Between 1355 and 1806 the title of
Poet Laureate
was bestowed on around 1500 persons in the territories of the Holy Roman Empire. In some cases the title was conferred by the Emperor himself, on his own initiative or in response to a petitioner. In others the title was granted by a count palatine acting upon the Emperor's behalf, but an even larger number had the title bestowed on them by various German universities exercising this privilege under the Emperor's authority.
The lives and publications of 1340 of these poets were detailed in the four-volume
Poets Laureate in the Holy Roman Empire: A Bio-bibliographical Handbook
published in 2006. This supplementary volume provides similar information about some 130 further poets who have come to light since that work was published. Furthermore, it updates, augments and - where necessary - corrects details relating to the poets covered in the previous volumes. In particular, it includes extensive new information about the two dozen women poets who were laureated in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
Poets Laureate in the Holy Roman Empire: A Bio-bibliographical Handbook,
Volume 1–4 is still available for purchase.