Archduke Anton Victor of Austria

Archduke Anton of Austria

Anton Victor, Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia (31 August 1779 – 2 April 1835) was an Archduke of Austria and a Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights. He was also briefly the last Archbishop-Elector of Cologne and Prince-Bishop of Münster, before those territories were secularized in 1803.

Anton Victor was the son of Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor, and Maria Luisa of Spain. He was born in Florence and died in Vienna. He never married and died without issue.

After the death of Maximilian Franz of Austria, the Archbishop of Cologne and Prince-Bishop of Münster, Anton Victor was elected on 9 September 1801 as Prince-Bishop of Münster and on 7 October as Archbishop and Prince-elector of Cologne. The French already occupied the electorate's Rhenish territories, leaving Anton in control only of the Duchy of Westphalia, as well as Münster. His reign was to prove a short one - in the reorganization of the Holy Roman Empire which accompanied the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss, his remaining territories were secularized; Münster was seized by the Prussians, while the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt claimed Westphalia.

Anton Viktor became Grand Master of the Teutonic Order in 1804. The Order's German lands, centered around Mergentheim, were secularized in 1809, but Anton remained Grand Master of the order until his death. Between 1816 and 1818 he was Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia.

External links

Media related to Anton Viktor of Austria-Toscana at Wikimedia Commons

Archduke Anton Victor of Austria House of Habsburg-Lorraine Born: 31 August 1779 in Florence Died: 2 April 1835 in Vienna
Regnal titles
Preceded by Maximilian Francis of Austria	Duke of Westphalia 1801–1803	Annexation 1802 to Hesse-Darmstadt 1814 to Prussian Westphalia
Catholic Church titles
Regnal titles
Preceded by Maximilian Francis of Austria	Prince-Bishop of Münster1 1801–1803	Vacant Title next held by Ferdinand von Lüninck2
	Archbishop-Elector of Cologne3 1801–1803	Vacant Title next held by Ferdinand August von Spiegel4
Preceded by Charles Louis of Austria	Grand Master of the Teutonic Order 1804–1835	Succeeded by Archduke Maximilian of Austria–Este
Notes and references
1. Reign over the Bishopric of Münster was barred by Prussian occupation from 1802 2. The Bishopric of Münster was annexed by Prussia in 1814; 1803–20 sede vacante, the see afterwards void of regnal power. 3. Reign over the Electorate of Cologne was barred by the partially French (from 1795) and partially Hessian occupation (from 1802) 4. The Electorate of Cologne was annexed by Prussia 1814; 1803–24 sede vacante, the see afterwards void of regnal power.