King of the Germans
- noun
- Archaic
:
Rey de los alemanes
- Frederick II was elected as King of the Germans in 1212 by the German princes.
Examples
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The King of the Germans held considerable influence over the affairs of Central Europe during the Middle Ages.
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The King of the Germans was crowned in a grand ceremony.
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The title of King of the Germans was adopted by rulers before their coronation as Holy Roman Emperor.
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Many believed that the King of the Germans had divine right.
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King of the Germans was a title often associated with rulers striving for the imperial crown in medieval Europe.
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In 962, Otto I was crowned as the first King of the Germans and subsequently established the Holy Roman Empire.
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Frederick II, a notable King of the Germans, was known for his progressive administration during the 13th century.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A man who rules a country and usually gets the job from his family
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'sovereign ruler of the German people' is directly and transparently derived from 'king' + 'of the Germans' — a straightforward possessive/relational construction (king of X) that indicates rulership. Although the phrase can have a specific historical title sense, the core compositional meaning is literal and cross-linguistically regular, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will understand it.
Etymology
King of the Germans came from the old practice where German princes chose a man to be their king and leader of the Germans before he was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. So, it literally meant a ruler 'of the German people' and was used as a title before becoming emperor.