Margrave Andrew of Burgau
Andreas of Austria (* June 15, 1558 at Castle Bresnitz, Březnice, Bohemia, † November 12, 1600 in Rome) was a cardinal and bishop of Constance and Brixen. His parents were the Habsburg Archduke Ferdinand II, ruler of Tyrol and his wife, the Augsburg patrician daughter Philippine Welser. He was abbot of the monastery of 1587-1600 Murbach.
Childhood and youth
Like his younger brother Charles, he was found in the doorway of his parents' castle in Bohemia as a foundling and after he was lifted from Philippine, his birth mother, he was explained as legitimate. Just close confidante of Ferdinand II and Philippine Welser knew that the two were his biological parents and not just adoptive parents. Together with his younger brother, he grew only in Bohemia, later in Tirol. The two sons ( a younger twins died in childhood ) received the best teacher, but were in school matters little interest, and the learning of foreign languages (the father spoke several languages fluently) was hated them. Andreas refused any scholarship and colliding with his nature he enjoyed hardly any popularity with other people, which loses him a little upset because he had left for others too little and was by no means take after his amiable and helpful mother.
Since a rich marriage was out of the question due to the unstandesgemäßen mother, the sons had to be otherwise supplied. Both had become attractive young men who are in the vicinity of his father's residence Ambras (where they were established since 1567 ) were considered to be excellent horsemen, unerring hunters and excellent fencer. They had both become rich idlers who indulged in the fun on the dance floor and extravagant feasts and banquets and spent the money the parents with full hands. One of their dinners at the Innsbruck Hofburg describes 1580 Montaigne in his travel diary.
The parents decided that Andrew should take the clerical career, although this was anything but a regular churchgoer. In March 1574 he traveled with a large entourage to Rome - twelve highly loaded wagons with gold and silver appliances, silk and damask fabrics were there. The future cardinal was supposed to lead a life befitting. For Pope Gregory XIII. the mother had sent along a chest with drugs, which should present at the first meeting with this son. However, it passed some time before it came to the meeting because the Pope various rumors had come over the dubious way of life of the young man 's ears. When he the now 17 -year-old finally appointed a cardinal, he said that this was due to this high honor only and alone to his father.
Andreas of Austria had two illegitimate children, Hans -Georg Degli Abizzi (* 1583 ) and Susanna Degli Abizzi ( 1584-1653 ), who grew up with his brother Karl, Margrave of Burgau.
Offices and Title
In the consistory of November 19, 1576 gave Pope Gregory XIII. Andreas of Austria the cardinal's hat and appointed him in 1577 as Cardinal Priest of the titular church of Santa Maria Nuova. Since 1580 he was Coadjutor Bishop of Constance in 1589 and joined its successor as Prince-Bishop of Konstanz. He received episcopal consecration in January 1590th Since 1591, he was also briefly coadjutor, then Bishop of Brixen. Andreas of Austria was Margrave of Burgau (1578-1600) and on behalf of his cousin, Cardinal Albert VII of Austria, governor of the Southern Netherlands ( 1598-99 ).