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How did Rudolf I of Habsburg become German king in 1273?
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House of Habsburg
Ruins of the castle of Habsburg, or Habichtsburg (“Hawk's Castle”), built 1020, the original seat of the house of Habsburg, Aargau canton, Switzerland.
Rudolf I of Habsburg was elected German king in 1273 primarily because the electoral princes sought to avoid choosing a powerful monarch who might threaten their interests or reclaim crown domains lost during the Great Interregnum.12
The election was driven by several key factors:
- Exclusion of Rivals: The electors were determined to exclude powerful candidates, specifically Otakar II of Bohemia, whose growing influence they feared.12
- Papal Influence: Pope Gregory X encouraged the election of a monarch who would support a new crusade to the Holy Land.12
- Rudolf’s Status: As a minor count of Swabia, Rudolf was viewed by the princes as a safe choice who lacked the independent strength to challenge their authority or reclaim lands they had usurped.2
Following his election at Frankfurt and coronation at Aachen in 1273, Rudolf successfully consolidated his position by defeating Otakar II in 1278, which allowed him to secure Austria and Styria for his sons and establish the House of Habsburg as a major territorial power.12