Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
On 1 October 1685, Archduke Charles of Austria was born at the Hofburg Palace
in Vienna, Austria.
Family
His parents were Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and Princess Eleonore
Magdalena of Neuburg.
Magdalena of Neuburg.
His paternal grandparents were Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor and
Maria Anna of Spain.
Maria Anna of Spain.
His maternal grandparents were Prince William, Elector Palatine and
Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.
Elisabeth Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt.
Archduke Charles of Austria was thus a member of the royal house of
Habsburg.
Habsburg.
Youth
The tutor of Archduke Charles was Anton Florian, Prince of Liechtenstein.
Duty
After the death of King Charles II of Spain in 1700 there was a succession
crisis because he had no direct heir.
crisis because he had no direct heir.
Archduke Charles declared himself King of Spain, because both were
members of the House of Habsburg. This caused the War of the Spanish
Succession against the French candidate Philip, Duke of Anjou, who
was a grandson of King Louis XIV of France. The Battle lasted almost
14! years.
members of the House of Habsburg. This caused the War of the Spanish
Succession against the French candidate Philip, Duke of Anjou, who
was a grandson of King Louis XIV of France. The Battle lasted almost
14! years.
Love and Marriage
Charles's father and his advisors wanted now a suitable wife for him. They
chose Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the eldest child of
Louis Rudolf, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.
chose Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the eldest child of
Louis Rudolf, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.
On 1 August 1708, Charles and Elisabeth Christine were married in the
church of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona.
church of Santa Maria del Mar in Barcelona.
In 1711 Charles went to Vienna to become Holy Roman Emperor and he
left his wife behind in Spain. In 1713 Elisabeth Christine joined her
husband in Vienna.
left his wife behind in Spain. In 1713 Elisabeth Christine joined her
husband in Vienna.
Duty (2)
In 1722, Charles founded the Ostend Company which was based in the
Austrian Netherlands.
Austrian Netherlands.
In the first part of his reign the empire continued to expand. After the
Austro-Turkish War (1716-1718) Banat was add to Hungary. He also
established Austrian rule over Serbia and Oltenia.
Austro-Turkish War (1716-1718) Banat was add to Hungary. He also
established Austrian rule over Serbia and Oltenia.
Charles also became the ruler of Sardinia.
In 1737 the Emperor embarked on another Turkish War in alliance with
Russia. This ended in a decisive Austrian defeat.
Russia. This ended in a decisive Austrian defeat.
Death
After a hunting trip across the Hungarian border, the Emperor fell seriously
ill. He died on 20 October 1740 in the Hofburg. He was buried at the
Imperial Crypt in Vienna.
ill. He died on 20 October 1740 in the Hofburg. He was buried at the
Imperial Crypt in Vienna.
Source pictures: Wikipedia
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