Figure 6.--Emperor Karl I, the son of Arch Duke Otto, is pictured here with his wife and son Prince Otto, at Emperor Francis Joseph's funeral in 1916. Prince Otto wears a white dress with a black morning band. He carries a large floppy whiye hat in his hand.

Arch Duke Karl Ludwig was Emperor Francis Joseph's younger brother. As Crown Prince Rudolph, the Emperor's only son, committed suicide and his other brother Maximillian was killed by Mexican revolutionaries, Karl Ludwig was in line to succeed the Emperor. When he died in 1906, the line of succession went to Karl-Ludwig's descendants, including Francis Ferdinand, his eldest son.

Family

Karl Ludwig was a descendent of one of Europe's most important royal families--the Hapsburgs.

Parents

Karl Ludwig's father was Arch Duke Franz Karl (1802). Franz Karl's parents were Emperor Francis II (1768- ) and Maria Theresa of Naples (1772- ). Karl Ludwig's mother was Princess Sophie (Wittelsbach) of Bavaria (1805- ). Sophie's parents were King Maximilian I Joseph (Wittelsbach) King of Bavaria (1756- ) amd Catharine (Zähringen) of Baden (1776- ).

Siblings

Karl Ludwig (1833-1906) was the youngest son. He had two brothers all three realtively close in age.
Francis Joseph (1830-1816): Of all the Hapsburgs, one of the longest ruling was Francis Joseph I (1830-1916). He also proved to be end of the reining monarchs. By uniting himself with the conservative absolutist foces, he preserved the monarchy for over a half century. In the end, however, his refusal to allow basic democratic reforms would eventually lead tonthe end of the monarchy a few years after his death in 1916. Francis Joseph may indeed be the most tragic figure in the twilight of European monarchies. While he reigned for 7 tumultuous decades, his life was filled with tragedy. His brother Maximilian was executed in Mexico. His sonv Rudolf, a man of liberal ideals who might have saved the monarchy, commited suiside in a torrid love affair. His beloved wife Sisi was stabbed by an anarchist. His heir Francis Ferdinand was assasinated. His Empire had alrady begun to crumble in World War I, even before his death. Francis Joseph's rule was both magnificent and at the same time pathetic. The Austrian monarchy was one of the most prestiogious in Europe. The Emperor himself was the most long-lived soverign. Yet he lived to see Austria reduced to a second rate power by Germany, his loved ones die in tragic circumstances, and his Empire begin to desintegrate.
Maximillian (1832-67): One brother was the ill-fated Maximilian who the French attempted to install as Emperor of Mexico in 1863. He was shot by Mexican Republican forces in 1867 after the Emperor Napoleon III withdrew French forces.
Karl Ludwig (1833-1906): Karl Ludwif was the youngest brother.He had to be exiled after being convicted of taking gross indecencies with a boy at a public bath. While Karl Ludwig played only a minor role in Austrian affairs, he himself became very important in terms of dynastic succession. When Francis Joseph's only son Crown Prince Rudolf killed himself in 1889, the succession then went to Arch Duke Karl Ludwig and after his death in 1906 to his discendents. His son was Franz Ferdinand who became heir to the throne, but was assasinated by Serbian revolutionaries in 1914, setting off World War I.

Childhood

I have no information on Karl-Ludwig's childhhod at this time.

Children

Karl-Ludwig had three sons: Franz-Ferdinand, of a sickly complexion, Otto, of a wild and debauched nature, and Ferdinand-Karl.

Franz-Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand with the suiside of his cousin Crown Prince Rudolf and the death of his father in 1906 stood to inherit the Austro-Hungarian throne. Franz-Ferdinand contracted a morganatic marriage in 1900 with Countess Sophie Chotek, his children could not inherit the throne. He was killed by Serbian nationalists during a visdit to Bosnia in 1914, setting in motion World War I.

Otto

Otto married Princess Maria-Jose of Saxony to satisfy the dynasty's pressing need for heirs. The marriage was loveless, and even though two children were born of it, Emperor Karl I and Archduke Ferdinand. Otto never stopped womanizing and enjoying all the pleasures that Vienna offered to a handsome member of the Habsburg dynasty. After Franz-Joseph's death in 1916, it was Archduke Otto's son Karl who finally inherited the crown. Archduke Karl in fact was the sixth heir-presumptive to Franz Joseph's throne.

Ferdinand-Karl

Ferdinand Karl was only too ready to give up his imperial rights and become a commoner under the name Ferdinand Burg.

Created: February 26, 1999
Last updated: June 24, 2002