Empire of Austria/Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary Index

Karl I, the last Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, reigned 1916 – 1918; Credit – Wikipedia

During the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th-century, Holy Roman Emperor Franz II of the House of Habsburg feared that Napoleon could take over the personal, hereditary Habsburg lands within the Holy Roman Empire, so in 1804 he proclaimed himself Emperor Franz I of Austria. As it turned out, Franz’s move was a wise one because the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved in 1806. Eventually, the Kingdom of Hungary and the Empire of Austria formed Austria-Hungary also known as the Dual Monarchy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The Austrian-Hungarian Empire in 1914; Credit – By TRAJAN 117 – Own work This vector image includes elements that have been taken or adapted from this file: German Empire 1914.svg (by Alphathon)., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18627049

Austria-Hungary was on the losing side of World War I. The armistice that ended the war required that the Austrian-Hungarian Empire should allow for autonomy and self-determination of the government of its various ethnic populations. Various areas of the empire had proclaimed independence and by October 1918, there was not much left of the empire. On November 11, 1918, the same day as the armistice ending World War I, Karl I, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary issued a proclamation in which he recognized the rights of the Austrian people to determine their form of government and released his government officials from their loyalty to him. On November 13, 1918, Karl issued a similar proclamation for Hungary. Karl did not use the term “abdicate” in his proclamations and would never admit that he abdicated, but in effect, Karl did abdicate.

The Austrian-Hungarian Empire encompassed the entirety or parts of today’s Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

Below is an indexed listing with links to biographical articles and about the Austrian Imperial Family at Unofficial Royalty. If it says “Notable Issue” before a name, that means not all of the children for the parent of that person are listed. Also listed below are links to Austrian Miscellaneous Articles, and various Austrian Content Areas.

Emperors of Austria (1804 – 1918)

Family of Franz I, Emperor of Austria

Franz I, Emperor of Austria (reigned 1792 – 1804 as Franz II, the last Holy Roman Emperor, reigned 1804 – 1835 as Emperor of Austria)
Elisabeth of Württemberg, Archduchess of Austria (1st wife of Franz I, one child, died in infancy)
Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily, Empress of Austria (2nd wife of Franz I, 12 children, also Holy Roman Empress from 1790 – 1804)
- Notable Issue: Archduchess Marie-Louise of Austria, Empress of the French
- Notable Issue: Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria (see below)
- Notable Issue: Archduchess Maria Leopoldina of Austria, Empress of Brazil, Queen of Portugal
- Notable Issue: Archduchess Maria Caroline of Austria, Crown Princess of Saxony
- Notable Issue: Archduke Franz Karl of Austria
- Sophie Friederike of Bavaria, Archduchess of Austria (wife of Franz Karl)
  - Notable Issue: Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria (see below)
  - Notable Issue: Archduke Maximilian of Austria, Emperor of Mexico (executed)
  - Charlotte of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria, Empress Carlota of Mexico (wife of Maximilian)
  - Notable Issue: Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria
  - Maria Annunciata of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Archduchess of Austria (2nd wife of Karl Ludwig)
    - Notable Issue: Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (assassinated)
    - Notable Issue: Archduke Otto Franz of Austria
    - Maria Josepha of Saxony, Archduchess of Austria (wife of Otto Franz)
      - Notable Issue: Karl I, Emperor of Austria (see below)
Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este, Empress of Austria (3rd wife of Franz I, no issue)
Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, Empress of Austria (4th wife of Franz I, no issue)

Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria

Ferdinand I, Emperor of Austria (reigned 1835 – 1848, abdicated in favor of his nephew Franz Joseph)
Maria Anna of Savoy, Empress of Austria (wife of Ferdinand I, no issue)

Family of Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria

Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria (reigned 1848 – 1916)
Elisabeth of Bavaria, Empress of Austria (wife of Franz Joseph I, assassinated)
- Notable Issue: Archduchess Gisela of Austria, Princess of Bavaria
- Notable Issue: Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria
- Stéphanie of Belgium, Crown Princess of Austria (wife of Rudolf)
  - Archduchess Elisabeth Marie of Austria, Princess of Windisch-Graetz
- Notable Issue: Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria, Princess of Tuscany

Family of Karl I, Emperor of Austria (Blessed Karl of Austria)

Karl I, Emperor of Austria (reigned 1916 – 1918, monarchy abolished)
Zita of Bourbon-Parma, Empress of Austria (wife of Karl I)
- Notable Issue: Otto von Habsburg (last Crown Prince of Austria)

Pretenders to the Throne

LAST REIGNING: Karl I, Emperor of Austria (reigned 1916 – 1918, pretender 1918 – 1922)
Former: Otto von Habsburg (pretender 1922 – 2011)
Current: Karl von Habsburg (pretender 2011 – present)
Current Heir: Ferdinand Habsburg (born 1997)