Conrad
Conrad, the name of several German monarchs. The most historically important monarchs from the Conrad family are listed below.
Conrad I (died 918), king of Germany (911-18). He was elected king by the nobility after the extinction of the Carolingian line in Germany. Conrad put down revolts by opponents in the nobility, but failed to halt Magyar raids from the east.
Conrad II (990?-1039), Holy Roman emperor (1024-39), founded the Franconian dynasty and imposed central authority on the nobles of Germany and northern Italy.
Conrad III (1093-1152), king of Germany (1138-52) and first member of the Hohenstaufen family to rule as Holy Roman emperor, although he was never crowned. His claim to the throne led to the long feud between the Guelph and Ghibelline factions of Italy.
Conrad IV (1228-1254), king of Germany and Sicily (1250-54) and last Hohenstaufen to rule as Holy Roman emperor. His father, Emperor Frederick II, made Conrad his heir in 1237. The pope, who supported William of Holland as a candidate for emperor, refused to crown him.