Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel ( born August 28, 1691 Braunschweig, † December 21, 1750 in Vienna) was Princess of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel and as the wife of Charles of Habsburg ( Emperor Charles VI. ) Archduchess of Austria, German queen and ( titular - ) Empress of the Holy Roman Empire. She was the mother of Maria Theresa.
Life
Princess Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel was born on August 28, 1691, the first child and eldest daughter of Ludwig Rudolf, Duke of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel and his wife Christine Louise of Oettingen in Braunschweig.
Even as a 13 - year-old she was betrothed by her ambitious grandfather Anton Ulrich in agreement with Empress Wilhelmine Amalia with their brother Karl. However, the planned wedding defied the Protestant bride at first, since the conversion to the Catholic faith was involved. They were, however, gradually converted on 1 May 1707 Bamberg.
1708 they got married in Barcelona, where her groom as anti-king Charles III. ruled from Spain. On this occasion, was the Italian composer Antonio Caldara Serenata "Il più bel nome " composed and performed.
When in 1711 her brother, Emperor Joseph I died suddenly, Charles was crowned in Frankfurt as his successor to the emperor. Although he trusted Elisabeth Christine no political skills, he made them at once as his deputy. 1713 left the "white Liesl " Karl called his wife because of her complexion, Spain.
Only in Austria got Elisabeth Christine of four children, but died her long-awaited son Leopold Johann shortly after birth, her youngest daughter Maria Amalia died at the age of six years and their second daughter Maria Anna even died before her in childbirth, so they only was survived by her eldest daughter, Maria Theresa. Because of these blows it should have been depressed in their late years.
With her husband's death in 1740 the House of Habsburg became extinct in the male line, and Maria Theresa followed in accordance with the provisions of the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 in the government of Erbkönigreiche and countries. Just as her husband Elisabeth Christine was entrusted by her daughter with political tasks, which, however, life estimated. Their only success was the initiation of the marriages of her niece Elisabeth Christine Frederick II and her nephew Anton Ulrich of Brunswick with the Russian regent Anne Leopoldovna.
Shortly before Christmas 1750, she died 59 years old in Vienna and was in the Capuchin crypt next to her husband, Emperor Karl VI. buried. Their hearts were buried separately and are located in the heart of the Habsburg crypt in the Loreto chapel, Vienna St. Augustine's Church.
Progeny
- Leopold Johann (* April 13, 1716; † November 4, 1716 ), Archduke of Austria
- Maria Theresia (* May 13, 1717, † November 29, 1780 ), Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary, and Queen of Bohemia, ∞ Franz I Stephan of Lorraine
- Maria Anna (* September 26, 1718, † December 16, 1744 ), Archduchess of Austria, ∞ Charles Alexander of Lorraine
- Maria Amalia (* April 5, 1724, † April 19, 1730 ), Archduchess of Austria