Archduke Karl Ludwig Josef Maria of Austria (30 July 1833 – 19 May 1896) was the younger brother of both

Franz Joseph I of Austria Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I ( ; ; 18 August 1830 – 21 November 1916) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary, and the ruler of the Grand title of the emperor of Austria, other states of the Habsburg monarchy from 1848 until his death ...

and

Maximilian I of Mexico Maximilian I (; ; 6 July 1832 – 19 June 1867) was an Austrian Empire, Austrian archduke who became Emperor of Mexico, emperor of the Second Mexican Empire from 10 April 1864 until his execution by the Restored Republic (Mexico), Mexican Republ ...

, and the father of

Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassination in Sarajevo was the ...

(1863–1914), whose

assassination Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

ignited

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. His grandson,

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

, was the last emperor of Austria.

Biography

He was born at

Schönbrunn Palace Schönbrunn Palace (Austrian German, German: Schloss Schönbrunn ) was the main summer residence of the House of Habsburg, Habsburg rulers, located in Hietzing, the 13th district of Vienna. The name ''Schönbrunn'' (meaning "beautiful spring") ha ...

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

, the son of

Archduke Franz Karl of Austria Archduke Franz Karl Joseph of Austria (17 December 1802 – 8 March 1878) was a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. He was the father of two emperors: Franz Joseph I of Austria and Maximilian I of Mexico. Through his third son Karl Lud ...

(1802–1878) and his wife

Princess Sophie of Bavaria Princess Sophie of Bavaria (Sophie Friederike Dorothea Wilhelmine; 27 January 1805 – 28 May 1872) was the daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and his second wife, Caroline of Baden. The identical twin sister of Queen Maria Anna of ...

(1805–1872). His mother ensured he was raised a devout Roman Catholic by the Vienna prince-archbishop

Joseph Othmar Rauscher Joseph Othmar Ritter von Rauscher (6 October 1797 – 24 November 1875) was an Austrian Prince-Archbishop of Vienna and cardinal. Life Joseph Othmar von Rauscher was born in Vienna on 6 October 1797. He received his earlier education at th ...

, a conviction that evolved into religious mania in his later years. Though not interested in politics, the 20-year-old joined the Galician government of Count

Agenor Romuald Gołuchowski Count Agenor Romuald Gołuchowski (8 February 1812, Skala-Podilska, Galicia – 3 August 1875, Lwów, Galicia) was a Polish-Austrian conservative politician, member of parliament of Austria, Minister of Interior and governor of Galicia, and fat ...

and in 1855 accepted his appointment as Tyrolean stadtholder in

Innsbruck Innsbruck (; ) is the capital of Tyrol (federal state), Tyrol and the List of cities and towns in Austria, fifth-largest city in Austria. On the Inn (river), River Inn, at its junction with the Wipptal, Wipp Valley, which provides access to the ...

, where he took his residence at

Ambras Castle Ambras Castle () is a Renaissance architecture, Renaissance castle and palace located in the hills above Innsbruck, Austria. Ambras Castle is above sea level. Considered one of the most popular tourist attractions of the Tyrol (state), Tyrol, Amb ...

. However, he found his authority to exert power restricted by the Austrian cabinet of his cousin Archduke Rainer Ferdinand and

Baron Alexander von Bach Alexander, Baron von Bach (German: ''Alexander Freiherr von Bach''; 4 January 1813, Loosdorf, Austria – 12 November 1893, Schöngrabern, Austria) was an Austrian politician. His most notable achievement was instituting a system of centralized ...

. He finally laid down the office upon the issue of the 1861

February Patent The February Patent was a constitution of the Austrian Empire promulgated in the form of letters patent on 26 February 1861. Background In the Austrian Empire, the early 1860s were a period of significant constitutional reforms. The revolutions ...

for a life as

patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, art patronage refers to the support that princes, popes, and other wealthy and influential people ...

of the arts and sciences. As the eldest surviving brother of the Emperor, Karl Ludwig, after the death of his nephew Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria in 1889, became

heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of a person with a better claim to the position in question. This is in contrast to an heir app ...

to the

Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...

. A newspaper article appeared shortly after the death of his nephew claiming that the Archduke had renounced his succession rights in favor of his eldest son Franz Ferdinand. This rumor proved to be false.

Marriage and family

Karl Ludwig married three times. His first wife, whom he married on 4 November 1856 at

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

, was his first cousin Margaretha of Saxony (1840–1858), the daughter of Johann of Saxony (1801–1873) and

Amalie Auguste of Bavaria Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria (13 November 1801, in Munich – 8 November 1877, in Dresden) was a Bavarian princess by birth and Queen of Saxony by marriage to King John of Saxony. Biography Amalie was the fourth child of King Maximilian ...

(1801–1877). She died on 15 September 1858 and they had no children. His second wife, whom he married by proxy on 16 October 1862 at

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, and in person on 21 October 1862 at

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

, was Princess Maria Annunziata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (1843–1871), daughter of

Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies Ferdinand II (; ; ; 12 January 1810 – 22 May 1859) was King of the Two Sicilies from 1830 until his death in 1859. Family Ferdinand was born in Palermo to King Francis I of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Maria Isabella of Spain. ...

(1810–1859) and

Maria Theresa of Austria Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina; 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, and the only woman to hold the position in her own right. She was the sovereig ...

(1816–1867). They had four children: *

(18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914), whose assassination was a cause for the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. He married morganatically Countess Sophie Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin on 1 July 1900. They had three children. * Archduke Otto Franz Joseph of Austria (21 April 1865 – 1 November 1906) he married Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony (1867–1944) on 2 October 1886. They had two sons, including

Karl I Charles I (, ; 17 August 1887 – 1 April 1922) was Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary (as Charles IV), and the ruler of the other states of the Habsburg monarchy from November 1916 until the monarchy was abolished in November 1918. He was the ...

, the last Emperor of Austria. * Archduke Ferdinand Karl of Austria (27 December 1868 – 12 March 1915) he married morganatically Bertha Czuber on 15 August 1909. * Archduchess Margarete Sophie of Austria (13 May 1870 – 24 August 1902) she married

Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg Albrecht, Duke and Crown Prince of Württemberg (Albrecht Maria Alexander Philipp Joseph; 23 December 1865 – 31 October 1939) was the last crown prince of the Kingdom of Württemberg, a German military commander of World War I, and the head of ...

on 24 January 1893. They had seven children. Maria Annunziata died on 4 May 1871. His third wife, whom he married on 23 July 1873 at

Kleinheubach Kleinheubach is a market municipality in the Miltenberg district in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Lower Franconia (''Unterfranken'') in Bavaria, Germany and the seat of the like-named ''Verwaltungsgemeinschaft'' (municipal association). As of the 2 ...

, was Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal (1855–1944), daughter of

Miguel I of Portugal '' Dom'' Miguel I (26 October 1802 – 14 November 1866), known by several nicknames, was the King of Portugal between 1828 and 1834. He was son of King John VI and Queen Carlota Joaquina. Following his exile as a result of his actions ...

(1802–1866) and

Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg (3 April 1831 – 16 December 1909) was the wife of the deposed king Miguel I of Portugal. As a widow, she secured advantageous marriages for their six daughters. Early life Princess Adelaide Sofia Ame ...

(1831–1909). They had two daughters: *

Archduchess Maria Annunziata of Austria Archduchess Maria Annunziata of Austria (31 July 1876 – 8 April 1961) was a daughter of Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria and his third wife, Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal. She was Princess-Abbess of the Theresian Royal and Imperial La ...

(31 July 1876 – 8 April 1961). Abbess of the Theresia Convent in the Hradschin,

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

. *

Archduchess Elisabeth Amalie of Austria Archduke (feminine: Archduchess; German: ''Erzherzog'', feminine form: ''Erzherzogin'') was the title borne from 1358 by the Habsburg rulers of the Archduchy of Austria, and later by all senior members of that dynasty. It denotes a rank within ...

(7 July 1878 – 13 March 1960) she married Prince Aloys of Liechtenstein on 20 April 1903. They had eight children.

Death

Karl Ludwig died of typhoid at Schönbrunn in Vienna after returning from a journey to

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

and

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

, allegedly after the consumption of contaminated

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

waters. His widow Maria Teresa died on 12 February 1944.

Honours and awards

;Austrian orders and decorations Hof- und Staats-Handbuch der Österreichisch-Ungarischen Monarchie
(1896), Genealogy p. 2 *

Knight of the Golden Fleece This article contains a list of knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Burgundian Golden Fleece 15th century !Year of induction!!Name!!Born!!Died!!Notes , - , rowspan=25, 1430, , Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, , 1396, , 1467, , Founde ...

, ''1852'' * Grand Cross of St. Stephen, ''1859''"A Szent István Rend tagjai"
* Military Merit Medal on red ribbon * Long Service Cross for Officers, 2nd Class ;Foreign orders and decorations

Ancestry

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Karl Ludwig of Austria, Archduke 1833 births 1896 deaths Deaths from typhoid fever in Austria Nobility from Vienna Austrian princes Burials at the Imperial Crypt House of Habsburg-Lorraine Knights of the Golden Fleece of Austria Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Russia) Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 1st class Recipients of the Order of the Cross of Takovo Heirs presumptive