Blessed Charles I of Austria
Last emperor of Austria-Hungary, who sought peace and died in exile
- Rank
- Blessed
- Kind
- Royalty, Layperson
- Life
- 1887 – 1922
- Era
- 20th century
- Feast
- 21 October
- Countries
- Austria, Portugal
Life story
Charles was born on 17 August 1887 at Persenbeug Castle in Lower Austria. On 21 October 1911 he married Zita of Bourbon-Parma; they had eight children, among them Otto, later crown prince. He became emperor of Austria on 21 November 1916, in the middle of the First World War, and was crowned king of Hungary (as Charles IV) in Budapest on 30 December 1916.
He tried to end the war by negotiation. In 1917 he opened secret talks with France through his brother-in-law Prince Sixtus, but they failed, and the leak of 1918, known as the Sixtus Affair, damaged his standing. He also proposed reorganising the empire as a federation, but by October 1918 the nationalities had declared independence. In November 1918 he issued proclamations giving up any part in government without formally abdicating; the Austrian parliament dethroned the Habsburgs in April 1919.
After two failed attempts in 1921 to regain the Hungarian throne, he was exiled to Madeira on 19 November 1921. He died in Funchal on 1 April 1922, aged 34, of respiratory failure following pneumonia, and is buried on Madeira (his heart is kept at Muri Abbey in Switzerland). Pope John Paul II beatified him on 3 October 2004; his feast is 21 October.
Works and witness
- Emperor of Austria from 21 Nov 1916; king of Hungary from 30 Dec 1916
- Opened secret peace talks with France in 1917
- Proposed a federal reorganisation of the empire
- Exiled to Madeira on 19 Nov 1921
- Beatified on 3 October 2004
Saints from the same country
References
- Austria-Forum, AEIOU, "Karl I" (austria-forum.org)
- International Encyclopedia of the First World War, "Charles I" (encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net)
Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.