Primas Germaniae
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Primas Germaniae is a historical title of honor for the most important Catholic bishop in Germany.
Since at least 965 the Title was held by the Archbishop of Mainz as most important Archbishop and most noble Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire until the See of Mainz was secularized in 1803. The Archbishop of Mainz was Primus inter pares of the German Prince-electors and chairman of the Council of Electors at the Reichstag. He was the Pope's legatus natus (substitute) north of the Alps. Also he had the right to convoke and to preside the Electors' Council to elect a new Emperor.
The honorary title Primus Germaniae also was held by the most noble ecclesiastical member of the Council of the Princes at the Reichstag: first the Archbishop of Magdeburg until the see of Magdeburg was secularized in 1648; thereafter the Archbishop of Salzburg. Since then the title is held by the Archbishops of Salzburg, despite the fact that Salzburg belongs to Austria now.
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