EMPEROR, the title of the highest rank of sovereigns. The word imperator, from im perere, to command, had very different meanings among the Romans at different periods. It sig nified one who exercised impertum authority, whether in a civil or military capacity. In the time of the republic consuls were called imper atores before they entered on their office. The soldiers afterward conferred the title on their general, after a victory, by hailing him imper ator; the Senate also called a victorious general imperator until be had celebrated his triumph. After the overthrow of the republic imperator became the title of the rulers or emperors who assumed to themselves personally every depart ment and privilege of civil and military impe rium. Victorious generals were still, however, sometimes saluted with the title imperator, in its original sense. With the fall of Rome the title was lost in the West, but was kept up in the Eastern or Byzantine empire for nearly 10 cen turies. In 800 it was renewed in the West when Charlemagne was crowned, by Leo III, as olus Augustus, the God-sent and pious emperor of Rome, which title was borne by his succes sors until the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806.
The Eastern Empire having been finally overthrown by the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the imperial dignity in the East became extinct. The sultans, who succeeded the emper ors, have never received, in official language, the title of emperor. This title was adopted in Russia
by Peter I in 1721, but the right of the Russian sovereign to its possession was not acknowledged by the German Empire until 1747, by France in 1745, and by Spain 1759. Napoleon adopted the old idea of an empire, as a general union of states under the protection, or at least political preponderance, of one powerful state. Napoleon crowned himself as emperor in 1804; the title fell into disuse at his deposition in 1815, but was revived by his nephew in 1852, with whom it again ended on 5 Sept. 1870. In 1806 the first German Empire, 1,000 years old, became extinct and the German emperor, Francis II, adopted the title of Francis I, Emperor of Austria. In December 1870 the second German Empire was formed, King William of Prussia having ac cepted the imperial office and title offered him at Versailles while engaged in the siege of Paris.
Great Britain is considered as an empire, the crown as imperial and the Parliament is styled the Imperial Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland; but the sovereign has not the imperial title in reference to the home dominions, though the king bears the title of emperor of India. The sovereigns of Japan and Morocco arc aften, though with little propriety, called emperors.