Courtly Lives - The Holy Roman Empire

The Holy Roman Empire
Written and researched by Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewska

Holy Roman Emperors from 1438-1806:

The Holy Roman Empire was the name used to describe the German countries of Europe. Each country had its own ruler, king, duke, or some lesser nobleman. The name was based on the idea that the Romans ruled the civilized parts of Europe and Africa, so the word "Roman" stood for power. "Holy" was because the countries were all united (in the beginning) in the Roman Catholic Church with the Pope as their spiritual head.

In 962, the first Holy Roman Emperor was crowned by the Pope. He was Otto, a descendant of the French king Charlemagne.

In 1273, Rudoph of Habsburg was elected emperor, and from that point on, most of the emperors were Habsburgs.

In 1806, Francis I gave up his title as Holy Roman Emperor and became Emperor of Austria.

The name Habsburg/Hapsburg are interchangeable, and comes from the name of the family's castle, Habichtsburg, which means "hawk castle." The castle was located in Switzerland, above the river Reuss.

Albrecht II (1438-1439) a Habsburg

son of Albert IV (1377-1404)

and Elizabeth of Luxemberg

crowned King of Hungary on January 1, 1438

Holy Roman Emperor on March 18, 1438

King of Bohemia on May 1438

died on October 17, 1439

Frederick III (1440-1493) a Habsburg

Frederick was born in 1415.

son of Ernest the Iron (1377-1427)

ruler of Austria, Styria, and Carinthia

and Cymburga of Masovia

He married Eleanora of Portugal in 1452

Maximillian I (1493-1519) a Habsburg

was the son of Frederick III.

and Eleanora of Portugal

Born in 1459

Married (1) Mary of Burgundy, in 1477.

Married (2) Bianca Sforza, in 1494.

Charles V (1519-1558)

a Habsburg who abdicated in 1556.

was born in 1500, in Gent.

son of Philip the Handsome/Fair (1478-1506)

and Juana "la loca" of Spain (1479-1555)

grandson of Maximilian I (1459-1519

Ferdinand I (1558-1564) a Habsburg

was born in 1503, at Alcala de Henares

son of Philip the Handsome (1478-1506)

and Juana "la Loca" of Spain (1479-1555)

Married Anna Jagellon, Queen of Hungary, in 1521

Maximillian II (reigned 1564-1576) a Habsburg

was born in 1527

son of Emperor Ferdinand I of Hapsburg.

and Anna Jagellon

Rudolf II (1576-1612) a Habsburg

was born in 1551/2 in Vienna

was mentally ill

died, in 1612, in Prague

son of Emperor Maximilian II (1527-1597)

Matthias (1612-1619) a Habsburg

was born in 1557, in Vienna

son of Maximillian II (1527-1597)

Brother of Rudolf II

Married Anne of Austria, in 1611

Ferdinand II (1619-1637) a Habsburg

was born in 1578, in Araz

son of Charles of Styria (1540-1590)

and Maria Anna of Bavaria (married in 1571,

Married (1) Maria Anna of Bavaria, in 1600

Married (2) Eleanora Gonzaga, in 1622. no issue

Ferdinand III (1637-1657), a Habsburg

was born in 1608, in Graz

son of Ferdinand II (1578-1637)

and (2)Maria Anna of Bavaria

Married (1)Maria Anna of Habsburg, in 1631

daughter of Phillip II

Married (2)Maria Leopoldina of Austria, in 1648

daughter of Leopold of Tyrol

Married (3) Eleonora Gonzaga of Mantua, in 1651.

Leopold I (1658-1705)a Habsburg

Married (1)Margarita Maria Teresa (1651-1673)

daughter of Philip IV, King of Spain

and Maria Anna Archdutchess of Austria

Married (2)Claudia Felicitis of Tyrol

daughter of Ferdinand Charles, in 1673

Married (3)Eleonora, Dutchess of Pfalz Neuberg, in 1676.

Joseph I (1705-1711) a Habsburg

was born in 1678, in Vienna

son of Leopold I

and Eleonora, Dutchess of Pfalz Neuburg

Married Amelia Wilhelmia of Brunswick, in 1699.

Charles VI (1711-1740) a Habsburg

born in 1685, in Vienna

son of Leopold I

and Eleonora, Dutchess of Pfalz Neuberg

Brother of Joseph I

Married Elizabeth Christina of Brunswick Wolfenbüttel

Charles VII (1742-1745)of the Bavarian Wittlesbach House

Francis I (Frances Stephen) (1745-1765) the duke of Lorraine

married Maria Theresa (1717-1780)

daughter of Charles VI (1685-1740)

and Elizabeth Christina of Brunswick Wolfenbuttel, in 1703

Maria Teresa was a Habsburg, their marriage founded the Habsburg-Lorraine line.

Joseph II (1765-1790) Habsburg-Lorraine line

was born in 1741, in Schönbrunn

son of Francis I (reigned 1745-1765)

and Maria Theresa (1717-1780)

Married (1) Isabella of Parma, in 1760

Married (2) Maria Josepha of Bavaria, in 1765

Leopold II (1790-1792) Habsburg-Lorraine line<

was born in 1747

son of Francis I and Maria Theresa (see above)

Married Maria Louisa de Bourbon, in 1765

daughter of Charles II of Spain

Brother of Joseph II

Francis II (1792-1835)

abdicated in 1806.

born on 1768 in Florence, Italy

son of Leopold II (1747-1792)

and Maria Luisa de Bourbon

daughter of Charles III of Spain

died in 1835 in Vienna, Austria

Married (1)Elizabeth, Dutchess of Wurtemburg, in 1788.

Married (2)Maria Theresa of Naples, in 1790

Married (3)Maria Luisa, Archdutchess of Austria, in 1808.

Married (4) Caroline of Bavaria, in 1816.

From here the chart goes to the Emperors of Austria.

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