Designation (monarchy)

Where amonarchyis nothereditary,but relies onelection,the reigning monarch may try to influence the succession by thedesignationof a preferred candidate.

Origin of the term

The word "designation" is derived from theLatinand means the nomination, in advance, of someone to anoffice.

Middle Ages

Designation played a significant constitutional and political role in the succession of theFrankishmonarchy and, later, in the succession of kings in theHoly Roman EmpireinMiddle Ages.Because thethronewas not passed on by inheritance, the king tried to determine his successor by making a recommendation to the "greats of the empire" (i.e. the empire's most powerful princes) within his own lifetime. Not infrequently this took the form of an actual nomination, but was probably also indicated by less formal acts.

Four forms of designation can be distinguished, which have legally different meanings:

• thedesignatio de futuro,the obligation demanded by the reigning king on the "great princes" to recognise the succession of his son by swearing anoath of allegianceto the son (examples are the designation of Liudolf in 946 byOtto I,Henry IIIin 1026 andHenry IVin 1050.
• thedesignatio de praesentiof the pre-Hohenstaufen era,the election of the king's son commanded by the king during his lifetime (for example, the designation ofOtto III)
• thedesignatio de praesentiof the Hohenstaufen era (e. g. the designation ofHenry VIin 1169)
• theFremddesignation,i. e. the designation of a successor who is not the son of the ruler (e. g. the designation ofHenry Iin 919 andFrederick Iin 1152)

The attempt by rulers to override the electoral rights of the princes in this way was no longer as successful after 1075, which is why Henry VI pursued anErbreichsplanor "plan for a hereditary empire. With the double election of 1198, he had practically failed, but the right of the princes to elect the king despite a royal designation was settled only with the formation of the college ofelectors(Kurfürstenkolleg).

Literature

• G. Theuerkauf: ArtikelDesignationin:Handwörterbuch zur deutschen Rechtsgeschichte (HRG).2nd edn., Vol. 1, Berlin, 2008, cols. 955–957.
• Ulrich Schmidt:Königswahl und Thronfolge im 12. Jahrhundert (=Forschungen zur Kaiser und Papstgeschichte des Mittelalters.Beihefte zu J. F. Böhmer, Regesta Imperii 7), Cologne, Vienna, 1987.
• Heinrich Mitteis:Die deutsche Königswahl. Ihre Rechtsgrundlagen bis zur Goldenen Bulle.2nd revised edition. Brünn etc. 1944.