Ferdinand Charles (17 May 1628 – 30 December 1662) was the Archduke of Further Austria, including Tyrol, from 1632 to 1662. He was the firstborn son of Archduke Leopold V of Further Austria and Claudia de' Medici. Until 1646, his mother Claudia served as regent and de facto ruler. Ferdinand Charles was a patron of the arts with Italian opera performed at his court. Despite this, he was a poor ruler and lived an extravagant lifestyle, drained the treasury, and held illegal executions.

Aged eighteen, Ferdinand Charles married his cousin, the thirty year old Anna de' Medici. They had no sons, and the male line of his father died out soon after Ferdinand Charles' own death, aged thirty-four, of smallpox. His daughter Claudia Felicitas of Austria-Tyrol went on to marry Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I.

Rule

As the son of Archduke Leopold V and Claudia de' Medici, he succeeded his father upon the latter's death in 1632, under his mother's regency. He took over his mother's gubernatorial duties when he came of age in 1646. To finance his extravagant living style, he sold goods and entitlements. For example, he wasted the exorbitant sum which France had to pay to the Tyrolean Habsburgs for the cession of their fiefs west of the Rhine (Alsace, Sundgau and Breisach).[citation needed] He also fixed the border to Graubünden in 1652.

Ferdinand Charles was an absolutist ruler, did not call any diet after 1648 and had his chancellor Wilhelm Biener executed illegally in 1651 after a secret trial. On the other hand, he was a lover of music and patron of arts: Italian opera was performed in his court.

He died in Kaltern of smallpox, at the age of thirty-four, and was succeeded by his younger brother, Sigismund Francis.

Marriage and children

Ferdinand Charles married Anna de' Medici. She was a daughter of Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Maria Magdalena of Austria. They had three children:

Ancestors

Ancestors of Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria
8. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor (= 22)4. Charles II, Archduke of Austria9. Anna of Bohemia and Hungary (= 23)2. Leopold V, Archduke of Austria10. Albert V, Duke of Bavaria5. Maria Anna of Bavaria11. Anna of Austria1. Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria12. Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany6. Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany13. Eleanor de Toledo3. Claudia de' Medici14. Charles III, Duke of Lorraine7. Christina of Lorraine15. Claude of Valois
8. Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor (= 22)
4. Charles II, Archduke of Austria
9. Anna of Bohemia and Hungary (= 23)
2. Leopold V, Archduke of Austria
10. Albert V, Duke of Bavaria
5. Maria Anna of Bavaria
11. Anna of Austria
1. Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria
12. Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
6. Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany
13. Eleanor de Toledo
3. Claudia de' Medici
14. Charles III, Duke of Lorraine
7. Christina of Lorraine
15. Claude of Valois

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:

External links

Regnal titles
Preceded byLeopold VArchduke of Further Austria 1632–1662Succeeded bySigismund Francis