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Karl Theodor Anton Maria von Dalberg.

Karl Theodor Anton Maria von Dalberg (February 8, 1744 – February 10, 1817) was Archbishop-Elector of Mainz, Arch-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Empire, and afterwards primate of the Confederation of the Rhine and Grand-Duke of Frankfurt.

Born in Herrnsheim, he was the son of Franz Heinrich, administrator of Worms, one of the chief counsellors of the Elector of Mainz. Karl had devoted himself to the study of Canon law, and entered the church; and, having been appointed in 1772 governor of Erfurt, he won further advancement by his successful administration; in 1787 he was elected coadjutor of Mainz and of Worms, and in 1788 of Konstanz; in 1802 he became Archbishop-Elector of Mainz and Arch-Chancellor of the Empire.

As statesman Dalberg was distinguished by his patriotic attitude, whether in ecclesiastical matters, in which he leaned to the Febronian view of a German national church, or in his efforts to galvanize the atrophied machinery of the Empire into some sort of effective central government of Germany. Failing in this, he turned to the rising star of Napoleon, believing that he had found in the truly great man, the mighty genius which governs the fate of the world, the only force strong enough to save Germany from dissolution.

By the Treaty of Lunéville in 1801, in which all territories on the left bank of the river Rhine were ceded to France, Dalberg had to surrender Worms, Constance and also Mainz. However, he retained Aschaffenburg and in 1803 gained the Reichstädte Wetzlar and Regensburg as well as the territory of the Bishop of Regensburg. Since Mainz had been annexed by France, Dalberg's Archiespicopal see was transferred to Regensburg as well.

In 1806, he, together with other princes, seceded from the Holy Roman Empire and joined the Confederation of the Rhine. He formally resigned the office of Arch-Chancellor in a letter to Emperor Francis II and was appointed by Napoleon Prince primate of the Confederation of the Rhine.

In 1806, the Reichsstadt Frankfurt was included among his territories and after the Treaty of Schönbrunn, he was elevated to the rank of a Grand Duke of Frankfurt. Thereby his territories were greatly augmented, though he had to cede Regensburg to Bavaria.

In 1813 he resigned from all his offices, except the archbishopric of Regensburg, in favour of Napoleon's stepson Eugène de Beauharnais, who had been heir apparent since 1810.

He died in 1817 as Archbishop of Regensburg.

Though politically Dalberg's subservience to Napoleon was resented by the following generations, as a man and prelate he is remembered as amiable, conscientious and large-hearted. Himself a scholar and author, he was a notable patron of letters, and was the friend of Goethe, Schiller and Wieland.

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

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v • d • e German Confederations 1806-1871
Confederation of the Rhine 1806-1813	Protector: Napoleon I of France (1806-1813) Prince primate: Karl Theodor von Dalberg (1806-1813) • Eugène de Beauharnais (1813)
German Confederation 1815-1866	Presidents: Francis I of Austria (1815-1835) • Ferdinand I of Austria (1835-1848) • Francis Joseph I of Austria (1849-1866) Imperial regent: Archduke Johann of Austria (1848-1849)
North German Confederation 1867-1871	President: William I of Prussia (1867-1871)
List of German monarchs – History of Germany – House of Habsburg-Lorraine – House of Hohenzollern