Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Heads of State of Germany/Deutschland
The Holy Roman Empire lasted 902-1806 and from about the Wesphalian Peace in 1648 until 1803, the Empire was divided into several thousand immediate (unmittelbar) territories, but only about three hundred of these had Landeshoheit (Sovereignty enjoyed by the states of the Empire), and had representation in the Reichstag (Imperial Diet). 1806-66 the German Confederation consisted of a number of sovereign states, 1866 the North German Federation was established, becoming the Deutsche Reich, which lasted until 1945, as an Empire under a German Emperor 1871-1918 and as a Republic from 1918, known as The Weimar Republic until the Nazis took power in 1939 and created the “Third Realm”. Until the Reunification in 1990 the country was divided into the German Democratic Republic, Deutsche Democratische Republik and the Federal Republic of Germany, Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
See also German Substates and Ecclesiastical Territories
848-851 Consors Regni Empress Irmingard de Tours of The Holy Roman Empire
Even though her husband, Lothar I, was only Emperor in parts of the realm (Italy
and Burgundy), she held the title of Consors Regni - co-ruler. She was mother of
9 children, and lived (circa 800-851).
851–875 Consors Regni Empress Angilberga de Spoleto of The Holy Roman Empire and
Italy
As “consors regni” she officially acted as co–ruler of her husband, Emperor
Ludwig II, especially after he was hurt in a hunting accident in 564. She was
especially active in her native Italy, and very politically active in the
effords to secure the succession to her husband, since their two daughters were
barred from inheriting. After her husband's death, she became Abbess of San
Sisto in Piacanzam and lived (circa 825-896/901).
929-46 Metropolitana Editha of England of Magdeburg (Germany)
She was given Magdeburg as her dorwy after the marriage to Otto I, Duke of
Sachsen and Thuringen (936-73) and King of Germany (936-62), of Italy (961-73)
and Emperor (962-73). Also known as Eadgyth/Edgith/Edgitha, and daughter of
Edmund I of Wessex, King of England (939-46) and St. Elgiva, and mother of 2
sons and 1 daughter. (d. 946).
961-62 De-facto in charge of the Government
Dowager Empress Mathilde von Sachsen
She had withdrawn to the convent of Quedlinburg which she founded after the
death of her husband, King Heinrich I in 936, but took over the reigns in
Germany when her son, Otto I, went to Italy after having appointed his infant
son, the later Otto II as regent. She had devoted her time to charity and
founder of numerous convents and she was later declared a saint (Mathilde die Heilige).
She was mother of 3 sons and 2 daughters (among whom Geberga was regent in the
West-Frankish kingdom from 954), and lived (circa 895-968 in Quedlinburg)
984
Regent Dowager Empress Adelheid
890-? Regent
for son Otto II. Unexpected Otto II died young, leaving Theophano with
a 3 year old son, Otto III. Immediately, both Empresses overcame their feelings
of ill will and united to safeguard the child king's claims to power. When
Theophano died, Adelaide took her place as Otto III's regent. She was now sixty
years old. She lived (931-999)
983-90
Regent Dowager Empress Theophano
She was a Byzantine Princess who at the age of seventeen was given to the young
Saxon emperor Otto II. Though elegant and a delicate beauty, she was
high-spirited and a superb politician who brought with her an intimate knowledge
of the intricacies of court life. When her husband died, leaving her with a
three year old son, she took the title "Imperator Augustus" and
defended her son Otto III’s title for seven years from those who challenged
him. For seven years Theophano with tact and firmness administered the empire in
her son's .
997-99
Regent Princess-Abbess Mathilde of Quedlinburg
She was regent for her brother
1002-24
Joint ruler Empress Kunigunde of Luxembourg
1012, 1016 etc. Regent
1024 Co-Regent Dowager Empress
She was her husband, Heinrich II’s closest advisor, and joint ruler. After his
death, she was regent together with
her brother, Bishop Dietrich von Metz and Heinrich V of Bayern. She handed over the Royal Insignia, which she had held from July
till September, to the new
emperor Konrad II. She withdrew to a convent she founded herself and later
became a saint. She lived (circa 980-1033)
1015-.. Regent Dowager Duchess Gisela
von Schwaben of Schwaben (Germany)
1024-39 Co-Regent of Germany
1026-39 Co-Regent of Italy
1027-39 Co-Regent of The Holy Roman Empire
1032-39 Co-Regent of Bourgogne
1056-62
Regent Dowager Empress Agnes de Pointou
She was Duchess Regnant of Bavaria 1055-61.
Regent
for her son, Heinrich IV (1050-?) She was not an experienced politician and was
influenced by the nobility to part with the duchies of Bavaria and Carinthia,
and entered into unwise alliances against the dominant reforming party in the
Papacy. By 1062 discontent led to an uprising in which Anno, Archbishop of Köln,
took over the regency. Agnes retired to a convent where she remained until her
death. She lived (1024-77)
1084-86 Consors Regni Bertha de Turino
Also known as Berthe de Maurienne, she married to Heinrich IV who was king of
Germany from 1066 and attempted to divorce her two years later but the marriage
was mended by the pope. After he was excuminated by Pope Gregor VII in 1076 she
followed him around the realm, and and to Canosssa, where he performed the
penance required to lift his excommunication, and ensure his continued rule. .
When he was crowned as Emperor, she got the title of Consors Regni, co-ruler.
She was daughter of Margravine Regnant Adelaide de Turino (Turin) (d. 1091) and
Otto of Savoy, the mother of 5 children, and lived (circa 1048-86).
1094 Participant in a Rebellion Empress Eupraxia
of Kiev
She joined a rebellion against her husband, Emperor Heinrich IV, accusing him of
holding her prisoner, forcing her to participate in orgies and attempting a
black mass on her naked body. She lived (1067-1109).
1125-37 Joint Ruler Consors Regni Empress
Richenza von Nordheim of the Holy Roman Empire
1136-37 Presided over the Hearings of the Royal Court
She took part in the Imperial Councils.
1155 Consors Regni Empress Beatrix of Upper
Bourgogne of the Holy Roman Empire
Sovereign Countess of Upper Burgundy and Franche-Comté 1148-84 in succession to
her father, Reinald III of Burgundy, and married Friedrich I Barbarossa
(1122-90), who became Emperor in 1155. As Empress she devoted much of her time
to Burgundy and ruled the realm rather independently, using the title of 'Domina
Dux'. She was succeeded by son Otto I, and lived (1140-84).
1637-46 Politically Influential Empress Maria
Anna de Austria of The Holy Roman Empire
Already by the time of her marriage to Archduke Ferdinand, she became very
influential at court. In 1637 he succeeded his uncle as Emperor Ferdinand III,
and she became involved in politics and was his closest aide. During the Thirty
Years War, the imperial family moved to Linz, and here she died of poisoning during
her last pregnancy, her daughter was still alive, and was born by a cesarean,
but died soon after. Maria Anne was daughter of Felip III of Spain and
Archduchess Margarete of Austria, and lived (1606-46).
1705-1711 Politically Influential Empress Wilhelmine Amalie zu
Braunschweig-Lüneburg of The Holy Roman Empire
During the reign of her husband Josef I von Habsburg, she sided with her
mother-in-law, Eleonora Magdalena von Pfalz-Neuburg, and they even founded their
own little court party. After her husband's death, she was no longer involved
with politics, except for the promotion of her two daughters. Her
brother-in-law, Emperor Karl VI, proclaimed the Pragmatic Sanction, which placed
his own daughters before those of his deceased brother, Emperor Josef. At first
she fought against this and counted on the support of their two sons-in-law, the
Electors of Bavaria and Saxony, but gave up when the Austrian court did not
support her. In 1740, after the sudden death of Emperor Karl VI, both her
sons-in-law decided to claim the Imperial office. At first they had the support
of Wilhelmine Amalie but, when the Bavarians started to prepare for war, she
sided with her niece, Maria Teresa. She founded a convent, where she spend the
rest of her life, having lived (1673-1742).
1722-45 Politically Influential Electress Maria Amalia von Habsburg of Bavaria
1743-45 Influential in the Holy Roman Empire
She was married to elector Karl Albrecht of Bavaria, and was a passionate
hunter, loved parties and politics. She was daughter of Emperor Josef I and
Amalie Wilhelmine von Braunschweig-Lüneburg and even though she had accepted the
Pragmatic Solution, she did claim parts Habsburg Inheritance after the death of
her uncle in 1740, but her cousin, Maria Theresia refused this. Maria Amalia's
husband was elected emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, though, in 1742, as Karl
VII. Maria Amalia supported her husband in the Austrian Succession-war, but
after his death, she advised her son, Maximilian III Josef to make peace and
compromise with Vienna. Her sister, Maria Josepha, was very influential as Queen
of Poland from 1733. Maria Amalia lived (1701-56).
1888 Politically Influential Empress Victoria of United Kingdom of Germany
The daughter of Queen Victoria, she was also Princess Royal of United Kingdom.
She was a very liberal person, and her husband, Friedrich shared her views, but
he was already terminally ill with cancer when he became German Emperor in 1888,
and only reigned for 99 days, but during his reign, she was very influential.
She was hostile to the imperial chancellor, Otto von Bismarck and estranged from
her son, Wilhelm III. After the death of her husband, she was generally known as
Kaiserin Friedrich, and lived (1840-1901).
1972-76 3rd Deputy Head of State, President
of the Bundestag Annemarie Renger
Bundestags Vice-President 1976-90. In 1979 she was candidate for the post of
Bundespräsidentin. (b. 1926-)
1988-98
3rd Deputy Head of State, President of the Bundestag, Prof. Dr. Rita
Süssmuth geb. Kickuth
Federal Minister of Youth, Family and Health
1984-88.
(b. 1937-)
1990 Acting Head of State,
President of the People's Chamber Dr. Sabine
Bergmann-Pohl, The German Democratic Republic, DDR/GDR.
In 1990-91 Federal Minister without Portfolio for the New Bundesstates 1991-98,
Parliamentary State Secretary of Health
and member of the Bundestag 1991-2002.
(b. 1946-).
1994-2002
4th Deputy Head of State President of the Constitutional Court Dr.
Jutta Limbach
She was Senator of Justice in Berlin 1989-94. In March 1994 she became
Vice-President of The
Bundesverfassungsgericht and in September it’s President until 2002. In 2002
she became President of the Goethe Institute - the German Cultural Institution. (b. 1934-).
2010-11 Deputy Head of
State, President of the Bundesrat, Minister President Hannelore
Kraft
Member of the
Landtag of NRW since 2000, Minister
of Federal- and European Affairs 2001-05 and Minister of Science and Research in
2005, Parliamentary Leader of the Social
Democrats 2005-20, State Chairperson of
the party from 2007, Federal Vice-Chairperson from 2009 and 1. Vice-President of
the Bundesrat 2011-12. (b. 1961-)
2016-17 Deputy Head of State President
of the Bundesrat Malu Dreyer
Minister of Social Affairs and Family 2002-13 and Minister-President of
Rheinland-Pfalz from 2013 and Vice-President of the Bundesrat
2015-16 and 2017-18 (Designated). (b. 1961-).
Last update 01.11.11