The five great stem duchies of old had by this time declined and three new dynastic houses, the Luxembourg line in Bohemia, the Wittelsbach line in Bavaria and the Habsburg line in Austria, the vied for the German crown and dynastic power.

The period termed the Great Interregnum finalized in 1273, when a new king-emperor, Rudolf of Habsburg was elected. He defeated King Ottokar of Bohemia in the Battle on the Marchfield and Austria and Syria became part of the House of Habsburg.

Upon Rudolf's death, electors were on the lookout for a weak emperor. They initially gave the crown to Adolf of Nassau, deposing him when he began trying to build up too much power and then Rudolf's son, Albert of Austria, who was later murdered. They finally settled on Henry, Count of Luxembourg.