. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pg. 30 Sigmar's Heirs, pg. 14 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 10 |
| Boris Hohenbach, also known as Boris the Incompetent | 1053 - 1115 [**] | The Skaven released the Black Plague which devastates the Empire; Boris is one of its last victims. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pg. 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition), pg. 58 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pg. 30 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 10 Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, pg. 28 |
| none | 1115 - 1124 | The Empire is largely overrun by the Skaven Wars. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pgs. 10, 30 |
| Mandred "Skavenslayer" von Zelt |
1124 - 1152 | Count of Middenland, defeats the Skaven invasion; after a long reign slain by a Skaven Assassin. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pgs. 7, 8, 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pg. 10, 30 Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172 Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, pgs. 28, 42 Sigmar's Heirs, pgs. 16 |
| Age of Wars | 1152 - 1358 | The Electors are unable to choose a true leader. The office of Emperor become a toy to be traded amongst the Elector Counts. This situation continues until 1359. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pg. 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pg. 10, 30 Tome of Salvation, pgs. 19-20 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition) pg. 273 Sigmar's Heirs, pgs. 16 |
| Otto of Solland | 1152 - ? | Direct successor of Mandred. Weakling Emperor. | Sigmar's Heirs, pgs. 16 |
| Bloody Beatrice the Monumentally Cruel |
"during the Age of Wars" | Zealot of Cult of Sigmar. | Drachenfels (novel), Act One, Chapter III Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 176 |
| Didrick the Unjust | "during the Age of Wars" | Tortured and murdered nobles | Drachenfels (novel), Act One, Chapter III Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 10 |
| Wilhelm of Stirland and Ottilia I | 1359 - ? | Count of Stirland, but his election is disputed by Ottilia, Countess of Talabecland, leading to civil war. | The Empire at War, chapter Guile the Battle of the Talabec Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pg. 8, 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition), pg. 59 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pg. 10, 30 Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (4th Edition) pg. 273 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 10 Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, pg. 28 |
| Two feuding candidates | 1360 - 1546 | The Empire is torn by civil war between the elected Emperors and the Ottilian Emperors. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pgs. 8, 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition), pg. 59 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pgs. 10, 30 Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, pg. 28 |
| Age of Three Emperors | 1547 - 1979 | The self-proclaimed Wolf Emperors escalate the civil war. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pg. 8, 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition), pg. 59 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pgs. 10, 31 Warhammer Armies: Beasts of Chaos (6th edition), pg. 11 Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, pgs. 29,42 |
| the Anarchy or the Dark Ages |
1979 - 2303 | Total breakdown of the electorate system after Grand Theogonist refuses to crown elected infant Countess Magritta of Marienburg. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition), pg. 16 Warhammer: The Old World Rulebook, pg. 29 |
| Magnus the Pious von Bildhofen |
2304 - 2369 | A noble of Nuln, saves and re-unites the Empire. Founds the Colleges of Magic in Altdorf. Moved the court to Nuln. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pg. 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition), pgs. 59, 76 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pgs. 14, 31 Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 10 Sigmar's Heirs, pgs. 17-18 |
| Leopold Unfähiger |
2369 - ? | Count of Stirland, grandfather of Dieter IV. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pgs. 10, 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pgs. 15, 31 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 13 Sigmar's Heirs, pg. 18 |
| Dieter IV Unfähiger |
2411 - 2429 | Count of Stirland, fails to defend The Empire from Waaagh! Grom. Receives a bribe in exchange for the independence of Marienburg; was later deposed by the Electors. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pgs. 10, 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pgs. 15, 31 Warhammer Armies: Orcs & Goblins (8th Edition), pg. 21 Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pgs. 10,16 Sigmar's Heirs, pg. 18 |
| Wilhelm the Wise Holswig-Schliestein also known as Wilhelm III[****] |
2429 - at least 2453 | Count of Reikland, cousin of Dieter IV, the Imperial throne has remained in his family until today. Failed to get Marienburg back. Moved the court to Altdorf | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pgs. 10, 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pgs. 15, 31 Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pgs. 10,16 |
| Matthias IV Holswig-Schliestein |
? - 2438 | Count of Reikland, son of Wilhelm III. Disappeared into the fogs of Altdorf "to discover what the common folks thought of their Emperor". | Beasts in Velvet (Novel), pg. 124 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 12 |
| Mattheus II Holswig-Schliestein |
c. 2465 | Count of Reikland, attempted to write a constitution built around the Council of State. Grandfather of Karl Franz. | The Enemy Within, pg. 14 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pgs. 12,20 |
| Luitpold Holswig-Schliestein |
? - 2502 | Count of Reikland, father of Karl Franz. Paranoid ruler. | Drachenfels (novel), Act One, chapter XI Warhammer Companion, pg. 75 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 12 |
| Karl Franz Holswig-Schliestein |
2502 - present | Count of Reikland. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (4th Edition), pg. 11 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition), pg. 60 Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pgs. 15, 31 Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172 Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 12 |
Others
Little is known about several other Emperors and Empresses of the Empire, other than their names and titles only; the years of their reigns are not recorded.
| unknown Emperors & Empresses | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| name | reign | notes | sources |
| Gunthar II the Faithful | unknown, probably early days of the Empire | Ruled during the brief period in which the Empire controlled northern Tilea | Sigmar's Heirs, pg. 26 |
| Frederick | unknown, before 1124 IC | Fought an expansionist war against the Ungols | Blighted Empire (Novel) pg. 59 |
| Albrecht the Wise | unknown | His hair turned white before he was 30 as he saw a daemon dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Guard. | Drachenfels (novel), Act Three, Chapter II |
| Frederick the Bold | ? | Karl Franz's great-grandfather. Carried the Hammer of Judgement. Not neccessarily an Emperor. | Warhammer Armies: The Empire (6th Edition), pg. 20 |
See also
- Dragon Emperor of Cathay
- High King of Karak Ungor
- Hobgobla Khan
- King of Bretonnia
- King of Khemri
- Phoenix King of Ulthuan
- Tzar of Kislev
- elected Emperor, for the respective line of candidates
- Ottilian Emperor, for the respective line of claimants
- Wolf Emperor, for the respective line of pretenders
- Reikland pretender, for the respective line of candidates
- Elector Count of Marienburg, for the respective line of claimants
- Reiksguard, the personal guard of the Emperor.
Notes
 |
- *: WFRP 4th Edition states that Siegrich was of the Asoborns, rather than Averland. Asoborns were the tribe of Stirland.
- **: *The beginning of Boris Goldgather's reign is unclear.
- Several sources note 1053 - 1115.[1] [3d]
- Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition) provides different dates: 1109 - 1115.[2]
- ***: In Altdorf: Crown of the Empire pg. 14 Sigismund ‘The Conqueror’ renamed the capital in 522 IC. But in Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition) gives his reign as 479-505 IC.
- ****:outdated sources name him Wilhelm II
Sources
- 1: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (7th Edition), pg. 30
- 2: Warhammer Rulebook (8th Edition), pg. 172
- 3: Altdorf: Crown of the Empire
- 4: Warhammer Armies: The Empire (8th Edition), pg. 30
