List of rulers of Austria
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This is a list of people who have ruled either the Margraviate of Austria, the Duchy of Austria or the Archduchy of Austria. From 976 until 1246, the margraviate and its successor, the duchy, was ruled by the House of Babenberg. At that time, those states were part of the Holy Roman Empire. From 1246 until 1918, the duchy and its successor, the archduchy, was ruled by the House of Habsburg. Following the defeat of Austria-Hungary in World War I, the titles were abolished or fell into abeyance with the erection of the modern Republic of Austria.
Margraves of Austria[]
The March of Austria, also known as Marcha Orientalis, was first formed in 976 out of the lands that had once been the March of Pannonia in Carolingian times. The oldest attestation dates back to 996, where the written name "ostarrichi" occurs in a document transferring land in present-day Austria to a Bavarian monastery.
House of Babenberg[]
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
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Leopold I the Illustrious (Luitpold der Erlauchte) 976–994 |
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c. 940 | Richardis of Sualafeldgau nine children |
10 July 994 Würzburg aged about 54 |
Henry I the Strong (Heinrich der Starke) 994–1018 |
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late 10th century son of Leopold I and Richardis of Sualafeldgau |
never married | 23 June 1018 |
Adalbert I the Victorious (Adalbert der Siegreiche) 1018–1055 |
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c. 985 son of Leopold I and Richardis of Sualafeldgau |
(1) Glismod of West-Saxony no issue (2)Frozza Orseolo one issue |
26 May 1055 Melk aged about 70 |
Ernest the Brave (Ernst der Tapfere) 1055–1075 |
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c. 1027 son of Adalbert and Frozza Orseolo |
(1) Adelaide of Eilenburg 1060 three children (2) Swanhilde of Ungarnmark 1072 no issue |
10 June 1075 aged about 48 |
Leopold II the Fair (Luitpold der Schöne) 1075–1095 |
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c. 1050 son of Ernest and Adelaide of Eilenburg |
Ida of Cham 1065 eight children |
12 October 1095 aged about 45 |
Leopold III the Good (Luitpold der Heilige) 1095–1136 |
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c. 1073 Melk son of Leopold II and Ida of Cham |
(1) one son (2) Agnes of Germany 1106 eighteen children |
15 November 1136 Vienna aged about 63 |
(Adalbert der Andächtige) 1136-1137 |
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c. 1107 son of Leopold III and Agnes of Germany |
(1) no children (2) 1132 no children |
9 November 1137 Vienna aged about 30 |
Leopold IV the Generous (Luitpold der Freigiebige) 1137–1141 |
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c. 1108 son of Leopold III and Agnes of Germany |
Maria of Bohemia 28 September 1138 no issue |
18 October 1141 Niederalteich aged about 33 |
Henry II Jasomirgott (Heinrich Jasomirgott) 1141–1156 |
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c. 1107 son of Leopold III and Agnes of Germany |
(1) Gertrude of Süpplingenburg 1 May 1142 one daughter (2) Theodora Komnene 1148 three children |
13 January 1177 aged about 70 |
Dukes of Austria[]
In 1156, the Privilegium Minus elevated the march to a duchy, independent of the Duchy of Bavaria.
House of Babenberg[]
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
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Henry II Jasomirgott (Heinrich Jasomirgott) 1156–1177 |
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c. 1107 son of Leopold III and Agnes of Germany |
(1) Gertrude of Süpplingenburg 1 May 1142 one daughter (2) Theodora Komnene 1148 three children |
13 January 1177 aged about 70 |
Leopold V the Virtuous (Luitpold der Tugendhafte) 1177–1194 |
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c. 1157 son of Henry II and Theodora Komnene |
Helena of Hungary 1174 four children |
31 December 1194 Graz aged about 37 |
Frederick I the Catholic (Friedrich der Katholische) 1195–1198 |
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c. 1175 son of Leopold V and Helena of Hungary |
never married | 16 April 1198 The Holy Land aged about 23 |
Leopold VI the Glorious (Luitpold der Glorreiche) 1198–1230 |
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c. 1176 son of Leopold V and Helena of Hungary |
Theodora Angelina 1203 seven children |
28 July 1230 San Germano aged about 54 |
Frederick II the Quarrelsome (Friedrich der Streitbare) 1230–1246 |
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25 April 1211 Wiener Neustadt son of Leopold VI and Theodora Angelina |
(1) Sophia Laskarina no issue (2) 1229 no issue |
15 June 1246 Leitha aged 35 |
Interregnum[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fe/Ottokar_II_Premysl.jpg/100px-Ottokar_II_Premysl.jpg)
After Frederick's death, the succession of the Duchy was disputed between various claimants, based in two main rival heiresses:
- Through Margaret of Austria, sister of Frederick II:
- Henry and Frederick of Hohenstaufen, sons, claimants 1246/50 - c.1252?
- Ottokar II of Bohemia, second husband, claimant 1251–1278
- Through Gertrude of Austria, niece of Frederick II:
- Vladislas, Margrave of Moravia, first husband, claimant 1246–1247
- Herman of Baden, second husband, claimant 1248–1250
- Roman Danylovich, third husband, claimant 1252-1253
- Frederick I, Margrave of Baden, son, claimant c.1253–1268
Dukes and archdukes of Austria under the House of Habsburg[]
In 1278, King Rudolph I of Germany defeated Ottokar and took control of Austria. In 1282 he invested his sons with the duchies of Austria and Styria, thereby securing it for the House of Habsburg. Austria became one of the territories that remained under Habsburg rule for more than 600 years, forming the core of the Habsburg Monarchy and the present-day country of Austria.
Name | Portrait | Born | Reign | Ruling part | Consort | Death | Notes |
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Rudolf I | ![]() |
1 May 1218 Breisgau son of Albert IV, Count of Habsburg and |
1278–1282 | Duchy of Austria | (1) Gertrude of Hohenberg 1245 9 children (2) Isabella of Burgundy 5 February 1284 no issue |
15 July 1291 Speyer aged 73 |
His election as king of Germany (1273) and conquest of Austria (1278) marked the end of two periods in both countries: in Germany, the Great Interregnum after the death of the Hohenstaufen emperor Frederick II in 1250; and in Austria, the Bohemian occupation that followed the succession crisis of 1246. Abdicated for his sons in 1282. |
Albert I | ![]() |
July 1255 Vienna eldest son of Rudolf I and Gertrude of Hohenberg |
1282-1308 | Duchy of Austria | Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol 20 December 1274 Vienna 12 children |
1 May 1308 Windisch aged 52 |
Co-ruled in Austria with his brother Rudolf II until the latter's abdication in 1283. He was elected as king of Germany in 1298, associating in this same year his eldest son in Austria. Died assassinated by his own son. |
Rudolf II the Debonair | ![]() |
July 1270 Rheinfelden third son of Rudolph I and Gertrude of Hohenberg |
1282-1283 | Duchy of Austria | March 1289 Prague one son |
10 May 1290 Prague aged 20 |
Co-ruler of his brother. |
Rudolf III the Good | ![]() |
c. 1281 Vienna eldest son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
1298-1307 | Duchy of Austria | (1) Blanche of France 25 May 1300 one daughter (2) Elisabeth Richeza of Poland 16 October 1306 no issue |
3/4 July 1307 Horažďovice aged 26 |
Co-ruler with his father. He was elected King of Bohemia in 1306. |
Frederick I/III the Fair[1] | ![]() |
c. 1289 Vienna second son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
1308-1330 | Duchy of Austria | Isabella of Aragon 11 May 1315 Ravensburg three children |
13 January 1330 Gutenstein aged 41 |
Co-ruled with his brother Leopold until the latter's death, from whom he then inherited the County of Habsburg. In 1314, he was elected King of the Romans, firstly as rival of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and then accepting co-rulership. |
Leopold I the Glorious[2] | ![]() |
4 August 1290 Vienna third son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
1308-1326 | Duchy of Austria | 26 May 1315 Basel two daughters |
28 February 1326 Strassburg aged 35 |
Co-ruler with his brother in Austria and Styria. In spite of being a younger son of Albert, it was him alone who primarily inherited the County of Habsburg, the oldest land of the family. |
Albert II the Wise | ![]() |
12 December 1298 Habsburg Castle fourth son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
1330-1358 | Duchy of Austria | Joanna of Pfirt 15 February 1324 Vienna six children |
16 August 1358 Vienna aged 59 |
Co-ruler with his brother Otto, he established the primogeniture law into their domains. He also brought Carinthia and Carniola into Habsburg rule and laid an unsuccessful siege to Zürich. |
Otto I the Merry | ![]() |
23 July 1301 Vienna seventh son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
1330-1339 | Duchy of Austria | (1) Elisabeth of Bavaria 15 May 1325 Straubing two sons (2) Anne of Bohemia 16 February 1335 Znaim no issue |
17 February 1339 Neuberg an der Mürz aged 37 |
Co-ruler with his brother Albert, he administered the Swabian Habsburg lands. His minor sons, and Leopold (II), succeeded him in the co-rulership as titular dukes (1339-1344). |
Rudolf IV the Founder | ![]() |
1 November 1339 Vienna eldest son of Albert II the Wise and Joanna of Pfirt |
1358-1365 | Duchy of Austria | Catherine of Bohemia 13 July 1356 Vienna no issue |
27 July 1365 Milan aged 25 |
After the unchanging of privileges for the Habsburgs in the decree of the Golden Bull in 1356, Rudolf gave order to draw up the "Privilegium Maius", a fake document to empower the Austrian rulers. He was the first to style himself as Archduke, title which was only made official in 1453. Rudolf also brought Tyrol into Habsburg domain. |
The Privilegium Maius, fabricated by Rudolf in 1359, attempted to invest the Dukes of Austria with the special position of an "Archduke". This title was frequently used by Ernest the Iron and other Dukes but not recognized by other princes of the Holy Roman Empire until Frederick V became Emperor and confirmed the Privilegium in 1453.
After the death of Rudolf in 1365, his brothers Albert and Leopold succeeded him together, but divided their possessions between them in the Treaty of Neuberg of 1379:
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Albert III the Pigtail | ![]() |
9 September 1349 Vienna third son of Albert II the Wise and Joanna of Pfirt |
1365-1379 | Duchy of Austria | (1) Elisabeth of Bohemia after 19 March 1366 Vienna no issue (2) Beatrice of Nuremberg 4 March 1375 Vienna one son |
29 August 1395 Laxenburg aged 45 |
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1379-1395 | Lower Austria | ||||||
Leopold III the Just[3] | ![]() |
1 November 1351 Vienna fourth son of Albert II the Wise and Joanna of Pfirt |
1365-1379 | Duchy of Austria | Viridis Visconti 23 February 1365 Vienna six children |
9 July 1386 Sempach aged 34 |
Lost his life fighting in the Battle of Sempach (1386), a turning point that established the growth of the Swiss Confederacy and the effective decline of Habsburg power in their Swiss homeland. |
1379-1386 | Inner Austria, Tyrol and Further Austria | ||||||
William the Courteous | ![]() |
c. 1370 Vienna eldest son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
1386-1406 | Inner Austria, Tyrol and Further Austria | Joan II of Naples 13 November 1401 Vienna no issue |
15 July 1406 Vienna aged 36 |
Co-ruled with his brother Leopold IV. Also held regency in Lower Austria 1404–1406. |
Leopold IV the Fat | ![]() |
c. 1371 Vienna second son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
Catherine of Burgundy 15 August 1393 Vienna no issue |
3 June 1411 Vienna aged 40 |
Also held regency in Lower Austria 1404–1411. After the partition of 1406, kept Further Austria. | ||
1406-1411 | Further Austria | ||||||
Albert IV the Patient | ![]() |
19 September 1377 Vienna only son of Albert the Pigtail and Beatrice of Nuremberg |
1395-1404 | Lower Austria | Joanna Sophia of Bavaria 24 April 1390 Vienna two children |
14 September 1404 Klosterneuburg aged 26 |
His rule was marked by tensions and conflicts with the Leopoldinian line and the Luxemburg dynasty. |
Albert V the Magnanimous under joint guardianship of William and Leopold IV (1404–1411) |
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16 August 1397 Vienna only son of Albert IV and Joanna Sophia of Bavaria |
1404-1439 | Lower Austria | Elizabeth of Luxembourg 26 April 1422 Vienna three children |
27 October 1439 Neszmély aged 42 |
Succeeded as a minor, under guardianship of his Leopoldinian uncles. He was elected, in 1437–38, as King of Bohemia and King of Hungary, and also as King of Germany, beginning a three centuries long succession of Habsburg rulers as Kings of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperors. |
In 1406, ater the death of William, the living brothers of the Leopoldinian Line made a new division of their territories:
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Ernest the Iron | ![]() |
c. 1377 Bruck an der Mur third son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
1406-1424 | Inner Austria | (1) Margaret of Pomerania 14 January 1392 Bruck an der Mur no issue (2) Cymburgis of Masovia 25 January 1412 Kraków nine children |
10 June 1424 Bruck an der Mur aged 47 |
In 1414, he became the last Duke to be enthroned according to Carantanian traditional rite at the Prince's Stone in Carinthia, and from that time on called himself Archduke. Beside Rudolf IV, he was the only one who used the title before it became official in 1453. |
Frederick IV of the Empty Pockets[4] | ![]() |
c. 1382 fourth son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
1406-1411 | Tyrol | (1) 24 December 1407 Innsbruck one daughter (2) 11 June 1411 Innsbruck four children |
24 June 1439 Innsbruck aged 57 |
Also held regency in Inner Austria 1424–1435. By siding with Antipope John XXIII, the Council of Constance stripped him of the remaining important Swiss possessions of the family, which went to the Swiss Confederacy. |
1411-1439 | Tyrol and Further Austria | ||||||
Vacant 1439–1440 | |||||||
Ladislaus the Posthumous under guardianship of Frederick V (1440–1452) |
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22 February 1440 Komárom only son of Albert V and Elizabeth of Luxembourg |
1440-1453 1453-1457 |
Lower Austria Archduchy of Lower Austria |
Unmarried | 23 November 1457 Prague aged 17 |
Succeeded as a minor, under guardianship of his Ernestine cousin. His death without descendants ended the Albertinian line, and the domains he inherited in Bohemia and Hungary, which were only recovered during the reign of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor. |
Sigismund the Rich under guardianship of Frederick V (1439–1446) |
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26 October 1427 Innsbruck second son of Frederick IV and |
1439-1453 1453-1490 |
Tyrol and Further Austria Archduchy of Further Austria and County of Tyrol |
(1) Eleanor of Scotland 12 February 1449 Innsbruck one son (2) Katharina of Saxony 24 February 1484 Innsbruck no issue |
4 March 1496 Innsbruck aged 68 |
In 1490 he abdicated of his territories, giving way for the reunification of Austria. |
Frederick V the Peaceful under guardianship of Frederick IV (1424-1435) |
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21 September 1415 Innsbruck first son of Ernest and Cymburgis of Masovia |
1424-1453 1453-1457 |
Inner Austria Archduchy of Inner Austria |
Eleanor of Portugal 16 March 1452 Rome five children |
19 August 1493 Linz aged 77 |
Co-ruled with his brother Albert VI until the latter's death. Between 1440 and 1452 was elected as King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor. With this dignity, he conceded and made official, in 1453, the Habsburg title of Archduke, elevating officially the Duchy in an Archduchy, which he came to inherit a few years later. In 1490, he reunited all of Austria. His rule, however, wasn't always uncontested:
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1457-1490 | Archduchies of Lower and Inner Austria | ||||||
1490-1493 | Archduchy of Austria and Tyrol | ||||||
Albert VI the Prodigal under guardianship of Frederick IV (1424-1435) |
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12 September 1418 Vienna third son of Ernest and Cymburgis of Masovia |
1424-1453 1453-1457 |
Inner Austria Archduchy of Inner Austria |
1452 Vienna no issue |
2 December 1463 Vienna aged 45 |
Co-ruled with his brother, but occasionally revolted against him, occupying, until his death, lands known today as Upper Austria and Lower Austria. |
1457-1463 | Archduchies of Lower and Inner Austria | ||||||
Maximilian I the Last Knight | ![]() |
22 March 1459 Wiener Neustadt second son of Frederick V and Eleanor of Portugal |
1493-1519 | Archduchy of Austria | (1) Mary of Burgundy 18 August 1477 Ghent three children (2) Anne of Brittany 18 December 1490 Rennes no issue (3) Bianca Maria Sforza 16 March 1494 Hall in Tirol no issue |
12 January 1519 Wels aged 59 |
In 1490, he reconquered lost Austrian lands after Matthias Corvinus's death and persuaded his cousin Sigismund to cede Tyrol to him.[5][6] Appointed King of the Romans in 1486 and crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1508. His first marriage allowed him to extend Habsburg domain over the Low Countries. |
Charles I | ![]() |
24 February 1500 Ghent eldest son of Philip I of Castile and Joanna of Castile |
1519-1521 | Archduchy of Austria | Isabella of Portugal 10 March 1526 Seville seven children |
21 September 1558 Yuste aged 58 |
Grandson of his predecessor. Through his mother he gained, in 1516, the recently unified Kingdom of Spain, founding a Spanish branch of the Habsburgs that came to rule until 1700. In 1519,he inherited the Austrian Archduchy, and was the first solely elected (not crowned) King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor (as Charles V). In 1521, he abdicated from Austria to his brother, but continued to rule behind him until 1556. In this year, Charles abdicated of all his possessions and retired to the Monastery of Yuste. |
Ferdinand I under the guardianship of Charles I (1521-1556) |
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10 March 1503 Alcalá de Henares second son of Philip I of Castile and Joanna of Castile |
1521-1564 | Archduchy of Austria | Anne of Bohemia and Hungary 25 May 1521 Linz fifteen children |
25 July 1564 Vienna aged 61 |
Brother of the predecessor. While Charles I's son Philip II of Spain inherited the "Western" possessions (Low Countries, Spain with ultramarine lands, and Italian states), Ferdinand inherited the rest (Austrian possessions), while gaining the kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia, and came to be elected King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor in 1556, after his brother's abdication. |
In 1564, after Ferdinand I's death, the Archduchy was once more divided between his sons:
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Maximilian II | ![]() |
31 July 1527 Vienna eldest son of Ferdinand I and Anne of Bohemia and Hungary |
1564-1576 | Lower and Upper Austria | Maria of Spain 13 September 1548 Valladolid sixteen children |
12 October 1576 Regensburg aged 49 |
Maximilian, as the eldest son, was elected King of the Romans and Holy Roman Emperor in 1564, and inherited also the kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia. |
Ferdinand II | ![]() |
14 June 1529 Linz second son of Ferdinand I and Anne of Bohemia and Hungary |
1564-1595 | Further Austria and County of Tyrol | (1) Philippine Welser ca. 1576 four children (2) Anne Juliana Gonzaga 14 May 1582 Innsbruck three daughters |
24 January 1595 Innsbruck aged 65 |
Had descendants, but from his morganatic marriage, making them unsuitable for succession; his lands were eventually inherited by the senior Austrian line. |
Charles II[7] | ![]() |
3 June 1540 Vienna fourth son of Ferdinand I and Anne of Bohemia and Hungary |
1564-1590 | Inner Austria | Maria Anna of Bavaria 26 August 1571 Vienna fifteen children |
10 July 1590 Graz aged 50 |
Unlike his brother Maximilian, Charles was Catholic and promoted the Counter-Reformation in his domains. |
Rudolf V | ![]() |
18 July 1552 Vienna second son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain |
1576-1608 | Lower and Upper Austria | Unmarried | 20 January 1612 Prague aged 59 |
Also Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia and Hungary. Rudolf is seen as an ineffectual ruler whose mistakes led directly to the Thirty Years' War; as a great and influential patron of Northern Mannerist art; and an intellectual devotee of occult arts and learning which helped seed what would be called the scientific revolution. |
Matthias | ![]() |
24 February 1557 Vienna fourth son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain |
1595-1608 | Further Austria and County of Tyrol | Anna of Tyrol 4 December 1611 Vienna no issue |
20 March 1619 Vienna aged 62 |
Also Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia and Hungary. |
1608-1612 1612-1618 1618-1619 |
Further Austria, County of Tyrol and Lower and Upper Austria Lower and Upper Austria and County of Tyrol Further Austria, County of Tyrol and Lower and Upper Austria | ||||||
Maximilian III | ![]() |
12 October 1558 Vienna sixth son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain |
1612-1618 | Further Austria | Unmarried | 2 November 1618 Vienna aged 60 |
In 1587 stood as a candidate to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He also held regency of the Lower and Upper Austria 1593–1595. |
Albert VII | ![]() |
13 November 1559 Wiener Neustadt fifth son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain |
1619 | Lower and Upper Austria | Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain 18 April 1599 Valencia no children |
13 July 1621 Brussels aged 61 |
Also Viceroy of Portugal under Philip II of Spain, and ruler of the Low Countries (1598-1621). Ruled a few months as Archduke, before abdicating. By this he made possible a new reunion of Austria. |
In 1619, Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor (Ferdinand III of Austria) reunited the Archduchy, but, as consequence of the Thirty Years' War, he felt the need to divide the land once more:
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Ferdinand III under regency of Ernest of Austria (1590–1593) of Maximilian III (1593–1595) |
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9 July 1578 Graz second son of Charles II and Maria Anna of Bavaria |
1590-1619 | Inner Austria | (1) Maria Anna of Bavaria 23 April 1600 Graz seven children (2) Eleonor Gonzaga 2 February 1622 Innsbruck no issue |
15 February 1637 Vienna aged 58 |
Also Holy Roman Emperor (1619-1637), and King of Hungary and Bohemia. In 1619 he reunited Austria, but divided it again. |
1619-1623 | Archduchy of Austria | ||||||
1623-1637 | Lower Austria and Inner Austria | ||||||
Leopold V | ![]() |
9 October 1586 Graz fifth son of Charles II and Maria Anna of Bavaria |
1623-1632 | Upper Austria | Claudia de' Medici 19 April 1626 Innsbruck five children |
13 September 1632 Schwaz aged 45 |
When he was chosen as Archduke regnant, he abdicated his ecclesiastical status (held the Bishoprics of Passau and Strasbourg) to get married and have children. |
Ferdinand Charles under regency of Claudia de' Medici (1632-1646) |
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17 May 1628 Innsbruck eldest son of Leopold V and Claudia de' Medici |
1632-1662 | Upper Austria | Anna de' Medici 10 June 1646 Innsbruck two daughters |
30 December 1662 Kaltern aged 34 |
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Ferdinand IV | ![]() |
13 July 1608 Graz third son of Ferdinand III and Maria Anna of Bavaria |
1637-1657 | Lower Austria and Inner Austria | (1) Maria Anna of Spain 20 February 1631 Vienna six children (2) Maria Leopoldine of Austria 2 July 1648 Linz one son (3) Eleonora Gonzaga 30 April 1651 Wiener Neustadt four children |
2 April 1657 Vienna aged 48 |
Also Holy Roman Emperor (1637-1657), and King of Hungary and Bohemia. |
Sigismund Francis | ![]() |
27 November 1630 Innsbruck second son of Leopold V and Claudia de' Medici |
1662-1665 | Upper Austria | Hedwig of the Palatinate-Sulzbach 13 June 1665 Sulzbach no issue |
25 June 1665 Innsbruck aged 34 |
Brother of the predecessor. After his death, his territories reverted to the elder line. |
Leopold VI | ![]() |
9 June 1640 Vienna fourth son of Ferdinand IV and Maria Anna of Spain |
1657-1665 | Lower Austria and Inner Austria | (1) Margaret Theresa of Spain 12 December 1666 Vienna four children (2) Claudia Felicitas of Austria 15 October 1673 Graz two daughters (3) Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg 14 December 1676 Passau eleven children |
5 May 1705 Vienna aged 64 |
Also Holy Roman Emperor, and King of Bohemia and Hungary. In 1665, he unified Austria once more. |
1665-1705 | Archduchy of Austria | ||||||
Joseph I | 26 July 1678 Vienna eldest son of Leopold VI and Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg |
1705-1711 | Archduchy of Austria | Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick 10 June 1646 Vienna three children |
17 April 1711 Vienna aged 32 |
Also Holy Roman Emperor, and King of Bohemia and Hungary. | |
Charles III | ![]() |
1 October 1685 Vienna second son of Leopold VI and Eleonor Magdalene of Neuburg |
1711-1740 | Archduchy of Austria | Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 1 August 1708 Santa Maria del Mar, Barcelona five children |
20 October 1740 Vienna aged 55 |
Also Holy Roman Emperor, and King of Bohemia and Hungary. In 1700, he claimed the Kingdom of Spain in the War of Spanish Succession (1700-1713). |
Maria Theresa with Francis I Stephen (1740–1765) Joseph II (1765–1780) |
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13 May 1717 Hofburg Imperial Palace eldest daughter of Charles III and Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel |
1740-1780 | Archduchy of Austria | 12 February 1736 Vienna Sixteen Children |
29 November 1780 Hofburg Imperial Palace aged 63 |
Also Queen of Bohemia and Hungary. |
Francis I Stephen with Maria Theresa (1740–1765) |
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8 December 1708 Nancy fourth son of Leopold, Duke of Lorraine and Élisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans |
1740-1765 | Archduchy of Austria | 18 August 1765 Innsbruck aged 56 |
Also Holy Roman Emperor (1740-1765). Exchanged his original Duchy of Lorraine for the Grand Duchy of Tuscany (1737). |
House of Habsburg-Lorraine[]
The Austrian agnatic branch ended in 1780 with the death of Maria Theresa of Austria and was replaced by a combination of the Austrian cognatic branch of the Habsburgs and the Vaudemont branch of the House of Lorraine in the person of her son Joseph II. The new successor house styled itself as Habsburg-Lorraine (Habsburg-Lothringen). All Habsburgs living today are in the agnatic descendants of Maria Theresa and Francis Stephen.
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
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Joseph II 1765–1790 with Maria Theresa (1765–1780) |
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13 March 1741 Vienna eldest son of Francis I Stephen and Maria Theresa |
(1) Isabella of Parma 6 October 1760 Vienna two daughters (2) Maria Josepha of Bavaria 23 January 1765 Schönbrunn no issue |
20 February 1790 Vienna aged 48 |
Leopold VII 1790–1792 |
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5 May 1747 Vienna third son of Francis I and Maria Theresa |
Maria Luisa of Spain 16 February 1764 Innsbruck sixteen children |
1 March 1792 Vienna aged 44 |
Francis II 1792–1804 |
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12 February 1768 Florence eldest son of Leopold VII and Maria Luisa of Spain |
(1) Elisabeth of Württemberg 6 January 1788 Vienna one daughter (2) Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily 15 September 1790 Vienna 12 children (3) Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este 6 January 1808 Vienna no issue (4) Caroline Augusta of Bavaria 29 October 1816 Vienna no issue |
2 March 1835 Vienna aged 67 |
Emperors of Austria[]
In 1804 Francis I adopted the new title Emperor of Austria, but kept the title of Archduke of Austria. In 1806 the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved.
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
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Francis I 11 August 1804 – 2 March 1835 |
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12 February 1768 Florence eldest son of Leopold VII and Maria Luisa of Spain |
(1) Elisabeth of Württemberg 6 January 1788 Vienna one daughter (2) Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily 15 September 1790 Vienna 12 children (3) Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este 6 January 1808 Vienna no issue (4) Caroline Augusta of Bavaria 29 October 1816 Vienna no issue |
2 March 1835 Vienna aged 67 |
Ferdinand I 2 March 1835 – 2 December 1848 |
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19 April 1793 Vienna eldest son of Francis II and Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily |
Maria Anna of Savoy 27 February 1831 Vienna no issue |
29 June 1875 Prague aged 82 |
Francis Joseph I 2 December 1848 – 21 November 1916 |
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18 August 1830 Schönbrunn Palace eldest son of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and Princess Sophie of Bavaria |
Elisabeth of Bavaria 24 April 1854 Augustinerkirche four children |
21 November 1916 Schönbrunn Palace aged 86 |
Charles I 21 November 1916 – 11 November 1918 |
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17 August 1887 Persenbeug-Gottsdorf eldest son of Archduke Otto Francis of Austria and Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony |
Zita of Bourbon-Parma 21 October 1911 Schwarzau Castle eight children |
1 April 1922 Madeira aged 34 |
Republic of Austria[]
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In 1918, following the breakup of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, the Republic of Austria was established, but ended with "Anschluß" into the Third Reich from 1938 to 1945. Following World War II, the current Republic of Austria was established in 1945, even though Austria remained under the control and protection of Allied and Soviet Forces between 1945 and 1955.
The current head of state is the President of Austria; however, in practice, the Chancellor of Austria is more important. Every law still needs to be signed by the President however.
Otto von Habsburg (1912–2011), son of Charles I, was the head of the Habsburg house from 1922, but never reigned. In 2007 he handed the headship to his oldest son Karl von Habsburg who was first in the line of succession. He is the current head of the imperial family.
See also[]
- Austrian nobility
- History of Austria
- Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
- List of Austrian consorts
- List of heirs to the Austrian throne
- List of presidents of Austria
- List of chancellors of Austria
References[]
- ^ His numbering, if counted as I, reflects, not the ducal succession of the Babenbergs (being in fact the third ruler of Austria bearing this name), but of the comital Habsburgs, being the first member of the family with this name. However, it is possible that he might have adopted his German numeral III in Austria, as the next de facto rulers of Austria who bore the same name styled themselves as Frederick IV and Frederick V.
- ^ His numbering reflects, not the ducal succession of the Babenbergs (being in fact the seventh ruler of Austria bearing this name), but of the comital Habsburgs, being the first member of the family with this name.
- ^ Numbered III by including the titular duke Leopold II (1339-1344)
- ^ Numbered IV by including either only the de facto duke Frederick the Fair, sometimes numbered III, or by including the titular dukes (1339-1344) and Frederick (III) (1347–1362).
- ^ Pavlac, Brian A.; Lott, Elizabeth S. (1 June 2019). The Holy Roman Empire: A Historical Encyclopedia [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. pp. 255, 278. ISBN 978-1-4408-4856-8. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ Fichtner, Paula Sutter (7 March 2017). The Habsburg Monarchy, 1490-1848: Attributes of Empire. Macmillan International Higher Education. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-137-10642-1. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ In German Articles and Books these Archdukes' names and titles are normally completed with the territorial names of their Duchy as: "Charles II of Inner Austria" = "Karl der II. von Inner Österreich"
- Rulers of Austria
- Austria history-related lists
- Lists of European rulers