Austria was ruled by the House of Babenberg until 1246 and by the House of Habsburg from 1282 to 1918.
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The March of Austria, also known as Marcha Orientalis, was first formed in 976 out of the lands that had once been the March of Pannonia in Carolingian times. The oldest attestation dates back to 996, where the written name "ostarrichi" occurs in a document transferring land in present-day Austria to a Bavarian monastery.
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leopold the Illustrious (Luitpold der Erlauchte) 976–994 |
c. 940 | Richardis of Sualafeldgau nine children |
10 July 994 Würzburg aged about 54 |
|
Henry the Strong (Heinrich der Starke) 994–1018 |
late 10th century son of Leopold I and Richardis of Sualafeldgau |
never married | 23 June 1018 | |
Adalbert the Victorious (Adalbert der Siegreiche) 1018–1055 |
c.985 son of Leopold I and Richardis of Sualafeldgau |
(1) Glismod of West-Saxony two children (2) Frozza Orseolo no issue |
26 May 1055 Melk aged about 70 |
|
Ernest the Brave (Ernst der Tapfere) 1055–1075 |
c.1027 son of Adalbert and Glismod of West-Saxony |
(1) Adelaide von Eilenburg 1060 three children (2) Swanhilde von der Ungarnmark 1072 no issue |
10 June 1075 aged about 48 |
|
Leopold the Fair (Luitpold der Schöne) 1075-1095 |
c.1050 son of Ernest and Adelaide von Eilenburg |
Ida of Cham 1065 eight children |
12 October 1095 aged about 45 |
|
Leopold the Good (Luitpold der Heilige) 1095–1136 |
c.1073 Melk son of Leopold II and Ida of Cham |
(1) Maria of Perg one son (2) Agnes of Germany 1106 eighteen children |
15 November 1136 Vienna aged about 63 |
|
Leopold the Generous (Luitpold der Freigiebige) 1137–1141 |
c.1108 son of Leopold III and Agnes of Germany |
Maria of Bohemia 28 September 1138 no issue |
18 October 1141 Niederalteich aged about 33 |
|
Henry Jasomirgott (Heinrich Jasomirgott) 1141–1156 |
c.1107 son of Leopold III and Agnes of Germany |
(1) Gertrude of Süpplingenburg 1 May 1142 one daughter (2) Theodora Komnene 1148 three children |
13 January 1177 aged about 70 |
In 1156, the Privilegium Minus elevated the march to a duchy, independent of the Duchy of Bavaria.
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Henry Jasomirgott (Heinrich Jasomirgott) 1156-1177 |
c.1107 son of Leopold III and Agnes of Germany |
(1) Gertrude of Süpplingenburg 1 May 1142 one daughter (2) Theodora Komnene 1148 three children |
13 January 1177 aged about 70 |
|
Leopold the Virtuous (Luitpold der Tugendhafte) 1177-1194 |
c.1157 son of Henry II and Theodora Komnene |
Helena of Hungary 1174 four children |
31 December 1194 Graz aged about 37 |
|
Frederick the Catholic (Friedrich der Katholische) 1195-1198 |
c.1175 son of Leopold V and Helena of Hungary |
never married | 16 April 1198 The Holy Land aged about 23 |
|
Leopold the Glorious (Luitpold der Glorreiche) 1198-1230 |
c.1176 son of Leopold V and Helena of Hungary |
Theodora Angelina 1203 seven children |
28 July 1230 San Germano aged about 54 |
|
Frederick the Quarrelsome (Friedrich der Streitbare) 1230-1246 |
25 April 1211 Wiener Neustadt son of Leopold VI and Theodora Angelina |
(1) Sophia Laskarina no issue (2) Agnes of Merania 1229 no issue |
15 June 1246 Leitha aged 35 |
After Frederick's death, the succession of the Duchy was disputed between various claimants:
In 1278, Rudolf I, King of Germany, defeated Ottokar and took control of Austria. In 1282 he invested his sons with the Duchies of Austria and Styria, thereby securing it for the Habsburg dynasty.
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rudolf I 1278-1282 |
1 May 1218 Breisgau son of Albert IV, Count of Habsburg and Hedwige von Kyburg |
(1) Gertrude of Hohenberg 1245 9 children (2) Isabelle of Burgundy 5 February 1284 no issue |
15 Juy 1291 Speyer aged 73 |
|
Albert I 1282-1308 |
July 1255 Vienna third son of Rudolf I and Gertrude of Hohenburg |
Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol Vienna 20 December 1274 12 children |
1 May 1308 Windisch aged 52 |
|
Rudolf the Debonair 1282-1283 |
July 1270 Rheinfelden third son of Rudolph I and Gertrude of Hohenburg |
Agnes of Bohemia Prague March 1289 one son |
10 May 1290 Prague aged 20 |
|
Rudolf the Good 1298-1307 |
c. 1281 Vienna eldest son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
(1) Blanche of France 25 May 1300 one daughter (2) Elisabeth Richeza of Poland 16 October 1306 no issue |
3/4 July 1307 Horažďovice aged 26 |
|
Frederick the Fair 1308-1330 |
c. 1289 Vienna second son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
Isabella of Aragon Ravensburg 11 May 1315 three children |
13 January 1330 Gutenstein aged 41 |
|
Leopold the Glorious 1308-1326 |
4 August 1290 Vienna third son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
Catherine of Savoy Basel 26 May 1315 two daughters |
28 February 1326 Strassburg aged 35 |
|
Albert the Wise 1330-1358 |
12 December 1298 Habsburg fourth son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
Joanna of Pfirt Vienna 15 February 1324 six children |
16 August 1358 Vienna aged 59 |
|
Otto the Merry 1330-1339 |
23 July 1301 Vienna seventh son of Albert I and Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol |
(1) Elisabeth of Bavaria Straubing 15 May 1325 two sons (2) Anne of Bohemia Znaim 16 February 1335 no issue |
17 February 1339 Neuberg an der Mürz aged 37 |
|
Frederick II 1339-1344 |
10 February 1327 Austria eldest son of Otto I and Elisabeth of Bavaria |
never married | 11 December 1344 Austria aged 17 |
|
Leopold II 1339-1344 |
c. 1328 Austria second son of Otto I and Elisabeth of Bavaria |
never married | 10 August 1344 Austria aged 16 |
|
Rudolf the Founder 1358-1365 |
1 November 1339 Vienna eldest son of Albert II and Joanna of Pfirt |
Catherine of Bohemia Vienna 13 July 1356 no issue |
27 July 1365 Milan aged 25 |
The Privilegium Maius, fabricated by Rudolf in 1359, attempted to invest the Dukes of Austria with the special position of an Archduke. This title was frequently used by Ernest the Iron and other Dukes but not recognized by other princes of the Holy Roman Empire until Frederick V became Emperor and confirmed the Privilegium in 1453.
Rudolf was succeeded by his brothers that at first ruled jointly:
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Albert the Pigtail 1365-1379 |
9 September 1349 Vienna third son of Albert the Wise and Joanna of Pfirt |
(1) Elisabeth of Bohemia Vienna after 19 March 1366 no issue (2) Beatrice of Nuremberg Vienna 4 March 1375 one son |
29 August 1395 Laxenburg aged 45 |
|
Leopold the Just 1365-1379 |
1 November 1351 Vienna fourth son of Albert the Wise and Joanna of Pfirt |
Viridis Visconti Vienna 23 February 1365 six children |
9 July 1386 Sempach aged 34 |
The territories were divided between the brothers and their descendants in the Treaty of Neuberg in 1379:
The Albertinian Line received the Archduchy of Austria, later called Lower Austria (not to be confused with the namesake modern state):
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Albert the Pigtail 1379-1395 |
9 September 1349 Vienna third son of Albert the Wise and Joanna of Pfirt |
(1) Elisabeth of Bohemia Vienna after 19 March 1366 no issue (2) Beatrice of Nuremberg Vienna 4 March 1375 one son |
29 August 1395 Laxenburg aged 45 |
|
Albert the Patient 1395-1404 |
19 September 1377 Vienna only son of Albert the Pigtail and Beatrice of Nuremberg |
Joanna Sophia of Bavaria Vienna 24 April 1390 two children |
14 September 1404 Klosterneuburg aged 26 |
|
Albert the Magnanimous 1404-1439 |
16 August 1397 Vienna only son of Albert IV and Joanna Sophia of Bavaria |
Elisabeth of Bohemia Vienna 26 April 1422 three children |
27 October 1439 Neszmély aged 42 |
|
Vacant 1439-1440 | ||||
Ladislaus the Posthumous 1440-1457 (1440–1452) |
22 February 1440 Komarom only son of Albert V and Elisabeth of Bohemia |
never married | 23 November 1457 Prague aged 17 |
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Frederick the Peaceful 1457-1493 |
21 September 1415 Innsbruck first son of Ernest and Cymburgis of Masovia |
Eleanor of Portugal Rome 16 March 1452 five children |
19 August 1493 Linz aged 77 |
|
Albert the Prodigal 1457-1463 |
12 September 1418 Vienna third son of Ernest and Cymburgis of Masovia |
Mathilde of the Palatinate Vienna 1452 no issue |
2 December 1463 Vienna aged 45 |
The Leopoldinian Line received the Duchies of Styria, Carinthia and Carniola, the County of Tyrol and Further Austria:
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leopold the Just 1379-1386 |
1 November 1351 Vienna fourth son of Albert the Wise and Joanna of Pfirt |
Viridis Visconti Vienna 23 February 1365 six children |
9 July 1386 Sempach aged 34 |
|
William the Courteous 1386-1406 |
c. 1370 Vienna eldest son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
Joan II of Naples Vienna 13 November 1401 no issue |
15 July 1406 Vienna aged 36 |
|
Leopold the Fat 1386-1411 |
c. 1371 Vienna second son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
Catherine of Burgundy Vienna 15 August 1393 no issue |
3 June 1411 Vienna aged 40 |
|
Ernest the Iron 1402-1406 |
c. 1377 Bruck an der Mur third son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
(1) Margaret of Pomerania Bruck an der Mur 14 January 1392 no issue (2) Cymburgis of Masovia Kraków 25 January 1412 nine children |
10 June 1424 Bruck an der Mur aged 47 |
|
Frederick of the Empty Pockets 1402-1406 |
c. 1382 ? fourth son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
(1) Elisabeth of the Palatinate Innsbruck 24 December 1407 one daughter (2) Anna of Brunswick Innsbruck 11 June 1411 four children |
24 June 1439 Innsbruck aged 57 |
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ernest the Iron 1402-1424 |
c. 1377 Bruck an der Mur third son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
(1) Margaret of Pomerania Bruck an der Mur 14 January 1392 no issue (2) Cymburgis of Masovia Kraków 25 January 1412 nine children |
10 June 1424 Bruck an der Mur aged 47 |
|
Frederick the Peaceful 1457-1493 |
21 September 1415 Innsbruck first son of Ernest the Iron and Cymburgis of Masovia |
Eleanor of Portugal Rome 16 March 1452 five children |
19 August 1493 Linz aged 77 |
|
Albert the Prodigal 1457-1463 |
12 September 1418 Vienna third son of Ernest the Iron and Cymburgis of Masovia |
Mathilde of the Palatinate Vienna 1452 no issue |
2 December 1463 Vienna aged 45 |
Both under the guardianship of
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Frederick of the Empty Pockets 1406-1435 |
c. 1382 ? fourth son of Leopold the Just and Viridis Visconti |
(1) Elisabeth of the Palatinate Innsbruck 24 December 1407 one daughter (2) Anna of Brunswick Innsbruck 11 June 1411 four children |
24 June 1439 Innsbruck aged 57 |
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Frederick of the Empty Pockets 1406-1439 |
c. 1382 ? fourth son of Leopold IX and Viridis Visconti |
(1) Elisabeth of the Palatinate Innsbruck 24 December 1407 one daughter (2) Anna of Brunswick Innsbruck 11 June 1411 four children |
24 June 1439 Innsbruck aged 57 |
|
Sigismund the Rich 1439-1490 under guardianship of Frederick V (1439–1446) |
26 October 1427 Innsbruck second son of Frederick V and Anna of Brunswick |
(1) Eleanor of Scotland Innsbruck 12 February 1449 one son (2) Katharina of Saxony Innsbruck 24 February 1484 no issue |
4 March 1496 Innsbruck aged 68 |
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maximilian the Last Knight 1490-1493 |
22 March 1459 Wiener Neustadt second son of Frederick VI and Eleanor of Portugal |
(1) Mary of Burgundy Ghent 18 August 1477 three children (2) Anne of Brittany Rennes 18 December 1490 no issue (3) Bianca Maria Sforza Hall in Tirol 16 March 1494 no issue |
12 January 1519 Wels aged 59 |
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Matthias Corvinus 1485-1490 Claimant Duke |
23 February 1443 Kolozsvár second son of John Hunyadi and Elizabeth Szilágyi |
(1) Elizabeth of Celje ? no issue (2) Catherine of Poděbrady Matthias Church, Budapest 1 May 1461 no issue (2) Beatrice of Naples Vienna 15 December 1476 no issue |
6 April 1490 Vienna aged 47 |
The Austrian territories were again reunited in 1493.
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maximilian I 1493-1519 |
22 March 1459 Wiener Neustadt second son of Frederick VI and Eleanor of Portugal |
(1) Mary of Burgundy Ghent 18 August 1477 three children (2) Anne of Brittany Rennes 18 December 1490 no issue (3) Bianca Maria Sforza Hall in Tirol 16 March 1494 no issue |
12 January 1519 Wels aged 59 |
|
Charles I 1519-1521 |
24 February 1500 Ghent eldest son of Philip I of Castile and Joanna of Castile |
Isabella of Portugal Seville 10 March 1526 seven children |
21 September 1558 Yuste aged 58 |
|
Ferdinand I 1521-1564 |
10 March 1503 Alcalá de Henares second son of Philip I of Castile and Joanna of Castile |
Anna of Bohemia and Hungary Linz 25 May 1521 fifteen children |
25 July 1564 Vienna aged 61 |
In 1564 the Austrian territories were again divided among Emperor Ferdinand's sons:
Lower and Upper Austria (Austria proper) passed to Ferdinand's 1st son Maximilian:
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maximilian II 1564-1576 |
31 July 1527 Vienna eldest son of Ferdinand I and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary |
Maria of Spain Valladolid 13 September 1548 sixteen children |
12 October 1576 Regensburg aged 49 |
|
Rudolf V 1576-1608 |
18 July 1552 Vienna second son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain |
never married | 20 January 1612 Prague aged 59 |
|
Matthias 1608-1619 |
24 February 1557 Vienna fourth son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain |
Anna of Tyrol Vienna 4 December 1611 no issue |
20 March 1619 Vienna aged 62 |
|
Albert VII 1619 |
13 November 1559 Wiener Neustadt fifth son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain |
Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain Valencia 18 April 1599 no issue |
13 July 1621 Brussels aged 61 |
Tyrol and Further Austria passed to Emperor Ferdinand's 2nd son Ferdinand:
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ferdinand II 1564-1595 |
14 June 1529 Linz second son of Ferdinand I and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary |
(1) Philippine Welser ca. 1576 four children (2) Anne Juliana Gonzaga Innsbruck 14 May 1582 three daughter |
24 January 1595 Innsbruck aged 65 |
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Matthias 1595-1619 under regency of Maximilian III (1612–1618) |
24 February 1557 Vienna fourth son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain |
Anna of Tyrol Vienna 4 December 1611 no issue |
20 March 1619 Vienna aged 62 |
|
Maximilian III 1612-1618 as Governor-Archduke |
12 October 1558 Vienna sixth son of Maximilian II and Maria of Spain |
never married | 2 November 1618 Vienna aged 60 |
Inner Austria ("Inner-Österreich")(Styria, Carinthia and Carniola) passed to Emperor Ferdinand's 3rd son Charles:
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Charles II 1564-1590 |
3 June 1540 Vienna fourth son of Ferdinand I and Anna of Bohemia and Hungary |
Maria Anna of Bavaria Vienna 26 August 1571 fifteen children |
10 July 1590 Graz aged 50 |
|
Ferdinand III 1590/1619-1637 under regency of Maximilian III (1593–1595) |
9 July 1578 Graz second son of Charles II and Maria Anna of Bavaria |
(1) Maria Anna of Bavaria Graz 23 April 1600 seven children (2) Eleonor Gonzaga Innsbruck 2 February 1622 no issue |
15 February 1637 Vienna aged 58 |
In German Articles and Books these Archdukes' names and titles are normally completed with the territorial nmes of ther Duchy as: "Charles II of Inner Austria" = "Karl der II. von Inner Österreich"
The Austrian territories were reunited again by inheritance in 1620 under Ferdinand III, Archduke of Inner Austria (see Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor), but in 1623 five years into the Thirty Years' War he had so much to do with, Ferdinand divided them yet again, when he made his younger brother Leopold, who had been governor over Upper Austria, Archduke of those territories.
Lower Austria and Inner Austria remained with the elder line (Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor):
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ferdinand III 1590/1619-1637 |
9 July 1578 Graz second son of Charles II and Maria Anna of Bavaria |
(1) Maria Anna of Bavaria Graz 23 April 1600 seven children (2) Eleonor Gonzaga Innsbruck 2 February 1622 no issue |
15 February 1637 Vienna aged 58 |
|
Ferdinand IV 1637-1657 |
13 July 1608 Graz third son of Ferdinand III and Maria Anna of Bavaria |
(1) Maria Anna of Spain Vienna 20 February 1631 six children (2) Maria Leopoldine of Austria Linz 2 July 1648 one son (3) Eleanor Gonzaga Wiener Neustadt 30 April 1651 four children |
2 April 1657 Vienna aged 48 |
Upper Austria passed to the Younger Tyrolean Line:
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Leopold V 1623-1632 |
9 October 1586 Graz fifth son of Charles II and Maria Anna of Bavaria |
Claudia de' Medici Innsbruck 19 April 1626 five children |
13 September 1632 Schwaz aged 45 |
|
Ferdinand Charles 1632-1662 |
17 May 1628 Innsbruck eldest son of Leopold V and Claudia de' Medici |
Anna de' Medici Innsbruck 10 June 1646 two daughter |
30 December 1662 Kaltern aged 34 |
|
Sigismund Francis 1662-1665 |
27 November 1630 Innsbruck second son of Leopold V and Claudia de' Medici |
Hedwig Augusta of the Palatinate-Sulzbach Sulzbach 3 June 1665 no issue |
25 June 1665 Innsbruck aged 34 |
The Austrian territories were conclusively reunited in 1665 under:
The Austrian branch technically ended in 1780 with the death of Maria Theresa of Austria and was replaced by the Vaudemont branch of the House of Lorraine in the person of her son Joseph II. However, in practice, the new successor house styled itself as Habsburg-Lorraine (Habsburg-Lothringen). All Habsburgs living today are in the agnatic descendants of Maria Theresa and Francis Stephen.
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Joseph II 1765-1790 with Maria Theresa (1765–1780) |
13 March 1741 Vienna eldest son of Francis I Stephen and Maria Theresa |
(1) Isabella of Parma Vienna 6 October 1760 two daughter (2) Maria Josepha of Bavaria Schönbrunn 23 January 1765 no issue |
20 February 1790 Vienna aged 48 |
|
Leopold VII 1790–1792 |
5 May 1747 Vienna third son of Francis I and Maria Theresa |
Maria Luisa of Spain Innsbruck 16 February 1764 sixteen children |
1 March 1792 Vienna aged 44 |
|
Francis II 1792–11 August 1804 |
12 February 1768 Florence eldest son of Leopold XIII and Maria Luisa of Spain |
(1) Elisabeth of Württemberg Vienna 6 January 1788 one daughter (2) Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily Vienna 15 September 1790 12 children (3) Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este Vienna 6 January 1808 no issue (4) Caroline Augusta of Bavaria Vienna 29 October 1816 no issue |
2 March 1835 Vienna aged 67 |
In 1804 Francis I adopted the new title Emperor of Austria, but kept the title of Archduke of Austria. In 1806 the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved.
Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
---|---|---|---|---|
Francis 11 August 1804–1835 |
12 February 1768 Florence eldest son of Leopold XIII and Maria Luisa of Spain |
(1) Elisabeth of Württemberg Vienna 6 January 1788 one daughter (2) Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily Vienna 15 September 1790 12 children (3) Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este Vienna 6 January 1808 no issue (4) Caroline Augusta of Bavaria Vienna 29 October 1816 no issue |
2 March 1835 Vienna aged 67 |
|
Ferdinand 1835-1848 |
19 April 1793 Vienna eldest son of Francis II and Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily |
Maria Anna of Savoy Vienna 27 February 1831 no issue |
29 June 1875 Prague aged 82 |
|
Francis Joseph 1848-1916 |
18 August 1830 Schönbrunn Palace eldest son of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria and Princess Sophie of Bavaria |
Elisabeth of Bavaria Augustinerkirche 24 April 1854 four children |
21 November 1916 Schönbrunn Palace aged 86 |
|
Charles 1916-12 November 1918 |
17 August 1887 Persenbeug-Gottsdorf eldest son of Archduke Otto Francis of Austria and Princess Maria Josepha of Saxony |
Zita of Bourbon-Parma Schwarzau Castle 21 October 1911 eight children |
1 April 1922 Madeira aged 34 |
In 1918, following the breakup of the Habsburg monarchy, the First Austrian Republic was established, but ended with "Anschluß" into the Third Reich from 1938-1945. Following World War II, the Second Austrian Republic was established in 1945, even though Austria remained under the control and protection of Allied and Soviet Forces between 1945-1955.
The current head of state is the President of Austria; however, in practice, the Chancellor of Austria is more important. Every law still needs to be signed by the President however.
Otto von Habsburg (1912-2011), son of Emperor Charles, was the head of the Habsburg house from 1922, but never reigned. In 2007 he handed the headship to his oldest son Karl Habsburg-Lothringen, Prince Imperial of Austria and Prince Royal of Hungary, who was currently first in the Line of succession to the Austro-Hungarian throne, but without any recognised title. He is now the new head of the imperial family.