21 October (the date of his wedding to Princess Zita)
The Blessed Charles I (Karl Franz Josef Ludwig Hubert Georg Maria von Habsburg-Lothringen) (17 August1887 – 1 April1922) (Hungarian: IV. Károly (Károly Ferenc József)) was (among other titles) the last Emperor of Austria, the last King of Hungary and Bohemia, and the last monarch of the Habsburg dynasty. He reigned as Charles I as Emperor of Austria and Charles IV as King of Hungary from 1916 until 1918, when he "renounced participation" in state affairs, but did not abdicate. He spent the remaining years of his life attempting to restore the monarchy until his death in 1922. His name is usually anglicised as "Charles."
On 2 December1916, he took over the title of Supreme Commander to a whole army from Archduke Frederick. In 1917, Charles secretly entered into peace negotiations with France. Although his foreign minister, Ottokar Czernin, was only interested in negotiating a general peace which would include Germany as well, Charles himself, in negotiations with the French with his brother-in-law, Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma, an officer in the Belgian army, as intermediary, went much further in suggesting his willingness to make a separate peace. When news of the overture leaked in April 1918, Charles denied involvement until the French prime minister Georges Clemenceau published letters signed by him. This led to Czernin's resignation, forcing Austria-Hungary into an even more dependent position with respect to its seemingly wronged German ally.
King Charles taking his oath as part of the coronation ceremonies Budapest, December 1916.
The Austro-Hungarian Empire was wracked by inner turmoil in the final years of the war, with much tension between ethnic groups. As part of his Fourteen Points, US President Woodrow Wilson demanded that the Empire allow for autonomy and self-determination of its peoples. In response, Charles agreed to reconvene the Imperial parliament and allow for the creation of a confederation with each national group exercising self-governance. However, the reforms quickly spiraled out of control, as the nationalities were now determined to pull away from Vienna at the earliest possible moment. Foreign Minister Baron Istvan Burián asked for an armistice based on the Fourteen Points on October 14, and two days later Charles issued a proclamation transforming Austria into a federal union. However, Secretary of StateRobert Lansing replied four days later that the Allies were now committed to the causes of the Czechs, Slovaks and South Slavs (in fact, a Czechoslovak provisional government had joined the Allies on October 14). Therefore, autonomy for the nationalities was no longer enough.
The Lansing note effectively ended any efforts to keep the Empire together. One by one, the nationalities proclaimed their independence, and Charles' political future became uncertain. On October 31, Hungary officially ended the personal union between Austria and Hungary, effectively ending the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nothing remained of Charles' realm except the Danubian and Alpine provinces, and he was challenged even there by the German Austrian state council. His last prime minister, Heinrich Lammasch, advised him that it was fruitless to stay on.
On November 11--the same day as the armistice ending the war--Charles issued a carefully worded proclamation in which he recognized the Austrian people's right to determine the form of the state and "relinquish(ed) every participation in the administration of the State." He also released his officials from their oath of loyalty to him. On November 13, he issued a similar proclamation for Hungary. Although it has widely been cited as an "abdication," that word was never mentioned in either proclamation. [1].
Charles held out hope that he would be returned to the throne of an independent Austria. Instead, the day after he issued his proclamation, German Austria proclaimed itself an independent republic. He then fled to Switzerland and continued to pursue regaining power from exile. In 1919, the Austrian parliament passed a law which banished the Habsburgs from Austrian territory unless they renounced all intentions of reclaiming the throne and accepted the status of ordinary citizens.
King Charles IV of Hungary, with Zita and Crown Prince Otto. Coronation portrait Budapest, 1916.
Encouraged by Hungarian nationalists, Charles sought twice in 1921 to reclaim the throne of Hungary, but failed due to various factors including the lack of support of the Hungarian Regent Miklós Horthy. Horthy's failure to support Charles' restoration attempts is often described as "treasonous" by monarchists. Critics suggest that Horthy's actions were more firmly grounded in political reality than the King of Hungary and his supporters. Charles left Hungary from the city of Baja forever, and later in 1921 the Hungarian parliament formally dethroned the Habsburgs. (For a more detailed account of Charles' attempts to regain the throne, see Charles IV of Hungary's conflict with Miklós Horthy.)
Death
Charles died of severe pneumonia (brought on after Charles, an already sickly man, walked into town on a freezing winter's day) on the Portuguese island of Madeira in 1922. His remains except for his heart are still kept on the island, in the Church of Our Lady of the Monte, in spite of several attempts to move them to the Habsburg Crypt in Vienna. His heart, and that of Empress Zita, repose in the Loreto Chapel of Muri Abbey. During his stay on the island, his personal chaplain was Priest Jorge de Faria e Castro.
Charles' brief rule is considered by the Roman Catholic Church to have expressed Catholic social teaching, and he created a social legal framework which survives in part to this day. After his failed attempts to regain the Hungarian Crown, he and his Queen were first imprisoned and then exiled to Madeira, together with their children, where they lived in impoverished conditions until his death [2]
Post-mortem
Tomb of Charles I
Historians have been mixed in their evaluations of Charles and his reign. One of the most critical has been Helmut Rumpler, head of the Habsburg commission of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, who has described Charles as "a dilettante, far too weak for the challenges facing him, out of his depth, and not really a politician." However, others have seen Charles as a brave and honorable figure who tried as emperor-king to halt World War I. The English writer, Herbert Vivian, wrote:
"Karl was a great leader, a prince of peace, who wanted to save the world from a year of war; a statesman with ideas to save his people from the complicated problems of his empire; a king who loved his people, a fearless man, a noble soul, distinguished, a saint from whose grave blessings come."
Furthermore, Anatole France, the French novelist, stated:
"Emperor Karl is the only decent man to come out of the war in a leadership position, yet he was a saint and no one listened to him. He sincerely wanted peace, and therefore was despised by the whole world. It was a wonderful chance that was lost."
All of these various viewpoints give weight to the words of Pope Saint Pius X during an audience with a young Charles: "I bless Archduke Charles, who will be the future Emperor of Austria and will help lead his countries and peoples to great honor and many blessings--but this will not become obvious until after his death."
Beatification
Charles has been solemnly declared blessed in the ceremony of beatification by the Roman Catholic Church. The Church has praised Charles for putting his Christian faith first in making political decisions, and for his perceived role as a peacemaker during the war, especially after 1917. During the Mass of Beatification on 3 October2004, Pope John Paul II stated:
The decisive task of Christians consists in seeking, recognizing and following God's will in all things. The Christian statesman, Charles of Austria , confronted this challenge every day. To his eyes, war appeared as "something appalling". Amid the tumult of the First World War, he strove to promote the peace initiative of my Predecessor, Benedict XV.
From the beginning, the Emperor Charles conceived of his office as a holy service to his people. His chief concern was to follow the Christian vocation to holiness also in his political actions. For this reason, his thoughts turned to social assistance. May he be an example for all of us, especially for those who have political responsibilities in Europe today!
The cause or campaign began in 1949 when testimony of his holiness was collected in the Archdiocese of Vienna. In 1954, he was declared venerable, the first step on the process beatification. The League of Prayers established for the promotion of his cause has created this website.Christoph Cardinal Schönborn of Vienna has been the Church's sponsor for his beatification.
On 21 December2003, the Congregation certified, on the basis of three expert medical opinions, that a miracle in 1960 occurred through the intercession of Charles. The miracle attributed to Charles was the scientifically inexplicable healing of a Brazilian nun with debilitating varicose veins; she was able to get out of bed after she prayed for his beatification.
On 3 October2004, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II. The Pope also declared 21 October, the date of Charles' marriage in 1911 to Princess Zita, as Charles' feast day. The beatification has caused controversy because of the mistaken belief that Charles authorized the Austro-Hungarian Army's use of poison gas during World War I[1], when in fact he was the first, and only, world leader during the war who banned its use.
Currently, several possible miracles attributed to his intercession are being investigated and documented. Another miracle is required for his Canonization as a Saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
Issue
The Emperor Charles had eight children (five boys and three girls):
Crown Prince Otto (1912–), married Princess Regina of Saxe-Meiningen and Hildburghausen and has issue
"Now, we must help each other to get to Heaven."[3] Addressing Empress Zita on October 22, 1911, the day before their wedding.
"I am an officer with all my body and soul, but I do not see how anyone who sees his dearest relations leaving for the front can love war."[4] Addressing Empress Zita after the outbreak of World War I.
"I have done my duty, as I came here to do. As crowned King, I not only have a right, I also have a duty. I must uphold the right, the dignity and honor of the Crown.... For me, this is not something light. With the last breath of my life I must take the path of duty. Whatever I regret, Our Lord and Savior has led me."[5] Addressing Cardinal Csernoch after the defeat of his attempt to regain the Hungarian throne in 1921. The British Government had vainly hoped that the Cardinal would be able to persuade him to renounce his title as King of Hungary.
"I must suffer like this so my people will come together again."[6] Spoken in Madeira, during his last illness.
"I can't go on much longer... Thy will be done... Yes... Yes... As you will it... Jesus!"[7] Reciting his last words while contemplating a crucifix held by Empress Zita.
Charles's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son.
Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations - which means that if Charles were to have chosen an historically accurate house name it would have been Metz, as all his male-line ancestors were of that house.
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Media related to Karl I of Austria at Wikimedia Commons