Gisants of Charles II Francis of Austria and his wife, Maria Anna of Bavaria, on the cenotaph of "Habsburg mausoleum", Seckau Abbey

Charles II Francis of Austria (German: Karl II. Franz von Innerösterreich) (3 June 1540 – 10 July 1590) was an Archduke of Austria and a ruler of Inner Austria (Styria, Carniola, Carinthia and Gorizia) from 1564. He was a member of the House of Habsburg.

Biography

Seckau Abbey, "Habsburg mausoleum", cenotaph

A native of Vienna, he was the third son of Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor, and of Anne of Bohemia and Hungary, daughter of King Vladislaus II of Hungary and his wife, Anne of Foix-Candale. In 1559 and again from 1564 to 1568, there were negotiations for a marriage between Charles and Elizabeth I of England. Emperor Ferdinand I expected Elizabeth to promise in the proposed marriage treaty that Charles, as her widower, would succeed her if she died childless. The negotiations dragged on until Elizabeth decided that she would not marry the Archduke since he was a Catholic.

In 1563, Charles was also a suitor of Mary, Queen of Scots, with her uncle Charles, Cardinal of Lorraine, advising her to marry Charles to obtain assistance in governing Scotland. Mary disagreed, as did Charles's older brother Maximilian.

Unlike his brother, Emperor Maximilian II, Charles was a religious Catholic and promoted the Counter-Reformation, such as by inviting the Jesuits to his territory. However, in 1572, he had to make significant concessions to the Inner Austrian Estates in the Religious Pacifications of Graz and in the 1578 Libellum of Bruck. In practice, that resulted in tolerance towards Protestantism.

As the Inner Austrian line had to bear the major burden of the wars against the Ottoman Empire, the fortress of Karlovac, in Croatia, was founded in 1579 to protect against invasions by the Ottoman Empire and it was named after him. Charles is also remembered as a benefactor of the arts and sciences. In particular, the composer Orlando di Lasso was one of his protégés, as was the music theorist Lodovico Zacconi.

In 1573, Charles founded the Akademisches Gymnasium in Graz, the oldest secondary school in Styria. In 1580, Charles founded a stud for horses of Andalusian origin in Lipica, Slovenia and thus played a leading role in the creation of the Lipizzan breed. In 1585, Charles founded the University of Graz, which is named Karl-Franzens-Universität after him.

He died at Graz in 1590.

Charles's mausoleum, in Seckau Abbey in which other members of the Habsburg family are also buried, is one of the most important edifices of the early Baroque in the south-eastern Alps. It was built from 1587 onwards by Alessandro de Verda and was completed by Sebastiano Carlone by 1612.

Marriage and children

On 26 August 1571, Charles married his niece Maria Anna of Bavaria in Vienna. They had 15 children, 12 of whom lived to adulthood:

NamePictureBirthDeathNotes
Archduke FerdinandJudenburg, 15 July 1572Judenburg, 3 August 1572Died in infancy.
Archduchess AnnaGraz, 16 August 1573Warsaw, 10 February 1598Married on 31 May 1592 to Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Sweden.
Archduchess Maria ChristinaGraz, 10 November 1574Hall in Tirol, Tyrol, 6 April 1621Married on 6 August 1595 to Sigismund Bathory, Prince of Transylvania; they divorced in 1599.
Archduchess Catherine RenataGraz, 4 January 1576Graz, 29 June 1599Died unmarried.
Archduchess ElisabethGraz, 13 March 1577Graz, 29 January 1586Died in childhood.
Archduke FerdinandGraz, 9 July 1578Vienna, 15 February 1637Holy Roman Emperor as Ferdinand II in 1619.
Archduke CharlesGraz, 17 July 1579Graz, 17 May 1580Died in infancy.
Archduchess Gregoria MaximilianaGraz, 22 March 1581Graz, 20 September 1597Died unmarried.
Archduchess EleanorGraz, 25 September 1582Hall in Tirol, Tyrol, 28 January 1620Died unmarried.
Archduke Maximilian ErnestGraz, 17 November 1583Graz, 18 February 1616Teutonic Knight.
Archduchess MargaretGraz, 25 December 1584El Escorial, 3 October 1611Married on 18 April 1599 to Philip III, King of Spain.
Archduke LeopoldGraz, 9 October 1586Schwaz, 13 September 1632Archduke of Further Austria and Count of Tirol under the name Leopold V.
Archduchess ConstanceGraz, 24 December 1588Warsaw, 10 July 1631Married on 11 December 1605 to Sigismund III Vasa, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (widower of her older sister).
Archduchess Maria MagdalenaGraz, 7 October 1589Passau, 1 November 1631Married on 19 October 1608 Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
Archduke CharlesGraz, 7 August 1590Madrid, 28 December 1624Bishop of Wroclaw and Brixen (1608–24), Grand Master of the Teutonic Order (1618–24).

Ancestors

Arms of Charles II of Austria-Styria.[citation needed]
Ancestors of Charles II, Archduke of Austria
8. Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor4. Philip I of Castile9. Mary, Duchess of Burgundy2. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor10. Ferdinand II of Aragon5. Joanna I of Castile11. Isabella I of Castile1. Charles II, Archduke of Inner Austria12. Casimir IV Jagiellon6. Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary13. Elisabeth of Austria3. Anne of Bohemia and Hungary14. Gaston de Foix, Count of Candale7. Anne of Foix-Candale15. Catherine of Foix
8. Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
4. Philip I of Castile
9. Mary, Duchess of Burgundy
2. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
10. Ferdinand II of Aragon
5. Joanna I of Castile
11. Isabella I of Castile
1. Charles II, Archduke of Inner Austria
12. Casimir IV Jagiellon
6. Vladislaus II of Bohemia and Hungary
13. Elisabeth of Austria
3. Anne of Bohemia and Hungary
14. Gaston de Foix, Count of Candale
7. Anne of Foix-Candale
15. Catherine of Foix

Male-line family tree

vteHouse of Habsburg
Original line Albert Count of Habsburg c.1188–1239 Rudolf I of Germany c.1218–1291 Albert I of Germany 1255–1308Hartmann 1263–1281Rudolf II Duke of Austria 1270–1290 Rudolf I of Bohemia 1281–1307Frederick the Fair c.1289–1330Leopold I Duke of Austria 1290–1326Albert II Duke of Austria 1298–1358Henry the Friendly 1299–1327Otto Duke of Austria 1301–1339John Parricida c.1290–1312/1313 Albertinian lineLeopoldian line Rudolf IV Duke of Austria 1339–1365Frederick III 1347–1362Albert III Duke of Austria 1349–1395Leopold III Duke of Austria 1351–1386Frederick II Duke of Austria 1327–1344Leopold II Duke of Austria 1328–1344 Albert IV Duke of Austria 1377–1404William Duke of Austria c.1370–1406Leopold IV Duke of Austria 1371–1411Ernest Duke of Austria 1377–1424Frederick IV Duke of Austria 1382–1439 Albert II of Germany 1397–1439Frederick III HRE 1415–1493Albert VI Archduke of Austria 1418–1463Sigismund Archduke of Austria 1427–1496 Ladislaus the Posthumous 1440–1457Maximilian I HRE 1459–1519 Philip I of Castile 1478–1506 Spanish / Iberian lineAustrian / HRE line Charles V HRE 1500–1558Ferdinand I HRE 1503–1564 Philip II of Spain 1527–1598Maximilian II HRE 1527–1576Ferdinand II Archduke of Austria 1529–1595Charles II Archduke of Austria 1540–1590 Carlos Prince of Asturias 1545–1568Philip III of Spain 1578–1621Rudolf II HRE 1552–1612Ernest of Austria 1553–1595Matthias HRE 1557–1619Maximilian III Archduke of Austria 1558–1618Albert VII Archduke of Austria 1559–1621Wenceslaus Archduke of Austria 1561–1578Andrew Margrave of Burgau 1558–1600Charles Margrave of Burgau 1560–1618Ferdinand II HRE 1578–1637Maximilian Ernest of Austria 1583–1616Leopold V Archduke of Austria 1586–1632Charles of Austria 1590–1624 Philip IV of Spain 1605–1665Charles of Austria 1607–1632Ferdinand of Austria 1609–1641John-Charles of Austria 1605–1619Ferdinand III HRE 1608–1657Leopold Wilhelm of Austria 1614–1662Ferdinand Charles Archduke of Austria 1628–1662Sigismund Francis Archduke of Austria 1630–1665 Balthasar Charles Prince of Asturias 1629–1646Charles II of Spain 1661–1700Ferdinand IV King of the Romans 1633–1654Leopold I HRE 1640–1705Charles Joseph of Austria 1649–1664 Joseph I HRE 1678–1711Charles VI HRE 1685–1740 Lorraine Maria Theresa HRE 1740–1780Francis I HRE 1745–1765 Habsburg-Lorraine Joseph II HRE 1765–1790Leopold II HRE 1790–1792 Francis II HRE 1792–1806
Original line
Albert Count of Habsburg c.1188–1239
Rudolf I of Germany c.1218–1291
Albert I of Germany 1255–1308Hartmann 1263–1281Rudolf II Duke of Austria 1270–1290
Rudolf I of Bohemia 1281–1307Frederick the Fair c.1289–1330Leopold I Duke of Austria 1290–1326Albert II Duke of Austria 1298–1358Henry the Friendly 1299–1327Otto Duke of Austria 1301–1339John Parricida c.1290–1312/1313
Albertinian lineLeopoldian line
Rudolf IV Duke of Austria 1339–1365Frederick III 1347–1362Albert III Duke of Austria 1349–1395Leopold III Duke of Austria 1351–1386Frederick II Duke of Austria 1327–1344Leopold II Duke of Austria 1328–1344
Albert IV Duke of Austria 1377–1404William Duke of Austria c.1370–1406Leopold IV Duke of Austria 1371–1411Ernest Duke of Austria 1377–1424Frederick IV Duke of Austria 1382–1439
Albert II of Germany 1397–1439Frederick III HRE 1415–1493Albert VI Archduke of Austria 1418–1463Sigismund Archduke of Austria 1427–1496
Ladislaus the Posthumous 1440–1457Maximilian I HRE 1459–1519
Philip I of Castile 1478–1506
Spanish / Iberian lineAustrian / HRE line
Charles V HRE 1500–1558Ferdinand I HRE 1503–1564
Philip II of Spain 1527–1598Maximilian II HRE 1527–1576Ferdinand II Archduke of Austria 1529–1595Charles II Archduke of Austria 1540–1590
Carlos Prince of Asturias 1545–1568Philip III of Spain 1578–1621Rudolf II HRE 1552–1612Ernest of Austria 1553–1595Matthias HRE 1557–1619Maximilian III Archduke of Austria 1558–1618Albert VII Archduke of Austria 1559–1621Wenceslaus Archduke of Austria 1561–1578Andrew Margrave of Burgau 1558–1600Charles Margrave of Burgau 1560–1618Ferdinand II HRE 1578–1637Maximilian Ernest of Austria 1583–1616Leopold V Archduke of Austria 1586–1632Charles of Austria 1590–1624
Philip IV of Spain 1605–1665Charles of Austria 1607–1632Ferdinand of Austria 1609–1641John-Charles of Austria 1605–1619Ferdinand III HRE 1608–1657Leopold Wilhelm of Austria 1614–1662Ferdinand Charles Archduke of Austria 1628–1662Sigismund Francis Archduke of Austria 1630–1665
Balthasar Charles Prince of Asturias 1629–1646Charles II of Spain 1661–1700Ferdinand IV King of the Romans 1633–1654Leopold I HRE 1640–1705Charles Joseph of Austria 1649–1664
Joseph I HRE 1678–1711Charles VI HRE 1685–1740
Lorraine
Maria Theresa HRE 1740–1780Francis I HRE 1745–1765
Habsburg-Lorraine
Joseph II HRE 1765–1790Leopold II HRE 1790–1792
Francis II HRE 1792–1806
Notes:

Notes

  • Doran, Susan (1996). Monarchy and Matrimony: The Courtships of Elizabeth I. Routledge.
Regnal titles
Charles II, Archduke of AustriaHouse of HabsburgBorn: 3 June 1540Died: 10 July 1590
Preceded byFerdinand IArchduke of Inner Austria 1564–1590Succeeded byFerdinand II