Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria was the Pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Tuscany from 1984 until renouncing his rights in favor of his son in 1993.

Archduke Leopold Franz Peter Ferdinand Maria Joseph Gottfried Georg Karl Otto Rudolf Michael was born at Leutstetten Castle, near Starnberg, Bavaria, on October 25, 1942. He was the only son of Archduke Gottfried of Austria and Princess Dorothea of Bavaria. He had three sisters:

  • Archduchess Elisabeth (1939) – married Friedrich Edler von Braun, had issue
  • Archduchess Alice (1941) – married Baron Vittorio Manno, had issue
  • Archduchess Marie Antoinette (1950) – married Baron von Proff zu Irnich, had issue

Leopold Franz married Laetitia de Bezunce d’Arenberg in a civil ceremony on June 19, 1965 and religious ceremony on July 28, 1965. The couple had two children:

  • Sigismund (1966) – married Elyssa Edmonstone, had issue
  • Gontran (1967) – married Debora de Sola, had issue

He studied engineering in Munich and later lived in Uruguay from 1965 until 1973 when he moved to Austria. He and his wife divorced in 1981. Twelve years later, he married for a second time, in June 1993, to Marta Julia Perez Valverde. At that time, Leopold Franz renounced his rights as head of the House of Tuscany in favor of his son, Sigismund. The couple later divorced in 1998.

Archduke Leopold Franz died on June 23, 2021 at the age of 78.

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This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Grand Duchy of Tuscany Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Wedding of Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Rajwa Al Saif

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

On June 1, 2023, Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan married Rajwa Al Saif at Zahran Palace in Amman, Jordan.

Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan

Credit – Wikipedia

Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah of Jordan was born at the King Hussein Medical Center in Amman, Jordan on June 28, 1994, the eldest child of the then Prince Abdullah bin Hussein and Rania al Yassin. His father was the eldest son of King Hussein I of Jordan and his second wife Princess Muna al-Hussein, born Antoinette Gardiner in the United Kingdom. When King Hussein I died on February 7, 1999, Abdullah became King of Jordan and respected his father’s wishes, appointing his half-brother Hamzah Crown Prince. In 2004, King Abdullah II stripped Hamzah of the Crown Prince title. As he did not name a replacement, this made Hussein his father’s heir-apparent under the existing succession laws. On July 2, 2009, King Abdullah II issued a decree formally granting Hussein the title of Crown Prince.

Crown Prince Hussein has three younger siblings:

  • Princess Iman (born 1996), married Jameel Thermiotis, born Dimitrios Alejandro Thermiótis Hernández
  • Princess Salma (born 2000)
  • Prince Hashem (born 2005)

Crown Prince Hussein completed his secondary education at King’s Academy in Madaba-Manja, Jordan in 2012. In 2016, the Crown Prince graduated from Georgetown University in Washington DC with a degree in international history. In August 2017, Crown Prince Hussein graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, a family tradition.

Crown Prince Hussein often attends state and military functions with his father and takes an active interest in the welfare of the Jordanian people. He has also served as Regent when his father is out of the country.

Rajwa Al Saif

Credit – Wikipedia

Born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on April 28, 1994, Rajwa Khaled bin Musaed bin Saif bin Abdulaziz Al Saif is the youngest of the four children of Khalid Al Saif and his wife Azza Al Sudairi. Rajwa’s father is the CEO of the Al Saif Group, a privately-owned company with a diverse portfolio of healthcare, construction, and security services businesses. Rajwa is a member of the Al Saif family which dates back to the Subai tribe in the town of Al-Attar in Sudair, Najd, Saudi Arabia, where her ancestors were the sheikhs of the town.

After completing her primary and secondary education in Saudi Arabia, Rajwa attended the School of Architecture at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, in the United States, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Architecture. In addition, Rajwa also holds a degree in Visual Communications from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, California, in the United States. Rajwa was employed by an architecture firm in Los Angeles, California, and at the time of her engagement, she was employed by Designlab Experience, a design studio in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Engagement

Crown Prince Hussein giving Rajwa Al Saif the engagement ring; Credit – Royal Hashemite Court

On August 17, 2022, the Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan announced the engagement of Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif. The engagement ceremony, where Hussein presented Rajwa with a pear-shaped Harry Winston diamond ring, took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at Rajwa’s family home and was attended by members of the Al Saif family and the following members of the Jordanian royal family:

  • King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, Crown Prince Hussein’s parents
  • Prince Hassan bin Talal, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal great-uncle
  • Prince Hashem bin Abdullah, Crown Prince Hussein’s brother
  • Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal half-uncle
  • Prince Hashim bin Al Hussein, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal half-uncle
  • Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal first cousin once removed
  • Prince Rashid bin El Hassan, Crown Prince Hussein’s paternal first cousin once removed

Pre-Wedding Celebrations

The Henna Party – Rajwa Al Saif and Queen Rania enjoying the entertainment; Credit – Queen Rania Official Website

On May 22, 2023, Queen Rania hosted a traditional henna party in honor of Rajwa Al Saif at the
Madareb Bani Hashem, located at Raghadan Palace. A henna party, a significant pre-wedding celebration that many cultures celebrate, is usually held several days before the wedding. The bride, her female relatives, and her friends celebrate the upcoming wedding by having a professional henna artist apply beautiful, elaborate designs on their hands and feet. Older women may offer guidance and wisdom to the bride-to-be as she begins her married life.

Rajwa’s henna party was a joyous affair, with traditional music and dancing. Traditional Jordanian and Saudi songs were performed by Nedaa Shrara, Diana Karazon, and Zain Awad, with performances by the Haleem Musical Group, the Al-Salt Girls Band, and the Misk Dance Company. The henna party was followed by a dinner hosted by Queen Rania, who gave a speech in honor of her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.

Hussein (standing in the black shirt) with the guests at the groom’s shower; Credit – Crown Prince Hussein Instagram

On May 31, 2023, Hussein’s first cousin Prince Omar bin Faisal, hosted a groom’s shower attended by male relatives and friends. That evening, King Abdullah II hosted a dinner party in honor of the wedding at the Royal Madareb Bani Hashem, located at Raghadan Palace. Over 4,000 male guests attended the dinner party that showcased the culture of Jordan’s Hashemite rulers. The guests included representatives of Jordan’s tribes, Circassian and Chechen communities, members of civil society organizations, businesspeople, youth figures, former and current government officials, and army and security agencies personnel.

Wedding Guests – A Partial List

Guests at the wedding ceremony; Credit – Royal Hashemite Court

There were 140 guests at the wedding ceremony and over 1,700 guests at the wedding reception so not all the guests attended the wedding ceremony. The guests in bold below attended the wedding ceremony.

Relatives of the Groom

  • King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, the groom’s parents
  • Princess Iman bint Abdullah and Jameel Alexander Thermiótis, the groom’s sister and brother-in-law
  • Princess Salma bint Abdullah, the groom’s sister
  • Prince Hashem bin Abdullah, the groom’s brother
  • Princess Muna Al Hussein, the groom’s paternal grandmother
  • Prince Faisal bin Al Hussein and Princess Zeina Al Feisal, the groom’s paternal uncle and his wife
  • Princess Aisha bint Al Hussein, the groom’s paternal aunt
  • Princess Zein bint Al Hussein, the groom’s paternal aunt
  • Princess Alia bint Al Hussein, the groom’s paternal half-aunt
  • Prince Ali bin Al Hussein and Princess Rym Ali, the groom’s paternal half-uncle and his wife
  • Prince Hashim bin Al Hussein and Princess Fahdah Al Hashim, the groom’s paternal half-uncle and his wife
  • Princess Raiyah bint Al Hussein and Faris Ned Donovan, the groom’s paternal half-aunt and her husband
  • Princess Firyal, the groom’s former paternal great-aunt
  • Prince Talal bin Muhammad and Princess Ghida Talal, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed and his wife
  • Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad and Princess Miriam Ghazi, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed and his wife
  • Princess Taghrid Muhammad, the groom’s paternal great-aunt
  • Prince Hassan bin Talal and Princess Sarvath El Hassan, the groom’s paternal great-uncle and his wife
  • Princess Rahma bint El Hassan, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed
  • Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed
  • Prince Rashid bin El Hassan and Princess Zeina Rashid, the groom’s paternal first cousin once removed and his wife
  • Princess Basma bint Talal, the groom’s paternal great-aunt
  • Ilham Al-Yassin, the groom’s maternal grandmother
  • Dina Al-Yassin and Sherif Zoubi, the groom’s maternal aunt and her husband
  • Majdi Al-Yassin and Rym Haurani, the groom’s maternal uncle and his wife

Relatives of the Bride

  • Khaled Al Saif and Azza Al Sudairi, the bride’s parents
  • Faisal Al Saif, the bride’s brother
  • Nayef Al Saif, the bride’s brother
  • Dana Al Saif, the bride’s sister

Foreign Royalty – Current Monarchies

  • Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, representing his father Sheikh Hamad bin Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, and his brother Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain
  • King Philippe of the Belgians and his daughter and heir apparent The Duchess of Brabant
  • Queen Jetsun of Bhutan, representing her husband King King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan, and her sister-in-law Princess Euphelma Choden of Bhutan
  • Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei and his son Prince ‘Abdul Mateen of Brunei
  • Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and his wife Crown Princess Mary, representing his mother Queen Margrethe II of Denmark
  • Princess Takamado of Japan, representing Emperor Naruhito of Japan, and her daughter Princess Tsuguko of Takamado
  • Sheikh Ahmad Al Abdullah Al Sabah of Kuwait and Sheikha Muna Al-Klaib of Kuwait, representing Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Emir of Kuwait
  • Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and his wife Hereditary Princess Sophie, representing his father Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein
  • Prince Johann Wenzel of Liechtenstein and his wife Princess Felicitas of Liechtenstein
  • Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg, representing his father Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg
  • The Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia and his wife Raja Permaisuri Agong
  • King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and his wife Queen Máxima
  • The Princess of Orange, daughter and heir apparent of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands
  • Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, representing his father King Harald V of Norway
  • Crown Prince Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said of Oman, representing his father Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman
  • Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned of Qatar, representing her son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and her son Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani
  • King Juan Carlos I of Spain and his wife Queen Sofía of Spain, representing their son King Felipe VI of Spain
  • Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband Prince Daniel, representing her father King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
  • Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, representing his father Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Emir of Abu Dhabi
  • The Prince and Princess of Wales, representing his father King Charles III of the United Kingdom
  • Princess Beatrice, Mrs. Mapelli Mozzi, niece of King Charles III of the United Kingdom, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi

Foreign Royalty – Former Monarchies

  • Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria, his wife Tsaritsa Margarita, their son Kyril, Prince of Preslav, and his partner Katharine Butler
  • Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece
  • Empress Farah of Iran
  • Princess Margareta of Romania, Custodian of the Crown of Romania and her husband Prince Radu

Jordan Government Officials

  • Bisher Khasawneh, Prime Minister of Jordan and his wife Rana Sultan
  • Ayman Safadi, Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Foreign Dignitaries

  • Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the Arab League and his wife Leila Aboul Gheit
  • Philippa Karsera, First Lady of Cyprus
  • Entissar el-Sisi, First Lady of Egypt and her daughter Aya el-Sisi
  • Abdul Latif and Shanaz Rashid, President and First Lady of Iraq
  • Barham and Sarbagh Salih, former President and First Lady of Iraq
  • Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, former Prime Minister of Iraq
  • Masoud Barzani, former President of Iraqi Kurdistan
  • Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan
  • Matteo Renzi, former Prime Minister of Italy and his wife Agnese Landini
  • Najib Mikati, Prime Minister of Lebanon and his wife May Mikati
  • Bilawal Bhutto, Foreign Minister of Pakistan
  • Paul and Jeannette Kagame, President and First Lady of Rwanda
  • David Cameron, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and his wife Samantha Cameron
  • Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States and her daughter Ashley Biden
  • Nancy Pelosi, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives and her husband Paul Pelosi

Other Notable Guests

  • Carole Middleton, mother of The Princess of Wales
  • Philippa and James Matthews, sister and brother-in-law of The Princess of Wales
  • Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner

Wedding Attire

 

Rajwa wore a custom white silk crepe gown by Lebanese designer Elie Saab with long sleeves, an asymmetric neckline, and a draped bodice. The curve-hugging dress featured a long train with cut-out flowers and pearl details. Rajwa wore sensible, pointed-toe white flats. Her hair was styled in loose curls, topped with a diamond tiara, holding the flowing veil in place.

Crown Prince Hussein wore a military uniform with black, white, and red military regalia complete with gold embellishments.

The Wedding Ceremony

Crown Prince Hussein and Rajwa Al Saif were married in an Islamic marriage ceremony known as “katb ktab” at the gazebo in the gardens of Zahran Palace. The 140 guests who attended the wedding ceremony were individually welcomed by King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, the groom’s parents, before proceeding to the gazebo in the palace garden.

At the front of the gazebo was a three-sided seating area for the bride and groom, the imam who would preside over the wedding ceremony, the father of the groom, and the father of the bride, who would serve as witnesses. King Abdullah II sat on the right side. Rajwa’s father Khaled Al Saif sat on the left side next to Royal Hashemite Court Imam Dr. Ahmed Al Khalaileh. After the guests were seated, Crown Prince Hussein arrived alone, dressed in a military uniform, and sat in the middle section, near his father, to await the arrival of his bride.


Prince Hashem escorts the bride as his sisters Princess Iman and Princess Salma follow;  Credit – Royal Hashemite Court

Crown Prince Hussein’s three younger siblings accompanied Rajwa to Zahran Palace and walked with her as she made her way to her groom waiting in the gazebo. Prince Hashem (age 18) escorted Rajwa, Princess Iman (age 26) and Princess Salma (age 22) followed behind the bride, fixing her dress train and veil as she made her way through the garden to the gazebo. Rajwa walked down the aisle accompanied by Prince Hashem. Princess Iman and Princess Salma followed behind, adjusting the bride’s train several times. Rajwa sat next to Hussein, close to her father.

Royal Hashemite Court Imam Dr. Ahmed Al Khalaileh and Crown Prince Hussein look on as Rajwa signs the marriage contract; Credit – Royal Hashemite Court

Royal Hashemite Court Imam Dr. Ahmed Al Khalaileh, who was appointed to his position in January 2021, presided over the wedding ceremony. Hussein and Rajwa signed the marriage contracts with their fathers acting as their two witnesses. In addition, Prince Hassan, King Hussein’s I’s only surviving brother and Crown Prince Hussein’s great-uncle, signed the marriage contract.

Wedding ring exchange; Credit – Royal Hashemite Court

Before exchanging rings, Hussein and Rajwa recited the first verse from the Quran: “In the name of God (Allah), the Compassionate and Merciful. Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds, the Compassionate and Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgement. Thee we worship and from Thee we seek help. Guide us upon the straight path, the path of those whom Thou hast blessed, not of those who incur wrath, nor of those who are astray.”

When the wedding ceremony was over, a few women performed the Zaghrata, an ululation traditionally used to express happiness at Jordanian and Arab celebrations. The newlyweds kissed each other on the cheeks and exited to the garden where they greeted the wedding guests. Then they traveled in a motorcade, through the streets of Amman, where huge crowds turned out to greet them, ultimately arriving at Al Husseiniya Palace, where their wedding reception took place.

 

The first fifty-five minutes of the YouTube video below show the arrival of the wedding guests, the arrival of the groom and bride, and the wedding ceremony.

The Wedding Reception

The bride and the groom arrive at the wedding reception; Credit – Royal Hashemite Court

The wedding reception was held at Al Husseiniya Palace, which was built in 2006, and houses the offices of King Abdullah II, Queen Rania, and Crown Prince Hussein. Over 1,700 guests attended the wedding reception.

The arrival of Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa was announced with the customary zaffa or wedding march played by the Jordan Armed Forces Musical Band, with drums, bagpipes, singing, and clapping. The couple passed below an Arch of Sabers as they made their way to the outdoor reception courtyard. The newlyweds ascended the stage and were joined by King Abdullah II and Queen Rania and Rajwa’s parents Khaled Al Saif and Azza Al Sudairi to greet the over 1,700 guests.

 

The reception included performances from the national orchestra, a choir, local and regional singers, and Jordanian bands and dance troops, one of which performed the Dabkeh, a Levantine Arab folk dance. Tributes were paid to the groom’s military career and the bride’s Saudi Arabian heritage, and of course, there was the cutting of the wedding cake.

King Abdullah II, Queen Rania, Crown Prince Hussein, and Princess Rajwa with distinguished guests at the wedding reception; Credit – Royal Hashemite Court

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Armani, Syed. (2023) What to know about the Jordanian Crown Prince’s Wedding, Time. Available at: https://time.com/6283682/jordan-hashemite-royal-wedding/ (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
  • Inside the Jordanian royal wedding of HRH Crown Prince Hussein and HRH Princess Rajwa al-Saif (2023) Vogue Arabia. Available at: https://en.vogue.me/culture/jordanian-royal-wedding-crown-prince-hussein-rajwa-al-saif-pictures/ (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
  • Rajwa al Saif Henna Night: What happens at a Henna Party? (2023) Available at: https://www.harpersbazaararabia.com/culture/royal-watch/royal-henna-party (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
  • Queen Rania Hosts Dinner Party in Celebration of Crown Prince Al Hussein and Miss Rajwa’s Upcoming Wedding: Queen Rania (2023) Queen Rania Official Website. Available at: https://www.queenrania.jo/en/media/press-releases/queen-rania-hosts-dinner-party-celebration-crown-prince-al-hussein-and-miss (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
  • Statement from the Royal Hashemite Court (2023) Statement from the Royal Hashemite Court | Royal Hashemite Court. Available at: https://rhc.jo/en/media/news/statement-royal-hashemite-court-12 (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
  • زفاف الأمير الحسين ورجوة آل سيف (Wedding of Hussein, Crown_Prince of Jordan, and Rajwa Al Saif) (2023) Wikipedia (Arabic). Available at: https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D8%B2%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%81_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%86_%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%88%D8%A9_%D8%A2%D9%84_%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%81 (Accessed: 05 July 2023).
  • Wedding of Hussein, Crown Prince of Jordan, and Rajwa Al Saif (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_of_Hussein,_Crown_Prince_of_Jordan,_and_Rajwa_Al_Saif (Accessed: 05 July 2023).

Maria of Spain and Austria, Holy Roman Empress

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Maria of Spain and Austria, Holy Roman Empress; Credit – Wikipedia

The Holy Roman Empire was a limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, prince-bishoprics, and Free Imperial Cities in central Europe. The Holy Roman Empire was not really holy since, after Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1530, no emperors were crowned by the pope or a bishop. It was not Roman but rather German because it was mainly in the regions of present-day Germany and Austria. It was an empire in name only – the territories it covered were mostly independent each with its own rulers. The Holy Roman Emperor directly ruled over only his family territories, and could not issue decrees and rule autonomously over the Holy Roman Empire. A Holy Roman Emperor was only as strong as his army and alliances, including marriage alliances, made him, and his power was severely restricted by the many sovereigns of the constituent monarchies of the Holy Roman Empire. From the 13th century, prince-electors, or electors for short, elected the Holy Roman Emperor from among the sovereigns of the constituent states.

Frequently but not always, it was common practice to elect the deceased Holy Roman Emperor’s heir. The Holy Roman Empire was an elective monarchy. No person had a legal right to the succession simply because he was related to the current Holy Roman Emperor. However, the Holy Roman Emperor could and often did, while still alive, have a relative (usually a son) elected to succeed him after his death. This elected heir apparent used the title King of the Romans.

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Maria’s powerful father Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy, among other titles; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria, Infanta of Spain, Archduchess of Austria was the wife of her first cousin Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor. Born on June 21, 1528, at the Royal Alcázar of Madrid, Kingdom of Spain, Maria was the second of the five children and the elder of the two daughters of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (also Carlos I, King of Spain; Karl I, Archduke of Austria; Charles II, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy, among many other titles) and Isabella of Portugal. Maria’s father was Charles was one of the most powerful ever monarchs and had a large number of titles due to his vast inheritance of the Burgundian, Spanish, and Austrian realms from his parents, Maria’s paternal grandparents, Philip of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, the ruler of the vast and wealthy Burgundian State, and Juana, Queen of Castile and León and Queen of Aragon The Kingdoms of Castile, León, and Aragon were combined into the Kingdom of Spain under Maria’s father. Maria’s maternal grandparents were Manuel I, King of Portugal and his second of three wives Maria of Aragon, her namesake.

Maria had four siblings but only two survived childhood:

Maria’s mother Isabella of Portugal; Credit – Wikipedia

The main residence of Maria’s parents Charles and Isabella was in Spain as the Spanish nobles had insisted that their children be raised in Spain. Charles was often away from his family to lead military campaigns and administer his other realms, and Isabella was appointed Regent of Spain in his absence. Isabella supervised her children’s education and taught them Portuguese. In 1539, when Maria was 11 years old, her mother Isabella developed a fever causing her to miscarry during the third month of her seventh pregnancy. The fever caused her condition to worsen and Isabella died two weeks later on May 1, 1539, aged thirty-five. Maria’s father Charles was so grief-stricken that he shut himself up in a monastery for two months where he prayed and mourned for Isabella in solitude. He never recovered from her death, dressed in black for the rest of his life, and despite being only thirty-nine, never remarried.

Maria’s husband Maximilian, circa 1544; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 13, 1548, Maria married her first cousin Archduke Maximilian of Austria (the future Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II), the son of her paternal uncle Ferdinand I, Archduke of Austria (the future Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I) and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. With this marriage, Maria’s father intended to strengthen the ties between the Austrian Habsburgs and the Spanish Habsburgs. While Maria’s father Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was occupied with the affairs of his other realms, Maria and Maximilian acted as regents of Spain from 1548 to 1551, during the absence of Maria’s brother, the future King Felipe II of Spain. In 1552, the couple moved to live at the court of Maximilian’s father in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria.

Maria and her husband Maximilian with their three eldest surviving children Anna, Rudolf, and Ernst; Credit – Wikipedia

Maximilian and Maria had fifteen children:

Physically exhausted after forty years of ruling, Maria’s father Charles abdicated in 1555 and retired to the peace of the Monastery of Yuste in Extremadura, Spain where he died in 1558. Upon Charles’s abdication, his younger brother, Ferdinand, the father of Maria’s husband, who had already been given Charles’ Austrian lands in 1521, became the Holy Roman Emperor. The Spanish Empire, including the possessions in the Netherlands, Italy, and the New World, was inherited by Charles’ son and Maria’s brother who reigned as Felipe II, King of Spain. In December 1562, Ferdinand had his eldest son and Maria’s husband Maximilian elected King of the Romans, meaning that he would become Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor. In addition, Ferdinand passed the crown of Hungary to his son in 1563. Plagued by fever attacks during the last years of his life, Ferdinand died in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, now in Austria, on July 25, 1564, aged 61. Maria’s husband Maximilian was now Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, and Archduke of Austria.

Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, 1569; Credit – Wikipedia

During his reign, Maria’s husband Maximilian II had to deal with the effects of the 1555 Peace of Augsburg. The Peace of Augsburg officially ended the religious struggle between Lutherans and Catholics, and made the legal division of Christianity permanent within the Holy Roman Empire, allowing the rulers of the constituent kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire to choose either Lutheranism or Roman Catholicism as the official religion of their state.

During her life in Austria as Holy Roman Empress, Maria, a devout Catholic, was ill at ease with the Lutheran religion and surrounded herself with a circle of devout Catholic courtiers, many of whom were from native Spain. Her court was organized by her Spanish chief lady-in-waiting Margarita Folc de Cardona i Requesens in a Spanish manner.

There has been much debate about the nature of the religious beliefs of Maria’s husband Maximilian. There was a pro-Protestant contingent among the nobility at the court in Vienna. Johann Sebastian Pfauser, Maximilian’s court chaplain, had originally been Roman Catholic but converted to Lutheranism. Through his influence, Maximilian abandoned purely Catholic customs, read Protestant literature, and refused to receive Communion according to the Catholic rite. He once told his father that worshiping saints was meaningless and idolatrous. Maria frequently disagreed with her religiously ambiguous husband about his religious tolerance. However, Maximilian remained Roman Catholic and never converted to Lutheranism.

In 1572, Maximilian II passed the crown of Hungary to his son Rudolf, and in 1575, Rudolf was also granted the crowns of Bohemia and the Habsburg hereditary territories. Rudolf was elected King of the Romans in 1575, ensuring that he would succeed his father as Holy Roman Emperor. Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor died, aged forty-nine, in the Imperial City of Regensburg, now in the German state of Bavaria, on October 12, 1576. On his deathbed, Maximilian refused to receive the Last Rites of the Roman Catholic Church.

Maria in retirement at the Monastery of Santa Clara de las Descalzas Reales in Madrid, Spain, 1600; Credit – Wikipedia

After Maximilian’s death, Maria remained in Vienna for six years and had great influence over her sons Rudolf and Matthias, both Holy Roman Emperors. She returned to Spain in 1582, rejoicing to live in “a country without heretics.” Maria retired to the Monastery of Santa Clara de las Descalzas Reales in Madrid, Spain, founded in 1559 by her younger sister Juana when she was left a young widow and where she lived until she died in 1573. This was the same convent where Maria’s daughter Margaret became a nun after refusing to marry her uncle King Felipe II of Spain after his fourth wife, Maria’s eldest daughter Anna, died. At the convent, Maria lived half as a nun in devout prayer, and half as a princess, still exerting influence on the Spanish court.

The Monastery of Santa Clara de las Descalzas Reales in Madrid, Spain where Maria lived the last years of her life, died, and was buried; Credit – By Luis García, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7770261

In 1587, Maria’s brother King Felipe II of Spain sent Father Tomás Luis de Victoria, a Catholic priest and the most famous Spanish composer of the Renaissance, to the Monastery of Santa Clara de las Descalzas Reales as his sister’s chaplain. Father de Victoria remained at the convent for 24 years, serving as Maria’s chaplain until her death, and then as the convent organist. One of his most famous works is his Officium Defunctorum, a requiem mass composed for Maria’s funeral. On February 26, 1603, Maria died and was buried at the Monastery of Santa Clara de las Descalzas Reales in Madrid, Spain, aged seventy-four, having survived her husband by twenty-seven years.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan. (2022) Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/charles-v-holy-roman-emperor-carlos-i-king-of-spain-karl-i-archduke-of-austria-charles-ii-lord-of-the-netherlands-duke-of-burgundy/ (Accessed: 29 May 2023).
  • Flantzer, S. (2022) Isabella of Portugal, Queen of Spain, Holy Roman Empress, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/isabella-of-portugal-queen-of-spain-holy-roman-empress/ (Accessed: 29 May 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2023) Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/maximilian-ii-holy-roman-emperor-king-of-bohemia-king-of-hungary-and-croatia-archduke-of-austria/ (Accessed: 29 May 2023).
  • Maria of Austria, Holy Roman Empress (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_of_Austria,_Holy_Roman_Empress (Accessed: 29 May 2023).
  • Maria von Spanien (1528–1603) (2021) Wikipedia (German). Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_von_Spanien_%281528%E2%80%931603%29 (Accessed: 29 May 2023).
  • Wheatcroft, Andrew, 1995. The Habsburgs. London: Viking.
  • Wilson, Peter, 2016. Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

The Honours of Scotland

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Honours of Scotland: Credit – Historic Environment Scotland Facebook Page

On July 5, 2023, King Charles III was presented with the Honours of Scotland during a National Service of Thanksgiving at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Honours of Scotland, also known as the Scottish Crown Jewels, date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and are the oldest surviving set of crown jewels of the United Kingdom. The Crown of Scotland (1540), the Scepter (circa 1494), and the Sword of State (1507) are the three main Honours of Scotland. They were first used together as coronation regalia at the coronation of the nine-month-old Mary I, Queen of Scots in 1543, and subsequently at the coronations of her infant son James VI, King of Scots (later also King James I of England) in 1567 at Stirling Castle, her grandson Charles I, King of Scots (also King of England) in 1633 at Holyrood Palace, and her great-grandson Charles II, King of Scots (also King of England) in 1651 at Scone. The Honours of Scotland are on display in the Crown Room at Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Queen Elizabeth II being presented with the Crown of Scotland in 1953

During her first visit to Scotland after her coronation, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom received the Honours of Scotland during a National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland on June 24, 1953. During the service, the Honours of Scotland were formally presented to Queen Elizabeth II by Douglas Douglas-Hamilton, 14th Duke of Hamilton. The Queen then returned them to the Duke of Hamilton. The Duke of Hamilton is the senior dukedom in the Peerage of Scotland and the Hereditary Bearer of the Crown of Scotland.

King Charles III will be presented with the Honours of Scotland during a National Service of Thanksgiving at St. Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland on July 5, 2023. Queen Camilla and The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, as The Prince and Princess of Wales are known in Scotland, will also be attending. During the service, Dame Katherine Grainger (a Scottish former rower, world champion, Olympic gold and silver medalist and current Chair of UK Sport) will carry the new Elizabeth Sword, the Sceptre will be carried by Leeona Dorrian, Lady Dorrian, The Lord Justice Clerk, the second most senior judge in Scotland, and the Crown of Scotland will be carried by Alexander Douglas-Hamilton, 16th Duke of Hamilton in his role as the Hereditary Bearer of the Crown of Scotland.

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The Crown of Scotland

 

Made in 1540 by Edinburgh goldsmith John Mosman, the Crown of Scotland is the oldest surviving crown in the United Kingdom and among the oldest in Europe. A crown must have been made during the reign of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots (reigned 1306 – 1329) or his son, David II, King of Scots (reigned 1329 – 1371) from the House of Bruce, as David was anointed and crowned, as were all the subsequent Scottish monarchs from the House of Stuart through Charles II. Most likely, it was this crown that was remodeled into the current crown. The current crown was remade for James V, King of Scots who first wore it to the coronation of his second wife Marie of Guise at Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh, Scotland on February 22, 1540.

The base of the Crown of Scotland is a circlet of solid gold set with twenty-two large pearls and twenty gemstones, all from the old crown. On the top edge of the circlet are forty gold half circles. Each half circle is topped by an alternating sequence of twenty pearls, ten gold fleurs-de-lis, and ten gold crosses fleury with pearls and gemstones. The circlet supports the four solid gold arches from the old crown. The arches are topped by a gold orb, enameled blue and covered with small gold stars, and topped by a gold cross with eight pearls and a large amethyst. James V’s royal cypher ‘JR5’ appears on the lower arm of the cross.

The Crown of Scotland was used in the coronations of the infant monarchs Mary, Queen of Scots in 1543 and her son James VI, King of Scots in 1567. In 1603, upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England, James VI, King of Scots succeeded her as King James I of England. Until the Acts of Union were passed in 1707 during the reign of Queen Anne, uniting England and Scotland into a single kingdom called Great Britain, the Stuart monarchs were both Kings/Queens of England and Kings/Queens of Scots. During this period, the Stuart monarchs lived nearly all the time in England. In the absence of a resident monarch of Scotland, the Honours of Scotland were carried to sittings of the Parliament of Scotland in Edinburgh to symbolize the monarch’s presence and the royal assent to legislation.

The Crown of Scotland was used at the coronation of Charles I as King of Scots at the Holyrood Abbey in Edinburgh in 1633, and of Charles II as King of Scots at Scone Abbey in Scone in 1651. The remainder of the monarchs of Scotland were never crowned but rather just took the Scottish coronation oath. During the English Civil War when Oliver Cromwell seized power and the monarchy was overthrown, Cromwell had the Crown Jewels of England destroyed. Cromwell also wanted to destroy the Honours of Scotland but they were secretly buried at Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland until the monarchy under Charles II was restored in 1660.

Until the Acts of Union in 1707, the Crown of Scotland was present as a symbol of royal authority at the opening of each Parliament of Scotland. With the union of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Honours of Scotland no longer had a ceremonial role in the new Parliament of Great Britain in London. The Honours of Scotland were locked away in a chest at Edinburgh Castle where they remained forgotten until 1818, when a group of people, including the author Sir Walter Scott, set out to find them. Since 1819, the Honours of Scotland have been on display in the Crown Room of Edinburgh Castle. They are removed only for state occasions which first happened in 1822 when they were presented to King George IV at Holyrood Palace during his visit to Edinburgh, the first visit to Scotland by a reigning monarch since King Charles II in 1651. Since 1999, the Crown of Scotland has been present at each Opening Ceremony of the Scottish Parliament.

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Crown of Scotland in St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland; Credit – British Monarchy Facebook Page

After the death of Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle, her home in Scotland, her coffin was transported first to Holyrood Palace, the Royal Family’s residence in Edinburgh, Scotland. The next day, Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin traveled by procession from Holyrood Palace up the Royal Mile to St. Giles Cathedral where it lay in state with the Crown of Scotland upon it.

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The Sceptre

The Sceptre; Credit – Credit – Historic Environment Scotland

The Sceptre, a rod held by the sovereigns at their coronation, was a gift from Pope Alexander VI to James IV, King of Scots in 1494, replacing a 14th-century sceptre that had been lost. The silver-gilt sceptre has a handle attached to the bottom of a hexagonal rod topped by a finial. The rod is engraved with grotesques, urns, leaves, thistles, and fleurs-de-lis. The finial features small figures of the Virgin and Child, St. James the Great and St. Andrew within Gothic canopies, flanked by stylized dolphins, a symbol of Christ’s Church and topped by a polished globe of rock crystal.

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Sword of State

The old Sword of State, now too fragile to use in ceremonies; Credit – Historic Environment Scotland

In 1507, James IV, King of Scots was granted the title Protector and Defender of the Christian Faith by Pope Julius II. Along with the title, the blessed sword and the blessed hat were gifts offered by popes to Catholic monarchs in recognition of their defense of Christendom. The sword given to James IV later became the Scottish Sword of State. Made by Italian craftsman Domenico da Sutri, the sword measures 5 feet / 137.8 cm long. Etched on either side of the steel blade are figures of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, and the words: JULIUS II PONT MAX (Julius II Supreme Pontiff) in inlaid gold lettering. The silver-gilt handle is decorated with oak leaves and acorns, with two stylized oak leaves which overlap the scabbard, and a crossguard in the form of dolphins. The Sword of State’s wooden scabbard is bound in crimson velvet with silver-gilt repoussé work and hung from a sword belt made from woven silk and thread of gold with a silver-gilt buckle.

King James IV’s sword was presented to Queen Elizabeth II at the 1953 Service of Thanksgiving, however, it was considered too fragile to be used during the presentation of the Honours of Scotland to King Charles III in 2023. With the approval of the Scottish government, Joseph Morrow, Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is responsible for overseeing state ceremonial in Scotland, commissioned a new sword to replace it.

The new Elizabeth Sword

The new Sword of State is called the Elizabeth Sword in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. It was designed by former Ormond Pursuivant of Arms Mark Dennis based upon traditional Scottish flora and made by expert Scottish craftspeople. The sword’s pommel is made of Lewisian gneiss from Iona and the hilt is made of oak from Perthshire. The hilt and the crossguard are a swirling thistle, the floral emblem of Scotland. The blade is engraved with the royal motto of Scotland: “In my defens God me defend” on one side and on the other side with the motto of the Order of the Thistle in Latin: “Nemo me impune lacessit” – “None attack me unpunished.”

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The Stone of Scone

The Stone of Scone under the Coronation Chair; Credit – Wikipedia

The Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny will also be in St. Giles Cathedral during the ceremony on July 5, 2023. It is a large block of red sandstone, weighing about 335 pounds, which was used for centuries in the coronation ceremonies of the sovereigns of Scotland. During the First War of Scottish Independence in 1296, the Stone of Scone was seized by King Edward I of England, who brought it to Westminster Abbey. He then had the Coronation Chair made to house the stone, and it has been used for every English and British coronation since 1308. In 1996, the Stone of Scone was returned to Scotland with the provision that it will be brought to Westminster Abbey for the coronation of future British sovereigns. It was last used in the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Crown of Scotland (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_of_Scotland (Accessed: 03 July 2023).
  • Elizabeth Sword (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Sword (Accessed: 03 July 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2021) St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/st-giles-cathedral-in-edinburgh-scotland/ (Accessed: 03 July 2023).
  • Honours of Scotland (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honours_of_Scotland (Accessed: 03 July 2023).
  • Honours of Scotland (no date) Edinburgh Castle. Available at: https://www.edinburghcastle.scot/see-and-do/highlights/honours-of-scotland (Accessed: 03 July 2023).
  • Mehl, Scott. (2023) The Coronation Chair and Stone of Scone, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/the-coronation-chair-and-stone-of-scone/ (Accessed: 03 July 2023).
  • Sceptre; Pre 1494; medieval; Edinburgh Castle: Hist env Scotland (no date) Sceptre; Pre 1494; Medieval; Edinburgh Castle | Hist Env Scotland. Available at: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/archives-and-collections/properties-in-care-collections/object/sceptre-pre-1494-medieval-edinburgh-castle-13021 (Accessed: 03 July 2023).
  • Scottish Coronation Event: Details Revealed for Edinburgh Ceremony (2023) BBC News. Available at: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-66056826 (Accessed: 03 July 2023).

Maria Josepha of Saxony, Archduchess of Austria

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Maria Josepha of Saxony, Archduchess of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony was the wife of Archduke Otto Franz of Austria and the mother of Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria. Maria Josepha Louise Philippina Elisabeth Pia Angelica Margaretha was born on May 31, 1867, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony. She was the fifth of the eight children and the youngest of the four daughters of King Georg of Saxony and Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal. Maria Josepha’s paternal grandparents were King Johann of Saxony and Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria. Her maternal grandparents were Queen Maria II of Portugal and her second husband Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry.

Maria Josepha had seven siblings:

Maria Josepha, circa 1893; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Josepha was raised in a strict Catholic environment. In 1883, her youngest sibling Albert became very ill. Their mother Maria Ana took care of him intensively for months until he recovered, but overworked herself so much that she died of exhaustion on February 5, 1884, at the age of 40. Maria Ana’s death occurred before her husband, who never remarried, became King of Saxony.

Otto Franz and Maria Josepha at the time of their engagement; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 2, 1886, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, 19-year-old Princess Maria Josepha married her 21-year-old second cousin Archduke Otto Franz of Austria, the son of Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria and his second wife Princess Maria Annunciata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Maria Josepha’s father-in-law Karl Ludwig was the younger brother of Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria and Archduke Maximilian of Austria, the executed Emperor of Mexico. Her new husband Otto Franz was the brother of the ill-fated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria whose assassination in 1914 was one of the causes of World War I

The marriage was not a love match. Otto Franz’s first cousin Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Otto’s brother Franz Ferdinand had snubbed the Saxony court by rejecting Maria Josepha’s elder sister Mathilde as a bride. Relations between Austria-Hungary and Saxony improved only when Otto Franz, under pressure from the Austrian-Hungarian court, married Mathilde’s younger sister Maria Josepha. The marriage of Otto Franz and Maria Josepha was increasingly unhappy. Otto Franz had many affairs and Maria Josepha was very religious and was insultingly called “the nun” by her husband because of her deeply pious beliefs.

Otto Franz and Maria Josepha with their two sons Karl and Maximilian Eugen, circa 1897; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Josepha and Otto Franz had two sons:

In 1889, Otto Franz’s first cousin Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria died by suicide at his hunting lodge Mayerling. Crown Prince Rudolf, the only son of Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria, had no sons, and the succession would pass to Emperor Franz Joseph’s brother Archduke Karl Ludwig and his eldest son Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Maria Josepha’s father-in-law and brother-in-law. There have been suggestions that Karl Ludwig renounced his succession rights in favor of his son Franz Ferdinand. However, an act of renunciation was never formally signed and Karl Ludwig was never officially designated heir to the throne. He was only three years younger than Franz Joseph and not a realistic choice. When Karl Ludwig died in 1896, Maria Josepha’s brother-in-law Franz Ferdinand became the heir to his uncle’s throne.

Meanwhile, Otto Franz was involved in many scandals, including jumping nude from a window in a private dining room in the Hotel Sacher in Vienna in front of a visiting British peeress and being spotted in the hallway at the same hotel about to enter a lady’s room, wearing nothing but a sword. The imperial court gradually became alienated from Otto Franz as did his wife.


Maria Josepha and Otto Franz; Credit – Wikipedia

By 1900, it was clear that Maria Josepha’s husband Otto Franz had contracted the sexually transmitted disease syphilis. He withdrew from public life and spent a year in Egypt where he temporarily improved. After returning to Austria, Otto Franz became quite ill. He was in agonizing pain for the last two years of his life and was forced to replace his nose with a rubber prosthetic due to the facial deformity caused by syphilis. During the last months of his life, Otto Franz lived in a villa in Währing, a district of Vienna, and was nursed by his last mistress Luise Robinson and his stepmother, his father’s second wife Maria Theresa of Portugal. On November 1, 1906, Archduke Otto Franz, aged forty-one, died. He was interred in the Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria. After the death of her husband, Maria Josepha remained unmarried. The German-Austrian stage and film actor Otto Tressler was a close friend, and possibly Maria Josepha and Otto had a relationship.

Karl and Zita’s wedding: (L – R) Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Archduchess Maria Josepha, Emperor Franz Joseph, Karl, and Zita; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 21, 1911, Maria Josepha’s son Karl married Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma, the daughter of the deposed Robert I, Duke of Parma and his second wife, Maria Antonia of Portugal at Schwarzau Castle, an Austrian home of Zita’s family. 

Maria Josepha’s son Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

Maria Josepha’s brother-in-law Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the Austrian throne until his assassination on June 28, 1914, an event that was one of the causes of World War I. Franz Ferdinand had been allowed to make a morganatic marriage with the condition that the children of the marriage would not have succession rights. Upon Franz Ferdinand’s death, Maria Josepha’s son Karl became the heir to the Austrian throne. He succeeded to the throne as Emperor Karl I of Austria upon the death of Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1916. Karl reigned until the monarchy was abolished in 1918, at the end of World War I.

At the end of World War I, the armistice required that the Austrian-Hungarian Empire allow for autonomy and self-determination of the government of its various ethnic populations. The various areas proclaimed independence and by October 1918 there was not much left of the empire. On November 11, 1918, the same day as the armistice ending World War I, Karl issued a proclamation in which he recognized the rights of the people of Austria to determine their form of government and released his government officials from their loyalty to him. On November 13, 1918, Karl issued a similar proclamation for Hungary. Karl did not use the term “abdicate” in his proclamations and would never admit that he had abdicated.

On March 23, 1919, Karl and his family, including his mother Maria Josepha, left for Switzerland. On April 3, 1919, the Austrian Parliament passed the Habsburg Law which forbade Karl or his wife Zita from ever returning to Austria. The law also prevented other Habsburgs from returning to Austria unless they renounced all intentions of claiming the throne and accepted the condition of living as ordinary citizens. In 1921, Karl returned to Hungary twice, attempting to regain the throne of Hungary. After the second attempt, the Council of Allied Powers decided to exile Karl and his family to the Portuguese island of Madeira. In March 1922, Karl caught a cold which developed into bronchitis and further developed into pneumonia. After suffering two heart attacks and respiratory failure, Karl died on April 1, 1922, at the age of 34. Due to the Habsburg Law, Karl could not be buried in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna, Austria. He was buried at the Church of Our Lady of the Mount on the island of Madeira in Portugal.

The restrictions on the Habsburgs entering Austria were eventually rescinded, but only for those Habsburgs born after April 10, 1919. In 1982, the restrictions were eased and after 63 years, Karl’s widow Zita could return to Austria for visits. When Zita died in 1989, the government of Austria allowed her funeral to take place in Austria provided that the Habsburg family pay the cost and Zita was allowed to be buried in the Habsburg traditional burial site, the Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria. However, the remains of her husband Karl are still interred in Portugal.

Beatification of Karl in 2004

Maria Josepha had raised Karl with a very religious upbringing, and upon marrying Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma, also a very devout Roman Catholic, Karl told her, “Now, we must help each other to get to Heaven.” Karl was beatified on October 3, 2004, by Pope John Paul II, is known as Blessed Karl of Austria. Beatification is the third of four steps toward sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.

Tomb of Maria Josepha, to the right of her husband’s tomb in the Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna; Credit – www.findagrave.com

After Karl and his family were exiled to the Portuguese island of Madeira, Maria Josepha settled in Bavaria, Germany where she lived in Geiselgasteig near Munich. Because of Allied bombings during World War II, Maria Josepha moved to the safety of Wildenwart Castle in Chiemgau, Bavaria, Germany. The castle belonged to the former Bavarian royal family, and Maria Josepha lived there with Princess Hildegard and Princess Helmtrud, two unmarried daughters of Ludwig III, the last King of Bavaria. Maria Josepha died at Wildenwart Castle on May 28, 1944, at the age of 76, and was allowed to be buried in the New Vault of the Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, beside her husband.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan. (2014) Karl I, Emperor of Austria, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-i-emperor-of-austria/ (Accessed: 29 May 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2023) Archduke Otto Franz of Austria, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/archduke-otto-franz-of-austria/ (Accessed: 29 May 2023).
  • Maria Josepha von Sachsen (1867–1944) (2023) Wikipedia (German). Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Josepha_von_Sachsen_(1867%E2%80%931944) (Accessed: 29 May 2023).
  • Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony (1867–1944) (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Maria_Josepha_of_Saxony_(1867%E2%80%931944) (Accessed: 29 May 2023).
  • Wheatcroft, Andrew, 1995. The Habsburgs. London: Viking.

Prince François of Luxembourg

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Prince François of Luxembourg; Credit – StudioByC / Celine Maia

Prince François of Luxembourg was born on March 27, 2023, at Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. He is the second of the two sons of Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy, and is third in the line of succession to the throne of Luxembourg after his father and his elder brother. François’ paternal grandparents are  Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg born Maria Teresa Mestre y Batista Falla. His maternal grandparents are Count Philippe de Lannoy and Alix della Faille de Leverghem, both from noble Belgian families.

François has one elder brother:

Prince François, held by his grandmother Grand Duchess Maria Theresa with his grandfather Grand Duke Henri, his parents and his brother on the day of his baptism; Credit – House of the Grand Duke / Sophie Margue

On June 3, 2023, at Fischbach Church, near Fischbach Castle, the home of Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume and Hereditary Grand Duchess Stéphanie, Prince François was baptized during a mass presided over by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, Archbishop of Luxemburg.

François’s godparents were:

He was given the names:

  • François: This is the first time the name has been used as a first name in the grand ducal family. François is one of the middle names of Prince Robert of Luxembourg, a paternal first cousin of Grand Duke Henri. François is the French version of Francis, the name of Pope Francis, the head of the Roman Catholic Church when François was baptized. It is also the name of several Catholic saints.
  • Henri: for his paternal grandfather Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg
  • Louis: possibly for his paternal uncle Prince Louis of Luxembourg
  • Marie: in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a common name among male and female Roman Catholic royalty
  • Guillaume: for his father

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Baptême de S.A.R. le Prince François (2023) Cour Grand-Ducale. Available at: https://monarchie.lu/fr/actualites/bapteme-de-sar-le-prince-francois (Accessed: 29 June 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2014) Prince Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/prince-guillaume-hereditary-grand-duke-of-luxembourg/%C2%A0 (Accessed: 29 June 2023).
  • H.R.H. Prince François (2023) Cour Grand-Ducale. Available at: https://monarchie.lu/en/grand-ducal-family/hrh-prince-francois (Accessed: 29 June 2023).
  • Toureille, Claire. (2023) Royal Family of Luxembourg Baptise Little Prince Francois, Daily Mail Online. Available at: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-12157341/Royal-family-Luxembourg-baptise-little-Prince-Francois.html (Accessed: 29 June 2023).

Archduke Gottfried of Austria

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Archduke Gottfried of Austria was the Pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Tuscany from 1948 until his death in 1984.

Archduke Gottfried of Austria as a child – source: Wikipedia

Archduke Gottfried Maria Joseph Peter Ferdinand Hubert Anton Rupert Leopold Heinrich Ignaz Alfons was born Mary 14, 1902 in Linz, Austria, the elder son of Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria and Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. He had three siblings:

He was raised in Salzburg and Vienna in Austria until the family relocated to Lucerne, Switzerland at the end of World War I.

Wedding of Gottfried and Dorothea of Bavaria; Credit – Wikipedia

Gottfried married Princess Dorothea of Bavaria in civil and religious ceremonies held on August 2 and 3, 1938 in Sárvár, Hungary. She was the daughter of Prince Franz of Bavaria and Princess Isabella Antonie of Croÿ. The couple had four children:

  • Archduchess Elisabeth (1939) – married Friedrich Edler von Braun, had issue
  • Archduchess Alice (1941) – married Baron Vittorio Manno, had issue
  • Archduke Leopold Franz of Austria, Prince of Tuscany (1942) – married Laetitia de Bezunce d’Arenberg, had issue
  • Archduchess Marie Antoinette (1950) – married Baron von Proff zu Irnich, had issue

After World War II, Gottfried and his family settled in Sankt Gilgen, just outside of Salzburg, Austria. They lived a very quiet life, despite Gottfried succeeding his father as pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Tuscany in 1948.

Archduke Gottfried died in Bad Ischl, Austria on January 21, 1984. He is buried in the parish cemetery of Sankt Gilgen, in Salzburg. Gottfried was succeeded by his only son, Archduke Leopold Franz.

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This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Grand Duchy of Tuscany Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, Archduke of Austria

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – Wikipedia

The Holy Roman Empire was a limited elective monarchy composed of hundreds of kingdoms, principalities, duchies, counties, prince-bishoprics, and Free Imperial Cities in central Europe. The Holy Roman Empire was not really holy since, after Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1530, no emperors were crowned by the pope or a bishop. It was not Roman but rather German because it was mainly in the regions of present-day Germany and Austria. It was an empire in name only – the territories it covered were mostly independent each with its own rulers. The Holy Roman Emperor directly ruled over only his family territories, and could not issue decrees and rule autonomously over the Holy Roman Empire. A Holy Roman Emperor was only as strong as his army and alliances, including marriage alliances, made him. His power was severely restricted by the many sovereigns of the constituent monarchies of the Holy Roman Empire. From the 13th century, prince-electors, or electors for short, elected the Holy Roman Emperor from among the sovereigns of the constituent states.

Frequently but not always, it was common practice to elect the deceased Holy Roman Emperor’s heir. The Holy Roman Empire was an elective monarchy. No person had a legal right to the succession simply because he was related to the current Holy Roman Emperor. However, the Holy Roman Emperor could and often did, while still alive, have a relative (usually a son) elected to succeed him after his death. This elected heir apparent used the title King of the Romans.

Learn more at Unofficial Royalty: What was the Holy Roman Empire?

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Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor (reigned 1564 – 1576) was also King of Bohemia (reigned 1562 – 1576), King of Hungary and Croatia (reigned 1563 – 1576), Archduke of Austria (reigned 1564 – 1576), among many other titles. Born on July 31, 1527, in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, now in Austria, Maximilian was the second of the fifteen children and the eldest of the four sons of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary. His paternal grandparents were Philip of Austria, Duke of Burgundy and Juana I, Queen of Castile and León. His maternal grandparents were King Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary and his third wife Anne of Foix-Candale.

Maximilian with his younger brothers Ferdinand and Johann; Credit – Wikipedia

Maximilian had fourteen siblings, and all but two reached adulthood:

Maximilian’s powerful uncle Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy, among other titles; Credit – Wikipedia

At the time of Maximilian’s birth, his paternal uncle Charles V was the Holy Roman Emperor and King (Carlos I) of Spain, among many other titles. Charles was one of the most powerful ever monarchs. He had a large number of titles due to his vast inheritance of the Burgundian, Spanish, and Austrian realms from his parents Philip of Austria, Duke of Burgundy and Archduke of Austria, the ruler of the vast and wealthy Burgundian State and the Austrian Habsburg realms, and Juana I, Queen of Castile and León, Queen of Aragon which were combined into the Kingdom of Spain under Charles.

Archduke Maximilian, circa 1544; Credit – Wikipedia

Maximilian II spent his early childhood at his father’s court in Innsbruck, County of Tyrol, now in Italy. Among his teachers were humanist scholars Kaspar Ursinus Velius and Georg Tannstetter. While Maximilian and his family were Roman Catholic, some rulers of the constituent states of the Holy Roman Empire had converted to Lutheranism during the Reformation. He developed a relationship with the Lutheran Augustus, Elector of Saxony who spent some time at the court of Maximilian’s father in Vienna. Maximilian learned about Lutheranism and after Augustus left Vienna, he corresponded with Maximilian. At the age of seventeen, Maximilian began to gain some military experience during the Italian War of 1542 – 1546 which pitted Maximilian’s uncle Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and King Henry VIII of England against King François I of France and Sultan Suleiman I of the Ottoman Empire.

Maximilian’s wife and first cousin Maria of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 13, 1548, Maximilian married his first cousin Infanta Maria of Spain, the daughter of his uncle Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who was also King Carlos I of Spain and Isabella of Portugal. Maria and her siblings were raised in Spain and with this marriage, Charles V intended to strengthen the ties between the Austrian Habsburgs and the Spanish Habsburgs. While Maria’s father Holy Roman Emperor Charles V was occupied with the affairs of his other realms, Maria and Maximilian acted as regents of Spain from 1548 to 1551, during the absence of Maria’s brother, the future King Felipe II of Spain. In 1552, the couple moved to live at the court of Maximilian’s father in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria.

Maximilian and his wife Maria with their three eldest surviving children Anna, Rudolf, and Ernst; Credit – Wikipedia

Maximilian and Maria had fifteen children:

Maximilian’s first cousin Felipe II, King of Spain; Credit – Wikipedia

Physically exhausted after forty years of ruling, Maximilian’s paternal uncle Charles abdicated in 1555 and retired to the peace of the Monastery of Yuste in Extremadura, Spain where he died in 1558. Charles’ younger brother, Maximilian’s father Ferdinand, who had already been given Charles’ Austrian lands in 1521, became the Holy Roman Emperor. The Spanish Empire, including the possessions in the Netherlands, Italy, and the New World, was inherited by Charles’ son and Maximilian’s first cousin who reigned as Felipe II, King of Spain. In December 1562, Ferdinand had his eldest son Maximilian elected King of the Romans, meaning he would become Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor. In addition, Ferdinand passed the crown of Hungary to his son in 1563. Plagued by fever attacks during the last years of his life, Ferdinand died in Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, now in Austria, on July 25, 1564, aged 61. Maximilian was now Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia, King of Hungary and Croatia, and Archduke of Austria.

During his reign, Maximilian II had to deal with the ongoing Ottoman-Habsburg wars, conflicts with his Spanish Habsburg cousins, and the effects of the 1555 Peace of Augsburg. The Peace of Augsburg officially ended the religious struggle between Lutherans and Catholics, and made the legal division of Christianity permanent within the Holy Roman Empire, allowing the rulers of the constituent monarchies of the Holy Roman Empire to choose either Lutheranism or Roman Catholicism as the official religion of their state.

There has been much debate about the nature of Maximilian’s religious beliefs. There was a pro-Protestant contingent among the nobility at the court in Vienna. Johann Sebastian Pfauser, Maximilian’s court chaplain, had originally been Roman Catholic but converted to Lutheranism. Through his influence, Maximilian abandoned purely Catholic customs, read Protestant writings, and refused to receive Communion according to the Catholic rite. He once told his father that worshiping saints was meaningless and idolatrous. Maximilian’s wife Maria was a devout Catholic and frequently disagreed with her religiously ambiguous husband about his religious tolerance. However, Maximilian remained Roman Catholic and never converted to Lutheranism.

Maximilian’s son and successor Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1572, Maximilian II passed the crown of Hungary to his son Rudolf, and in 1575, Rudolf was also granted the crown of Bohemia and the Habsburg hereditary territories. Rudolf was elected King of the Romans in 1575, ensuring that he would succeed his father as Holy Roman Emperor.

Tomb of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, his wife Anna, and their son Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor; Credit – Wikipedia

On August 27, 1576, after a family outing, Maximilian suffered a severe relapse of an illness that had been bothering him for a long time, with attacks of sharp gastrointestinal pain. Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor died, aged forty-nine, in the Imperial City of Regensburg, now in the German state of Bavaria, on October 12, 1576, while planning an invasion of Poland. On his deathbed, Maximilian refused to receive the Last Rites of the Roman Catholic Church. He was interred with his parents in St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Kingdom of Bohemia, now in the Czech Republic. After Maximilian’s death, his wife Maria of Spain remained in Vienna for six years and greatly influenced her sons Rudolf and Matthias who were both Holy Roman Emperors. Maria returned to Spain in 1582, where she died, aged seventy-four, on February 26, 1603, having survived her husband by twenty-seven years.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Flantzer, Susan. (2022) Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, Lord of the Netherlands, Duke of Burgundy, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/charles-v-holy-roman-emperor-carlos-i-king-of-spain-karl-i-archduke-of-austria-charles-ii-lord-of-the-netherlands-duke-of-burgundy/ (Accessed: 17 May 2023).
  • Flantzer, S. (2023) Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia, Archduke of Austria, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/ferdinand-i-holy-roman-emperor-king-of-hungary-croatia-and-bohemia-archduke-of-austria/ (Accessed: 21 May 2023).
  • Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor (Accessed: 21 May 2023).
  • Maximilian II. (HRR) (2023) Wikipedia (German). Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian_II._(HRR) (Accessed: 21 May 2023).
  • Wheatcroft, Andrew, 1995. The Habsburgs. London: Viking.
  • Wilson, Peter, 2016. Heart of Europe: A History of the Holy Roman Empire. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Archduke Otto Franz of Austria

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Archduke Otto Franz of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

Archduke Otto Franz of Austria was the father of Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria, and the brother of the ill-fated Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria whose assassination in 1914 was one of the causes of World War I. Otto Franz Joseph Karl Ludwig Maria was born on April 21, 1865, in Graz, Austrian Empire, now in Austria. He was the second of the three sons and the second of the four children of Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria and his second wife Princess Maria Annunciata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Archduke Karl Ludwig’s elder brothers were Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria and Archduke Maximilian of Austria, the executed Emperor of Mexico. Otto Franz’s paternal grandparents were Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and Princess Sophie of Bavaria. His maternal grandparents were King Ferdinando II of the Two Sicilies and his second wife Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria.

Otto Franz had three siblings:

L to R: Franz Ferdinand, Otto Franz, Karl Ludwig (father), Margarete Sophie, Maria Theresa (stepmother), and Ferdinand Karl, 1873; Credit – Wikipedia

When Otto Franz was six-years-old, his mother, 28-year-old mother Maria Annunciata, died from tuberculosis on May 4, 1871. Two years after his mother’s death Otto Franz’s father Karl Ludwig married Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal, daughter of the deposed King Miguel I of Portugal and Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg.

Half-sisters Elisabeth Amalie and Maria Annunciata, 1893; Credit – Wikipedia

Otto had two half-sisters from his father’s second marriage:

Otto Franz was raised with his elder brother Franz Ferdinand under the supervision of Count Ferdinand Christoph Eberhard von Degenfeld-Schonburg, (link in German), a Lieutenant Field Marshal in the Austrian-Hungarian army. When in Vienna, the family resided at the Palais Archduke Karl Ludwig. Villa Wartholz in Reichenau an der Rax and Artstetten Castle in Artstetten-Pöbring were used as the family’s summer residences.

Otto Franz and Maria Josepha at the time of their engagement, 1886; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 2, 1886, in Dresden, Kingdom of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony, 21-year-old Otto Franz married 19-year-old Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony, daughter of the future King Georg I of Saxony and Infanta Maria Ana of Portugal. Otto’s first cousin Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria and Otto’s brother Franz Ferdinand had snubbed the Saxon court by rejecting Maria Josepha’s elder sister Mathilde as a bride. Relations between Austria-Hungary and Saxony improved only when Otto Franz, under pressure from the Austrian-Hungarian court, married Mathilde’s younger sister Maria Josepha. The marriage of Otto Franz and Maria Josepha was increasingly unhappy. Otto Franz had many affairs and Maria Josepha was very religious and was insultingly called “the nun” by her husband because of her deeply pious beliefs.

Otto Franz with his wife Maria Josepha and their two sons Karl and Maximilian Eugen, circa 1897; Credit – Wikipedia

Otto Franz and Maria Josepha had two sons:

In 1889, Otto Franz’s first cousin Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria died by suicide at his hunting lodge Mayerling. Crown Prince Rudolf, the only son of Emperor Franz Joseph, had no sons, so the succession would pass to Emperor Franz Joseph’s brother Archduke Karl Ludwig and his eldest son Archduke Franz Ferdinand. There have been suggestions that Karl Ludwig renounced his succession rights in favor of his son Franz Ferdinand. However, an act of renunciation was never formally signed and Karl Ludwig was never officially designated heir to the throne. He was only three years younger than Franz Joseph and not a realistic choice. When Karl Ludwig died in 1896, Franz Ferdinand became the heir to his uncle’s throne.

Meanwhile, Otto Franz was involved in many scandals, including jumping nude from a window in a private dining room in the Hotel Sacher in Vienna in front of a visiting British peeress and being spotted in the hallway at the Hotel Sacher about to enter a lady’s room, wearing nothing but a sword. The imperial court gradually became alienated from Otto Franz as did his wife.

Otto Franz had two children with his mistress Marie Schleinzer (1874 – 1949):

  • Alfred Joseph Edler von Hortenau (1892 – 1957), married Charlotte Böhler, had one daughter
  • Hildegard von Hortenau (1894 – ?)

Otto Franz, circa 1900; Credit – Wikipedia

By 1900, it was clear that Otto Franz had contracted syphilis. He withdrew from public life and spent a year in Egypt where he temporarily improved. After returning to Austria, Otto Franz became quite ill. He was in agonizing pain for the last two years of his life and was forced to replace his nose with a rubber prosthetic due to the facial deformity caused by syphilis. During his last months, Otto Franz lived in a villa in Währing, a district of Vienna, and was nursed by his last mistress Luise Robinson and by his stepmother Maria Theresa of Portugal. On November 1, 1906, Archduke Otto Franz, aged forty-one, died. He was interred in the Imperial Crypt at the Capuchin Church in Vienna, Austria.

Tomb of Archduke Otto Franz of Austria; Credit – www.findagrave.com

Otto Franz’s brother Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the heir to the throne until his assassination on June 28, 1914, an event that was one of the causes of World War I. Franz Ferdinand had been allowed to make a morganatic marriage with the condition that the children of the marriage would not have succession rights. Upon Franz Ferdinand’s death, Otto Franz’s son Karl became the heir. He succeeded to the throne as Emperor Karl I of Austria upon the death of Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1916. Karl reigned until the monarchy was abolished in 1918, at the end of World War I. Since that time, the pretenders to the throne of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire have been Otto Franz’s descendants through his son Karl.

Otto Franz’s son Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl and his father were as different as night and day. Karl was raised with a very religious upbringing by his pious mother Maria Josepha. Upon marrying Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma, also a very devout Roman Catholic, Karl told her, “Now, we must help each other to get to Heaven.”  Karl was beatified on October 3, 2004, by Pope John Paul II, and he is known as Blessed Karl of Austria. Beatification is the third of four steps toward sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Archduke Otto of Austria (1865–1906) (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archduke_Otto_of_Austria_(1865%E2%80%931906) (Accessed: 20 May 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2021) Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/archduke-karl-ludwig-of-austria/ (Accessed: 20 May 2023).
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2014) Karl I, Emperor of Austria, Unofficial Royalty. Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-i-emperor-of-austria/ (Accessed: 20 May 2023).
  • Otto Franz Joseph Von österreich (2023) Wikipedia (German). Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_Franz_Joseph_von_%C3%96sterreich (Accessed: 20 May 2023).
  • Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony (1867–1944) (2023) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Maria_Josepha_of_Saxony_(1867%E2%80%931944) (Accessed: 20 May 2023).
  • Wheatcroft, Andrew, 1995. The Habsburgs. London: Viking.

Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2023

Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria, Prince of Tuscany was the Pretender to the former Grand Ducal throne of Tuscany from 1921 until he died in 1948.

Archduke Peter Ferdinand of Austria – source: Wikipedia

Peter Ferdinand (Pietro Ferdinando) was born in Salzburg, Austria on May 12, 1874, the third son of Ferdinando IV, the last Grand Duke of Tuscany, and his second wife, Princess Alicia of Parma. He had 9 siblings:

  • Archduke Leopoldo Ferdinando (1868) – married 3 times, no issue
  • Archduchess Luisa (1870) – married (1) Crown Prince Friedrich August of Saxony, had issue; (2) Enrico Toselli, had issue
  • Giuseppe Ferdinando (1872) – married (1) Rosa Kaltenbrunner, no issue; (2) Gertrude Tomanek von Beyerfels-Mondsee, had issue
  • Archduke Enrico Fernando (1878) – married Maria Ludescher, had issue
  • Archduchess Anna Maria (1879) – married Johannes, Prince of Hohenlohe-Bartenstein, had issue
  • Archduchess Margherita (1881) – unmarried
  • Archduchess Germana (1884) – unmarried
  • Archduke Roberto Ferdinando (1885) – died in childhood
  • Archduchess Agnese (1891) – unmarried

He also had an older half-sister from his father’s first marriage to Princess Anna of Saxony:

Princess Maria Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. source: Wikipedia

On November 8, 1900, in Cannes, France, Peter Ferdinand married Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. She was the daughter of Prince Alfonso, Count of Caserta and Princess Antonietta of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. The couple had four children:

Pietro Ferdinando with his wife and children, c1911. source: Wikipedia

Peter Ferdinand had a long military career, quickly climbing through the ranks to become Fieldmarshal in 1914. At the beginning of World War I, he was commanding the 25th Infantry Division, fighting against Russian forces in Galicia and southern Poland. However, he was blamed for the force’s failures and was relieved of his command in June 1915. Two years later, in April 1917, he was reinstated as General of the Infantry and took command of army troops on the Italian front. He continued to command positions until the end of the war.

Archduke Peter Ferdinand died in St. Gilgen, Salzburg, Austria on November 8, 1948. He is buried in the local cemetery.

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Grand Duchy of Tuscany Resources at Unofficial Royalty