Wikipedia
The prince-electors (or simply electors) of the Holy Roman Empire ( , pl. Kurfürsten, , ) were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire.
From the 13th century onwards, the Prince-Electors had the privilege of electing the King of the Romans, who would be crowned by the Pope as Holy Roman Emperor. Charles V was the last to be a crowned Emperor (elected 1519, crowned 1530); his successors were elected Emperors directly by the electoral college, each being titled "Elected Emperor of the Romans" (; ). In practice, all but one Emperor after 1440 came from the Austrian House of Habsburg, and the Electors merely ratified the Habsburg succession.
The dignity of Elector carried great prestige and was considered to be second only to that of King or Emperor. The Electors had exclusive privileges that were not shared with the other princes of the Empire, and they continued to hold their original titles alongside that of Elector. The heir apparent to a secular prince-elector was known as an electoral prince .