Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria
Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria, full name Karl Stephan Eugen Viktor Felix Maria von Habsburg-Lothringen, 1919 Stephan Karl Habsburg-Lothringen ( born September 5, 1860 in United Seelowitz in Brno, † April 7, 1933 in Żywiec ) was a member of the house of Habsburg- Lorraine and Admiral of the Austria -Hungarian Navy.
Origin
Charles Stephen was the third son of Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria (1818-1874) and his wife Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska Maria of Austria (1831-1903), daughter of Archduke Joseph Anton Johann of Austria, Palatine of Hungary, and his third wife Duchess Maria Dorothea of Württemberg. Paternal His grandparents were Archduke Charles of Austria -Teschen and Princess Henriette Alexandrine of Nassau- Weilburg.
Sibling
- Franz -Joseph (* / † 1855)
- Friedrich Maria Albrecht Wilhelm Karl (1856-1936), Duke of Teschen ∞ 1878 Princess Isabella of Croy
- Maria Christina Désirée Henriette Felicitas Rainiera (1858-1929) ∞ 1879 King Alfonso XII. from Spain
- Eugen Ferdinand Pius Bernhard Felix Maria (1863-1954)
- Maria Eleonora (* / † 1864)
From the first marriage of his mother, he had a half-sister, Marie Therese (1849-1919), later Queen of Bavaria.
Marriage and descendants
On February 28, 1886 married Archduke Karl Stephan in Vienna Archduchess Maria Theresa ( 1862-1933 ), daughter of Archduke Karl Salvator of Austria - Tuscany and his wife Maria Immaculata of the Two Sicilies from the house of Bourbon. The marriage produced six children:
- Maria Eleonora (1886-1974) ∞ Alfons von Kloss
- Renata Maria (1888-1935) ∞ Prince Jerome Radziwill
- Karl Albrecht (1888-1951), Prince of Altenburg ∞ Alice Ankarcrona, widowed Countess Badeni
- Mechthildis Maria Christina (1891-1966) ∞ Prince Czartoryski Olgierd
- Leo Charles (1893-1939) ∞ Countess Maria- Clothilde de Thuillières
- Wilhelm (1895-1948)
His marriage to not "equal footing " Polish nobles had to renounce the succession Renata and Mechthildis for their sons. Stephan promised to them but an anchor in " Poles " and possible Polish Thronkanditaten among his grandchildren. Eleonora was allowed in 1913 the former captain of the yacht her father to marry into which they had fallen in love already with 15 years.
Military career
Karl Stephan came in 1879 in the Austro-Hungarian Navy and retired in 1896 from active duty back. He was nevertheless continue to be transported: In 1911 he reached the rank Admiral. In 1918, he was ( today in Montenegro southern Dalmatia ) moved from Emperor Charles I to Cattaro / Kotor to carry out a reorganization of the Navy after the mutiny made there together with Miklós Horthy. He was also owner of the 8th k.u.k. Infantry Regiment.
As a naval officer Karl Stephan interested in sailing and participated in several regattas in England.
Candidate for the Polish crown
In June 1916 Charles Stephen was proposed by the German side as Polish Regent. Emperor Franz Joseph, who wanted to be King of Poland itself, but refused. On November 5, 1916, the German Emperor Wilhelm II and the Austrian Archduke Karl announced their plans for an independent Kingdom of Poland with hereditary monarchy. Archduke Charles Stephen was considered again as a candidate on the Polish throne: He lived with his family in Żywiec ( Żywiec ) and spoke fluent Polish. Two of his daughters were in Polish noble houses, Radziwill and Czartoryski, married. Since Charles Stephen was a member of the imperial house, he would have needed by the Austrian Emperor 's permission to found his own dynasty. But Emperor Charles refused this permission finally, since he was planning to leave himself crowned King of Poland.
Awards
- Order of Malta
- Order of the Golden Fleece
- Elephant - Order
- Royal Seraphinenorden
- Black Eagle Order
- St. Stephen Medal