| Margraves, Dukes, Archdukes and Emperors ofAustria | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Style | Archduchy period: |
| First monarch | Leopold I(as margrave) |
| Last monarch | Charles I(as emperor) |
| Formation | 21 July 976 |
| Abolition | 12 November 1918 |
| Residence | Hofburg,Vienna (from the ducal period onwards) |
From 976 until 1246, theMargraviate of Austria and its successor, theDuchy of Austria, was ruled by theHouse of Babenberg. At that time, those states were part of theHoly Roman Empire. From 1246 until 1918, the duchy and its successor, theArchduchy of Austria, was ruled by theHouse of Habsburg. Following the defeat anddissolution ofAustria-Hungary inWorld War I, the titles were abolished or fell intoabeyance with the establishment of the modernRepublic of Austria.
The March of Austria, also known asMarcha Orientalis, was first formed in 976 out of the lands that had once been theMarch of Pannonia inCarolingian 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 Bavarianmonastery. In 1156, thePrivilegium Minus elevated the march to aduchy, independent of theDuchy of Bavaria.
| Name | Birth Death | Reign | Ruling part | Consort | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Leopold Ithe Illustrious | c. 940 Son of Berthold of Nordgau orArnulf, Duke of Bavaria 10 July 994 Würzburg aged 53–54 | 21 July 976 10 July 994 | March of Austria | Richardis of Sualafeldgau nine children | Founder of the Babenbergs. |
 Henry Ithe Strong | c. 965 (?) First son ofLeopold I andRichardis of Sualafeldgau 23 June 1018 aged 53–54 | 10 July 994 23 June 1018 | March of Austria | Unmarried | In his reign (996), the nameOstarrichi (laterOsterreich, Austria) appeared for the first time to designate the land he ruled. |
 Adalbert Ithe Victorious | c. 985 Third son ofLeopold I andRichardis of Sualafeldgau 26 May 1055 Melk aged 69–70 | 23 June 1018 26 May 1055 | March of Austria | Glismod of West-Saxony no children Frozza Orseolo c.1025? two children | Expanded his Bavarian margraviate to theMorava andLeitha rivers. |
 Ernestthe Brave | 1027 Son ofAdalbert I andFrozza Orseolo 10 June 1075 aged 47–48 | 26 May 1055 10 June 1075 | March of Austria | Adelaide of Eilenburg 1060 three children Swanhilde of Ungarnmark 1072 no children | Expanded his Bavarian margraviate to theMorava andLeitha rivers. |
 Leopold IIthe Fair | 1050 Son ofErnest andAdelaide of Eilenburg 12 October 1095 Gars am Kamp aged 44–45 | 10 June 1075 12 October 1095 | March of Austria | Ida of Formbach-Ratelnberg 1065 eight children | Supported theGregorian Reforms, and was an active opponent toHenry IV, Holy Roman Emperor during theInvestiture Controversy. |
 Leopold IIIthe Saint | 1073 Gars am Kamp Son ofLeopold II andIda of Formbach-Ratelnberg 15 November 1136 Klosterneuburg aged 62–63 | 12 October 1095 15 November 1136 | March of Austria | Maria of Perg no children Agnes of Germany 1106 nineteen children | His second marriage brought the margraviate of Austria closer to theImperial family, which raised the importance of the Babenbergs. Consequently, more royal rights were granted to Austria. |
 Adalbert IIthe Pious | 1106 First son ofLeopold III andAgnes of Germany 9 November 1137 aged 30–31 | 15 November 1136 9 November 1137 | March of Austria | Adelaide of Poland 1128/29 no children Hedwig of Hungary 1132 no children | Usually not counted as margrave,[1] despite being cited as so as early as 1119. Nevertheless, it's possible that he ruled for a year, or at least as claimant to his younger brother Leopold. If he ruled, he left no children. Knighted in 1125[2] |
 Leopold IVthe Generous | 1108 Third son ofLeopold III andAgnes of Germany – 18 October 1141 Niederalteich aged 32–33 | 9 November 1137 18 October 1141 | March of Austria | Maria of Bohemia 28 September 1138 no children | AlsoDuke of Bavaria, title given to him after his struggles with theHouse of Welf. |
 Henry IIJasomirgott[3] | 1107 Second son ofLeopold III andAgnes of Germany 13 January 1177 Vienna aged 69–70 | 18 October 1141 13 January 1177 | March of Austria (until 1156) Duchy of Austria (from 1156) | Gertrude of Süpplingenburg 1 May 1142 one child Theodora Komnene 1148 three children | Succeeded his younger brother in Austria and also asDuke of Bavaria. Moved his capital toVienna. In 1156, Austria was raised to aDuchy. |
 Leopold Vthe Virtuous | 1157 First son ofHenry II andTheodora Komnene 31 December 1194 Graz aged 36–37 | 13 January 1177 31 December 1194 | Duchy of Austria | Helena of Hungary 1174 four children | Children of Henry II, divided Austria: Leopold V kept the main duchy and annexed theDuchy of Styria to his domain in 1192. |
 Henry Ithe Elder | 1158 Second son ofHenry II andTheodora Komnene 31 August 1223 aged 64–65 | 13 January 1177 31 August 1223 | Duchy of Mödling | Richeza of Bohemia 1177 one child | Leopold gave his brother Henry the so-called Duchy of Mödling (title Henry used from 1205[4]), which spanned fromLiesing toPiesting andBruck an der Leitha. Henry I and his descendants became mostly interested in the arts. |
 Frederick Ithe Catholic | 1175 First son ofLeopold V andHelena of Hungary 16 April 1198 The Holy Land aged 22–23 | 31 December 1194 16 April 1198 | Duchy of Austria | Unmarried | Left no children. |
 Leopold VIthe Glorious | 15 October 1176 Second son ofLeopold V andHelena of Hungary 28 July 1230 San Germano aged 53 | 16 April 1198 28 July 1230 | Duchy of Austria | Theodora Angelina 1203 seven children | |
 Henry IIthe Profane | 1208 First son ofLeopold I andTheodora Angelina 29 November 1228 aged 19–20 | 31 August 1223 29 November 1228 | Duchy of Mödling | Agnes of Thuringia 29 November 1225 Nuremberg one child | Nephew of Henry I, apparently succeeded him as ruler, preceding his cousin (Henry I's son). He is referenced asHeinricus iuvenis dux who died in 1227,[5] andHenrici de Medlico (Henry of Mödling).[6] |
 Henry IIIthe Younger | 1182 Son ofHenry I andRicheza of Bohemia 1236 aged 53–54 | 29 November 1228 1236 | Duchy of Mödling | Unmarried | After his death the duchy reverted to his cousin Gertrude, daughter of Henry II. |
 Frederick IIthe Quarrelsome | 25 April 1211 Wiener Neustadt Second son ofLeopold I andTheodora Angelina 15 June 1246 Leitha aged 35 | 28 July 1230 15 June 1246 | Duchy of Austria | EudokiaSophia Laskarina Angelina[7] no children Agnes of Merania 1229 no children | His troublesome marriages with no children opened a succession crisis in Austria. |
 Gertrude | 1226 Daughter ofHenry II, Duke of Mödling andAgnes of Thuringia 24 April 1288 aged 61–62 | 1236 4 October 1250 | Duchy of Mödling | Vladislaus of Bohemia 1246 no children Herman VI, Margrave of Baden 1248 two children Roman Danylovych 1252 one child | Heiress of Mödling. After her cousin's death in 1246, she was the first to claim the duchy. She was associated with her first two husbands. However, as Herman of Baden failed to defeat the opposition of Austrian nobility, her rule weakened substantially, giving them minimal control over the duchies. Her first refusal of a third marriage with the brother ofWilliam II of Holland, combined with the occupation of Austria by her cousin Margaret and Ottokar of Bohemia in 1252, halted her claims. Although she was even given a part of Styria in 1254, she did not forswear her claim; her territorial portion was taken away from her in 1267. |
| 15 June 1246 4 October 1250 1254–1267 | Duchy of Austria (in only part ofStyria in 1254–67) | ||||
| Vladislaus of Bohemia | 1227 Son ofWenceslaus I of Bohemia andKunigunde of Hohenstaufen 3 January 1247 Leitha aged 19–20 | 15 June 1246 3 January 1247 | Duchy of Austria (claimant as consort) | Gertrude 1246 no children | |
 Herman VI, Margrave of Baden | c.1226 Son ofHerman V, Margrave of Baden andIrmengard of the Palatinate 4 October 1250 aged 23–24 | 1248 4 October 1250 | Duchy of Austria (claimant as consort) | Gertrude 1248 two children | |
 Frederick I, Margrave of Baden | 1249 Alland Son ofHerman VI, Margrave of Baden andGertrude 29 October 1268 Naples aged 18–19 | 1254 1267 | Duchy of Austria (claimant as heir; in only part ofStyria) | Unmarried | |
 Margaret | 1204 Daughter ofLeopold I andTheodora Angelina 29 October 1266 Krumau am Kamp aged 61–62 | 6 May 1252 29 October 1266 | Duchy of Austria (from 1261 only inKrumau am Kamp) | Henry (VII) of Germany 29 November 1225 Nuremberg two children Ottokar II of Bohemia 11 February 1252 Hainburg an der Donau (annulled 1261) no children | Margaret and her husband, future King of Bohemia, invaded Austria in 1252 and were successfully proclaimedDukes of Austria. After the annulment of their marriage, Margaret retired and Ottokar continued his rule until 1276, when he signed away his claims in Austria in favor ofRudolph of Habsburg. The matter would be settled with his defeat and death at theBattle on the Marchfeld (1278). |
 Premislaus Ottokar II of BohemiaThe Iron and Golden King | 1233 Městec Králové Son ofWenceslaus I of Bohemia andKunigunde of Hohenstaufen 26 August 1278 Dürnkrut aged 44–45 | 6 May 1252 1261 | Duchy of Austria (claimant as consort) | Margaret 11 February 1252 Hainburg an der Donau (annulled 1261) no children Kunigunda Rostislavna of Halych 25 October 1261 Pressburg three children | |
| 1261 November 1276 | Duchy of Austria |
CountRudolf of Habsburg,elected as king of Germany (1273), was able during 1276–1278 to decisively defeat his main rival, the Bohemian king Ottokar II, and to regain his Austrian domains back for the Empire. By his imperial authority, Rudolf later (1282) invested his sons Albrecht and Rudolf with the duchies of Austria and Styria, thereby securing them for theHouse of Habsburg. Austria remained under Habsburg rule for more than 600 years, forming the core of theHabsburg monarchy and the present-day country ofAustria.
The most important Austrian rulers until the Victory at Vienna in 1683 are described in the bookSymmetria iuridico Austriaca.
| Duchy of Austria (1291–1379) Includes the Duchies ofStyria andCarinthia, and theMarch of Carniola from 1358 Includes theCounty of Tyrol from 1363 Carniola was raised toDuchy of Carniola in 1364 Partitioned by theTreaty of Neuberg in 1379 | |||
| Duchy of Lower Austria (1379–1457) | Duchies of Inner and Further Austria (withStyria, Carinthia, Carniola and Tyrol) (1379–1406) | ||
| Duchy of Inner Austria (withStyria,Carinthia andCarniola) (1406–1453) | Duchy of Further Austria (1406–1439) | County of Tyrol (1406–1439) | |
| Duchy of Further Austria (withTyrol) (1439–1453) | |||
| Raised to: Archduchy of Inner Austria (1453–1490) | Raised to: Archduchy of Further Austria (1453–1490) | ||
| Archduchy of Austria (Inner Austrian line) (1490–1564) | |||
| Archduchy of Lower and Upper Austria (1564–1619) | Archduchy of Inner Austria (1564–1619) | Archduchy of Further Austria (withTyrol) (1564–1619) | |
| Archduchy of Austria (1619–1623) | |||
| Archduchy of Lower and Inner Austria (1623–1665) | Archduchy of Further Austria (1623–1665) | ||
| Archduchy of Austria (Lower/Inner Austrian line) (1665–1804) | |||
| Ruler | Birth Death | Reign | Ruling part | Consort(s) Child(ren) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Rudolph I | 1 May 1218 Sasbach am Kaiserstuhl Son ofAlbert IV, Count of Habsburg andHedwig of Kyburg 15 July 1291 Speyer aged 73 | November 1276 December 1282 | Duchy of Austria | GertrudeAnna of Hohenberg 1253 Elsass ten children Isabella of Burgundy 6 February 1284 Remiremont no children | Brought the rule of Austria to the Habsburgs after definitively defeatingOttokar II of Bohemia between 1276 and 1278. |
 Albert I | July 1255 Vienna Eldest son ofRudolf I andGertrude of Hohenberg 1 May 1308 Windisch aged 52 | December 1282 1 May 1308 | Duchy of Austria | Elisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol 20 December 1274 Vienna twelve children | Sons of Rudolf I, Albert I and Rudolf II, co-ruled in Austria only one year (1282 83) when the sole rule was entrusted by theTreaty of Rheinfelden to Albert alone according to the principle ofprimogeniture. Albert waselected as king of Germany in 1298, and that same year he associated his own eldest son, Rudolf III in Austria. Rudolf III was also electedKing of Bohemia in 1306, but predeceased his father, dying in the following year. Albert himself was assassinated by his nephewJohn Parricida. |
 Rudolf IIthe Debonair | July 1270 Rheinfelden Third son ofRudolph I andGertrude of Hohenberg 10 May 1290 Prague aged 20 | December 1282 1283 | Duchy of Austria | Agnes of Bohemia March 1289 Prague one child | |
 Rudolf IIIthe Good | c. 1281 Vienna Eldest son ofAlbert I andElisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol 3/4 July 1307 Horažďovice aged 26 | 21 November 1298 3/4 July 1307 | Duchy of Austria | Blanche of France 25 May 1300 one child Elisabeth Richeza of Poland 16 October 1306 Prague no children | |
 Frederick I/IIIthe Fair[8] | c. 1289 Vienna Second son ofAlbert I andElisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol 13 January 1330 Gutenstein aged 41 | 1 May 1308 13 January 1330 | Duchy of Austria | Isabella of Aragon 11 May 1315 Ravensburg three children | Younger brothers of Rudolf III, and co-rulers in Austria and Styria. Leopold, despite being younger than Frederick, was the one who primarily inherited the County of Habsburg, the oldest land of the family, and it was only after his death (1326) that Frederick came to rule there. In 1314, Frederick was electedKing of the Romans, firstly as rival ofLouis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and then accepting co-rulership. |
 Leopold Ithe Glorious[9] | 4 August 1290 Vienna Third son ofAlbert I andElisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol 28 February 1326 Strassburg aged 35 | 1 May 1308 28 February 1326 | Duchy of Austria | Catherine of Savoy 26 May 1315 Basel two children | |
 Albert IIthe Wise | 12 December 1298 Habsburg Castle Fourth son ofAlbert I andElisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol 16 August 1358 Vienna aged 59 | 13 January 1330 16 August 1358 | Duchy of Austria | Joanna of Pfirt 15 February 1324 Vienna six children | Younger brothers of the predecessors, and co-rulers. Albert established the primogeniture law into their domains. He also broughtCarinthia andCarniola into Habsburg rule and laid an unsuccessful siege toZürich. Otto administered the Swabian Habsburg lands. Otto's minor sons,Frederick (II) andLeopold (II), succeeded him in the co-rulership as titular dukes (1339–1344). |
 Otto Ithe Merry | 23 July 1301 Vienna Seventh son ofAlbert I andElisabeth of Gorizia-Tyrol 17 February 1339 Neuberg an der Mürz aged 37 | 13 January 1330 17 February 1339 | Duchy of Austria | Elisabeth of Bavaria 15 May 1325 Straubing two children Anne of Bohemia 16 February 1335 Znaim no children | |
 Rudolf IVthe Founder | 1 November 1339 Vienna Eldest son ofAlbert II the Wise andJoanna of Pfirt 27 July 1365 Milan aged 25 | 16 August 1358 27 July 1365 | Duchy of Austria | Catherine of Bohemia 13 July 1356 Vienna no children | After the unchanging of privileges for the Habsburgs in the decree of theGolden Bull in 1356, Rudolf gave the order to draw up thePrivilegium Maius, a fake document to empower the Austrian rulers. He was the first to style himself as "Archduke", a title which was only made official in 1453. Rudolf also broughtTyrol into the Habsburg domain. |
| ThePrivilegium 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 byErnest the Iron and other Dukes but not recognized by other princes of the Holy Roman Empire untilFrederick V became Emperor and confirmed the Privilegium in 1453. After the death of Rudolf in 1365, his brothers Albert and Leopold succeeded him together, but divided their possessions between them in theTreaty of Neuberg of 1379:
| |||||
 Albert IIIthe Pigtail | 9 September 1349 Vienna Third son ofAlbert II the Wise andJoanna of Pfirt 29 August 1395 Laxenburg aged 45 | 29 July 1365 25 September 1379 | Duchy of Austria | Elisabeth of Bohemia after 19 March 1366 Vienna no children Beatrice of Nuremberg 4 March 1375 Vienna one child | Brothers of the predecessor, divided their domains in 1379. Leopold himself lost his life fighting in theBattle of Sempach (1386), a turning point that established the growth of theSwiss Confederacy and the effective decline of Habsburg power in their Swiss homeland. |
| 25 September 1379 29 August 1395 | Duchy of Lower Austria | ||||
 Leopold IIIthe Just[10] | 1 November 1351 Vienna Fourth son ofAlbert II the Wise andJoanna of Pfirt 9 July 1386 Sempach aged 34 | 29 July 1365 25 September 1379 | Duchy of Austria | Viridis Visconti 23 February 1365 Vienna six children | |
| 25 September 1379 9 July 1386 | Duchies of Inner andFurther Austria withCounty of Tyrol | ||||
 Williamthe Courteous | c. 1370 Vienna Eldest son ofLeopold the Just andViridis Visconti 15 July 1406 Vienna aged 36 | 9 July 1386 15 July 1406 | Duchies of Inner andFurther Austria withCounty of Tyrol | Joan II of Naples 13 November 1401 Vienna no children | Co-ruled with his brother Leopold IV. Also held regency in Lower Austria 1404–1406. |
 Leopold IVthe Fat | c. 1371 Vienna Second son ofLeopold the Just andViridis Visconti 3 June 1411 Vienna aged 40 | 9 July 1386 15 July 1406 | Duchies of Inner andFurther Austria withCounty of Tyrol | Catherine of Burgundy 15 August 1393 Vienna no children | Also held regency in Lower Austria 1404–1411. After the partition of 1406, kept Further Austria. |
| 15 July 1406 3 June 1411 | Duchy of Further Austria | ||||
 Albert IVthe Patient | 19 September 1377 Vienna Only son ofAlbert the Pigtail andBeatrice of Nuremberg 14 September 1404 Klosterneuburg aged 26 | 29 August 1395 14 September 1404 | Lower Austria | Joanna Sophia of Bavaria 24 April 1390 Vienna two children | His rule was marked by tensions and conflicts with the Leopoldinian line and theLuxemburg dynasty. |
| Regencies ofWilliam, Duke of Austria andLeopold IV, Duke of Austria (1404–1411) | Succeeded as a minor, under guardianship of his Leopoldinian uncles. He was elected, in 1437 38, asKing of Bohemia andKing of Hungary, and also asKing of Germany, beginning a three centuries long succession of Habsburg rulers asKings of the Romans andHoly Roman Emperors. | ||||
 Albert Vthe Magnanimous | 16 August 1397 Vienna Only son ofAlbert IV andJoanna Sophia of Bavaria 27 October 1439 Neszmély aged 42 | 14 September 1404 27 October 1439 | Duchy of Lower Austria | Elizabeth of Luxembourg 26 April 1422 Vienna three children | |
In 1406, after the death of William, the living brothers of the Leopoldinian Line made a new division of their territories:
| |||||
 Ernestthe Iron | c. 1377 Bruck an der Mur Third son ofLeopold the Just andViridis Visconti 10 June 1424 Bruck an der Mur aged 47 | 15 July 1406 10 June 1424 | Duchy of Inner Austria | Margaret of Pomerania 14 January 1392 Bruck an der Mur no children Cymburgis of Masovia 25 January 1412 Kraków nine children | In 1414, he became the last Duke to be enthroned according toCarantanian traditional rite at thePrince's Stone in Carinthia, and from that time on called himselfArchduke. Beside Rudolf IV, he was the only one who used the title before it became official in 1453. |
 Frederick IVof the Empty Pockets[11] | c. 1382 Fourth son ofLeopold the Just andViridis Visconti 24 June 1439 Innsbruck aged 57 | 15 July 1406 3 June 1411 | County of Tyrol | Elisabeth of the Palatinate 24 December 1407 Innsbruck one child Anna of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 11 June 1411 Innsbruck four children | Also held regency in Inner Austria 1424–1435. Because he sided withAntipope John XXIII, theCouncil of Constance stripped him of the remaining important Swiss possessions of the family, which went to theSwiss Confederacy. |
| 3 June 1411 24 June 1439 | County of Tyrol withFurther Austria | ||||
| Vacant 1439–1440 | |||||
| Regency ofFrederick V, Duke of Austria (1440–1452) | Succeeded as a minor, under the guardianship of his Ernestine cousin. His death without descendants ended the Albertinian line. The domains which he inherited in Bohemia and Hungary were lost, and were only recovered during the reign ofFerdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor. | ||||
 Ladislausthe Posthumous | 22 February 1440 Komárom Only son ofAlbert V andElizabeth of Luxembourg 23 November 1457 Prague aged 17 | 22 February 1440 23 November 1457 | Duchy of Lower Austria (1440–1453) Archduchy of Lower Austria (1453–1457) | Unmarried | |
| Lower Austria annexed to Inner Austria | |||||
| Regency ofFrederick V, Duke of Austria (1439–1446) | In 1490 he abdicated his control over his territories, giving way for the reunification of Austria. | ||||
 Sigismundthe Rich | 26 October 1427 Innsbruck Second son ofFrederick IV andAnna of Brunswick 4 March 1496 Innsbruck aged 68 | 24 June 1439 1490 | Duchy of Further Austria withCounty of Tyrol (1439–1453) Archduchy of Further Austria withCounty of Tyrol (1453–1490) | Eleanor of Scotland 12 February 1449 Innsbruck one child Katharina of Saxony 24 February 1484 Innsbruck no children | |
| Further Austria and Tyrol annexed to Inner Austria | |||||
| Regency ofFrederick IV, Duke of Austria (1424–1435) | Sons of Ernest I, ruled jointly. Occasionally, Albert revolted against Frederick, occupying until his death the lands known today asUpper Austria andLower Austria. On his part, Frederick was elected, between 1440 and 1452,King of the Romans andHoly Roman Emperor. With this dignity, he conceded and made official, in 1453, the Habsburg title ofArchduke. He officially elevated the Duchy into an Archduchy, which he came to inherit a few years later. Despite having reunited all of Austria, Frederick's rule wasn't always uncontested: in 1485–1490,Matthias Corvinus, king of Hungary, occupied the proper Duchies of Austria and Styria, claiming the titleArchduke of Austria. | ||||
 Frederick Vthe Peaceful | 21 September 1415 Innsbruck First son ofErnest andCymburgis of Masovia 19 August 1493 Linz aged 77 | 10 June 1424 1490 | Duchy of Inner Austria (1424–1453) Archduchy of Inner Austria (1453–1490) | Eleanor of Portugal 16 March 1452 Rome five children | |
| 1490 19 August 1493 | Archduchy of Austria | ||||
 Albert VIthe Prodigal | 12 September 1418 Vienna Third son ofErnest andCymburgis of Masovia 2 December 1463 Vienna aged 45 | 10 June 1424 2 December 1463 | Duchy of Inner Austria (1424–1453) Archduchy of Inner Austria (1453–1463) | Mechthild of the Palatinate 1452 Vienna no children | |
 Maximilian Ithe Last Knight | 22 March 1459 Wiener Neustadt Second son ofFrederick V andEleanor of Portugal 12 January 1519 Wels aged 59 | 19 August 1493 12 January 1519 | Archduchy of Austria | Mary of Burgundy 18 August 1477 Ghent three children Anne of Brittany 18 December 1490 Rennes no children Bianca Maria Sforza 16 March 1494 Hall in Tirol no children | In 1490, he reconquered lost Austrian lands afterMatthias Corvinus's death and persuaded his cousin Sigismund to cede Tyrol to him.[12][13] AppointedKing of the Romans in 1486 and crownedHoly Roman Emperor in 1508. His first marriage allowed him to extend Habsburg domain over theLow Countries. |
 Charles I | 24 February 1500 Ghent Eldest son ofPhilip I of Castile andJoanna of Castile 21 September 1558 Yuste aged 58 | 12 January 1519 1521/1556 | Archduchy of Austria | Isabella of Portugal 10 March 1526 Seville seven children | Grandson of his predecessor. Through his mother he gained, in 1516, the recently unifiedKingdom of Spain. He founded a Spanish branch of the Habsburgs that reigned until 1700. In 1519, he inherited the Austrian Archduchy, and was the first solely elected (not crowned)King of the Romans andHoly Roman Emperor (as Charles V). In 1521, he abdicated from Austria. He was succeeded in Austria by his brother, but continued being his brother'soverlord until 1556. In this year, Charles abdicated control over all his possessions and retired to theMonastery of Yuste. |
 Ferdinand I underCharles I (1521–1556) | 10 March 1503 Alcalá de Henares Second son ofPhilip I of Castile andJoanna of Castile 25 July 1564 Vienna aged 61 | 1521/1556 25 July 1564 | Archduchy of Austria | Anne of Bohemia and Hungary 25 May 1521 Linz fifteen children | Brother of the predecessor. While Charles I's sonPhilip II of Spain inherited the "Western" possessions (Low Countries, Spain with ultramarine lands, and Italian states), Ferdinand inherited the rest (Austrian possessions), while gaining the kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia, and came to be electedKing of the Romans andHoly Roman Emperor in 1556, after his brother's abdication. |
In 1564, after Ferdinand I's death, the Archduchy was once more divided between his sons:
| |||||
 Maximilian II | 31 July 1527 Vienna Eldest son ofFerdinand I andAnne of Bohemia and Hungary 12 October 1576 Regensburg aged 49 | 25 July 1564 12 October 1576 | Archduchy of Lower and Upper Austria | Maria of Spain 13 September 1548 Valladolid sixteen children | Maximilian, as the eldest son, was electedKing of the Romans andHoly Roman Emperor in 1564, and inherited also the kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia. |
 Ferdinand II | 14 June 1529 Linz Second son ofFerdinand I andAnne of Bohemia and Hungary 24 January 1595 Innsbruck aged 65 | 25 July 1564 24 January 1595 | Archduchy of Further Austria withCounty of Tyrol | Philippine Welser ca. 1576 four children Anne Juliana Gonzaga 14 May 1582 Innsbruck three children | Had descendants, but from his morganatic marriage, making them unsuitable for succession; his lands were eventually inherited by the senior Austrian line. |
 Charles II[14] | 3 June 1540 Vienna Fourth son ofFerdinand I andAnne of Bohemia and Hungary 10 July 1590 Graz aged 50 | 25 July 1564 10 July 1590 | Archduchy of Inner Austria | Maria Anna of Bavaria (I) 26 August 1571 Vienna fifteen children | Unlike his brother Maximilian, Charles wasCatholic and promoted theCounter-Reformation in his domains. |
 Rudolf V | 18 July 1552 Vienna Second son ofMaximilian II andMaria of Spain 20 January 1612 Prague aged 59 | 12 October 1576 1608 | Archduchy of Lower and Upper Austria | Unmarried | AlsoHoly Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia and Hungary. He was apatron of the arts, known for his support ofMannerist art. |
 Matthias | 24 February 1557 Vienna Fourth son ofMaximilian II andMaria of Spain 20 March 1619 Vienna aged 62 | 24 January 1595 26 June 1612 2 November 1618 20 March 1619 | Archduchy of Further Austria withCounty of Tyrol | Anna of Tyrol 4 December 1611 Vienna no children | AlsoHoly Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia and Hungary. |
| 1608 20 March 1619 | Archduchy of Lower and Upper Austria (withCounty of Tyrol 1612–1618) | ||||
 Maximilian III | 12 October 1558 Vienna Sixth son ofMaximilian II andMaria of Spain 2 November 1618 Vienna aged 60 | 26 June 1612 2 November 1618 | Archduchy of Further Austria | Unmarried (served asGrand Master of the Teutonic Order) | In 1587 stood as a candidate for the throne of the [[Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth]]. He also held the regency of Lower and Upper Austria 1593–1595. |
 Albert VII | 13 November 1559 Wiener Neustadt Fifth son ofMaximilian II andMaria of Spain 13 July 1621 Brussels aged 61 | 20 March 9 October 1619 | Archduchy of Lower and Upper Austria | Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain 18 April 1599 Valencia no children | AlsoViceroy of Portugal underPhilip II of Spain, and ruler of theLow Countries (1598–1621). Ruled a few months as archduke, before abdicating. His abdication resulted in a new reunion of Austria. |
In 1619, Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor (Ferdinand III of Austria) reunited the Archduchy. During theThirty Years' War, he felt the need to divide the land once more:
| |||||
| Regencies ofErnest of Austria (1590–1593) andMaximilian III, Archduke of Austria (1593–1595) | AlsoHoly Roman Emperor (1619–1637), and King of Hungary and Bohemia. In 1619, he reunited Austria, but divided it again. | ||||
 Ferdinand III | 9 July 1578 Graz Second son ofCharles II andMaria Anna of Bavaria (I) 15 February 1637 Vienna aged 58 | 10 July 1590 9 October 1619 | Archduchy of Inner Austria | Maria Anna of Bavaria (II) 23 April 1600 Graz seven children Eleonora Gonzaga (I) 2 February 1622 Innsbruck no children | |
| 9 October 1619 1623 | Archduchy of Austria | ||||
| 1623 15 February 1637 | Archduchy of Lower andInner Austria | ||||
 Leopold V | 9 October 1586 Graz Fifth son ofCharles II andMaria Anna of Bavaria 13 September 1632 Schwaz aged 45 | 1623 13 September 1632 | Archduchy of Further Austria | Claudia de' Medici 19 April 1626 Innsbruck five children | When he was chosen as archduke regnant, he abdicated his ecclesiastical status (as he previously held theBishoprics of Passau andStrasbourg) in order to get married and have children. |
| Regency ofClaudia de' Medici (1632–1646) | |||||
 Ferdinand Charles | 17 May 1628 Innsbruck Eldest son ofLeopold V andClaudia de' Medici 30 December 1662 Kaltern aged 34 | 13 September 1632 30 December 1662 | Archduchy of Further Austria | Anna de' Medici 10 June 1646 Innsbruck two children | |
 Ferdinand IV | 13 July 1608 Graz Third son ofFerdinand III andMaria Anna of Bavaria (II) 2 April 1657 Vienna aged 48 | 15 February 1637 2 April 1657 | Lower Austria andInner Austria | Maria Anna of Spain 20 February 1631 Vienna six children Maria Leopoldine of Austria 2 July 1648 Linz one child Eleonora Gonzaga (II) 30 April 1651 Wiener Neustadt four children | AlsoHoly Roman Emperor (1637–1657), and King of Hungary and Bohemia. |
 Sigismund Francis | 27 November 1630 Innsbruck Second son ofLeopold V andClaudia de' Medici 25 June 1665 Innsbruck aged 34 | 30 December 1662 25 June 1665 | Archduchy of Further Austria | Hedwig of the Palatinate-Sulzbach 13 June 1665 Sulzbach no children | Brother of the predecessor. After his death, his territories reverted to the elder line. |
 Leopold VI | 9 June 1640 Vienna Fourth son ofFerdinand IV andMaria Anna of Spain 5 May 1705 Vienna aged 64 | 2 April 1657 25 June 1665 | Archduchy of Lower andInner Austria | Margaret Theresa of Spain 12 December 1666 Vienna four children Claudia Felicitas of Austria 15 October 1673 Graz two children Eleanor Magdalene of Palatinate-Neuburg 14 December 1676 Passau eleven children | AlsoHoly Roman Emperor, and King of Bohemia and Hungary. In 1665, he unified Austria once more. |
| 25 June 1665 5 May 1705 | Archduchy of Austria | ||||
 Joseph I | 26 July 1678 Vienna Eldest son ofLeopold I andEleonor Magdalene of Neuburg 17 April 1711 Vienna aged 32 | 5 May 1705 17 April 1711 | Archduchy of Austria | Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick 10 June 1646 Vienna three children | AlsoHoly Roman Emperor, and King of Bohemia and Hungary. |
 Charles III | 1 October 1685 Vienna Second son ofLeopold I andEleonor Magdalene of Neuburg 20 October 1740 Vienna aged 55 | 17 April 1711 20 October 1740 | Archduchy of Austria | Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 1 August 1708 Santa Maria del Mar, Barcelona five children | AlsoHoly Roman Emperor, and King of Bohemia and Hungary. In 1700, he claimed theKingdom of Spain in theWar of Spanish Succession (1700–1713). |
 Maria Theresa withFrancis I Stephen (1740–1765) Joseph II (1765–1780) | 13 May 1717 Hofburg Imperial Palace Eldest daughter ofCharles VI andElisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 29 November 1780 Hofburg Imperial Palace aged 63 | 20 October 1740 29 November 1780 | Archduchy of Austria | 12 February 1736 Vienna sixteen children | Also Queen of Bohemia and Hungary. |
 Francis I Stephen withMaria Theresa (1740–1765) | 8 December 1708 Nancy Fourth son ofLeopold, Duke of Lorraine andÉlisabeth Charlotte d'Orléans 18 August 1765 Innsbruck aged 56 | 20 October 1740 18 August 1765 | Archduchy of Austria | AlsoHoly Roman Emperor (1740–1765). Exchanged his originalDuchy of Lorraine for theGrand Duchy of Tuscany (1737). | |
| The Austrian agnatic branch ended in 1780 with the death of Maria Theresa of Austria and was replaced by a combination of the Austrian cognatic branch of the Habsburgs and the Vaudemont branch of the House of Lorraine in the person of her son Joseph II. 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. | |||||
 Joseph II | 13 March 1741 Vienna Eldest son ofFrancis I Stephen andMaria Theresa 20 February 1790 Vienna aged 48 | 29 November 1780 20 February 1790 | Archduchy of Austria (Habsburg-Lorraine) | Isabella of Parma 6 October 1760 Vienna two children Maria Josepha of Bavaria 23 January 1765 Schönbrunn no children | Co-ruling with his mother since the death of his father. AlsoHoly Roman Emperor (1765–1790). |
.png) Leopold VII | 5 May 1747 Vienna Third son ofFrancis I andMaria Theresa 1 March 1792 Vienna aged 44 | 20 February 1790 1 March 1792 | Archduchy of Austria (Habsburg-Lorraine) | Maria Luisa of Spain 16 February 1764 Innsbruck sixteen children | Had a brief reign. Also electedHoly Roman Emperor (1790–1792). |
 Francis II | 12 February 1768 Florence Eldest son ofLeopold VII andMaria Luisa of Spain 2 March 1835 Vienna aged 67 | 1 March 1792 11 August 1804 | Archduchy of Austria (Habsburg-Lorraine) | Elisabeth of Württemberg 6 January 1788 Vienna one child Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily 15 September 1790 Vienna twelve children Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este 6 January 1808 Vienna no children Caroline Augusta of Bavaria 29 October 1816 Vienna no children | In 1804 Francis adopted the new titleEmperor of Austria, but kept the title of Archduke of Austria. |
In 1806 theHoly Roman Empire was dissolved.
Following thedissolution of theHoly Roman Empire, Francis created his ownAustrian Empire.
| Ruler | Birth Death | Reign | Ruling part | Consort | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Francis I | 12 February 1768 Florence Eldest son ofLeopold VII, Archduke of Austria andMaria Luisa of Spain 2 March 1835 Vienna aged 67 | 11 August 1804 2 March 1835 | Austrian Empire | Elisabeth of Württemberg 6 January 1788 Vienna one child Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily 15 September 1790 Vienna 12 children Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este 6 January 1808 Vienna no children Caroline Augusta of Bavaria 29 October 1816 Vienna no children | |
 Ferdinand I the Benevolent | 19 April 1793 Vienna Son ofFrancis I andMaria Theresa of Naples and Sicily 29 June 1875 Prague aged 82 | 2 March 1835 2 December 1848 | Austrian Empire | Maria Anna of Savoy 12 February 1831 Turin (byprocuration) no children | Abdicated due to theRevolutions of 1848. |
 Francis Joseph | 18 August 1830 Florence Son ofArchduke Franz Karl of Austria andPrincess Sophie of Bavaria 21 November 1916 Vienna aged 86 | 2 December 1848 21 November 1916 | Austrian Empire Cisleithania | Elisabeth of Bavaria 24 April 1854 Vienna four children | Nephew of Ferdinand I, and grandson of Francis I. The Empire became a dual monarchy following theAustro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, formingAustria-Hungary. |
 Charles | 17 August 1887 Persenbeug-Gottsdorf Son ofArchduke Otto Franz of Austria andPrincess Maria Josepha of Saxony 1 April 1922 Funchal aged 34 | 21 November 1916 12 November 1918 | Cisleithania | Zita of Bourbon-Parma 21 October 1911 Schwarzau am Steinfeld eight children | Grand-nephew of Francis Joseph I, and great-great-grandson of Francis I. |
Following the defeat inWorld War I,Austria-Hungary was dissolved in 1918.
