a person who has a right to elect or choose another to an office, honour, &c. See ELECTION.

Elector is particularly, and by way of eminence, applied to those princes of Germany in whom lies the right of electing the emperor; being all sovereign princes, and the principal members of the empire.

The electoral college, consisting of all the electors of the empire, is the most illustrious and august body in Europe. Bellarmine and Baronius attribute the institution of it to Pope Gregory V. and the emperor O, ELE

the III. in the tenth century; of which opinion are the generality of historians, and particularly the canonists: however, the number of electors was unsettled, at least, till the 13th century. In 1356 Charles IV. by the golden bull, fixed the number of electors to seven; three ecclesiastics, viz. the archbishops of Mentz, Treves, and Cologne; and four secular, viz. the king of Bohemia, count Palatine of the Rhine, duke of Savony, and marquis of Brandenburg. In 1648 this order was changed, the duke of Bavaria being put in the place of the count Palatine, who having accepted the crown of Bohemia, was outlawed by the emperor; but being at length restored, an eighth electorate was erected for the duke of Bavaria. In 1692, a ninth electorate was created, by the emperor Leopold, in favour of the duke of Hanover, of the house of Brunswick-Lunenburg.

There is this difference between the secular and ecclesiastical electors, that the first have an active and passive voice, that is, may choose and be chosen; the last an active only. The three archbishops are to be 30 years old before they can be advanced to the dignity; the seculars 18, before they can perform the office themselves. These last have each their vicars, who officiate in their absence.

Besides the power of choosing an emperor, the electors have also that of capitulating with and deposing him; so that, if there be one suffrage wanting, a protest may be entered against the proceedings. By the right of capitulation, they attribute to themselves great privileges, as making of war, coining, and taking care of the public interest and security of the states; and the emperor promises, upon oath, to receive the empire upon these conditions.

The electors have precedence of all other princes of the empire, even of cardinals and kings; and are addressed under the title of electoral highness.

Their several functions are as follow. The elector of Mentz is chancellor of Germany, convokes the states, and gives his vote before any of the rest. The elector of Cologne is grand chancellor of Italy, and consecrates the emperor. The elector of Treves is chancellor of the Gauls, and confers imposition of hands upon the emperor. The count Palatine of the Rhine is great treasurer of the empire, and presents the emperor with a globe at his coronation. The elector of Bavaria is great master of the imperial palace, and carries the golden apple. The marquis of Brandenburg is grand-chamberlain, and puts the ring on the emperor's finger. The elector of Saxony is grand marshal, and gives the sword to the emperor. The king of Bohemia is grand butler, and puts Charlemagne's crown on the emperor's head. Lastly, the elector of Hanover, now king of Great Britain, is arch-treasurer, though first erected under the title of standard-bearer of the empire.