List of heirs to the Austrian throne
This is a list of people who were heir apparent or heir presumptive to the Archduchy of Austria from when Charles III succeeded to the throne in 1711 to the end of the monarchy in Austria-Hungary in 1918. Those heirs who succeeded are shown in bold.
The position of heir to the Empire was often of great importance. More than once a younger brother of the emperor was persuaded to renounce his succession rights in his son's favour to provide a young male heir to the throne. The apparent suicide of the Crown Prince in 1889 and the assassination of the subsequent heir in 1914 (considered one of the great causes of World War I) led to instability in the monarchy, perhaps contributing to its abolition at the end of the War in 1918.
Heirs to the Austrian Archduchy
| Archduke | Heir | Relationship to archduke and status | Became heir | Ceased to be heir | Next in line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles III | Archduchess Maria Josepha | Niece Heir presumptive |
7 April 1711 | 13 May 1717 | Archduchess Maria Amalia 1711–1717, sister |
| Archduchess Maria Theresa | Daughter Heir presumptive | 13 May 1717; born Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 | 20 October 1740; succeeded | Archduchess Maria Josepha 1717–1718, cousin | |
| Archduchess Maria Anna 1718–1740, sister | |||||
| Maria Theresa and Francis I | Archduchess Maria Anna | Sister Heir presumptive | 20 October 1740; sister succeeded | 13 March 1741; son born to Archduchess | Archduchess Maria Josepha 1740–1741, cousin |
| Archduke Joseph | Son Heir apparent | 13 March 1741; born | 18 August 1765; succeeded | Archduchess Maria Anna 1741–1744, aunt | |
| Archduchess Maria Josepha 1744–1745, first cousin once removed | |||||
| Archduke Charles Joseph 1745–1761, brother | |||||
| Archduke Leopold 1761–1765, brother | |||||
| Maria Theresa and Joseph II | Pietro Leopoldo I of Tuscany | Son and Brother Heir presumptive | 18 August 1765; brother succeeded | 20 February 1790; succeeded | Archduke Ferdinand 1765–1768, brother |
| Joseph II | Archduke Francis 1768–1790, son | ||||
| Leopold VII | Archduke Francis | Son Heir apparent | 20 February 1790; father succeeded | 1 March 1792; succeeded | Ferdinando III of Tuscany 1790–1792, brother |
| Francis II | Ferdinando III of Tuscany | Brother Heir presumptive | 1 March 1792; brother succeeded | 19 April 1793; son born to Archduke | Charles of Teschen 1792–1793, brother |
| Archduke Ferdinand | Son Heir apparent | 19 April 1793; born | 11 August 1804; Archduchy replaced by Empire | Ferdinando III of Tuscany 1793–1799, uncle | |
| Archduke Joseph Franz 1799–1804, brother |
Heirs to the Austrian Empire
| Emperor | Heir | Relationship to emperor and status | Became heir | Ceased to be heir | Next in line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francis II | Crown Prince Ferdinand | Son Heir apparent | 11 August 1804; foundation of the Empire | 2 March 1835; succeeded | Archduke Joseph Franz 1804–1807, brother |
| Archduke Franz Karl 1807–1835, brother | |||||
| Ferdinand I | Archduke Franz Karl | Brother Heir presumptive | 2 March 1835; brother succeeded | 2 December 1848; renounced his succession rights | Archduke Franz Joseph 1835–1848, son |
| Franz Joseph I | Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian | Brother Heir presumptive | 2 December 1848; brother succeeded | 21 August 1858; son born to Emperor | Archduke Karl Ludwig 1848–1858, brother |
| Crown Prince Rudolf | Son Heir apparent | 21 August 1858; born | 30 January 1889; died | Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian 1858–1864, uncle | |
| Archduke Karl Ludwig 1864–1889, uncle | |||||
| Archduke Karl Ludwig | Brother Heir presumptive | 30 January 1889; nephew died | 19 May 1896; died | Archduke Franz Ferdinand 1889–1896, son | |
| Archduke Franz Ferdinand | Nephew Heir presumptive | 19 May 1896; father died | 28 June 1914; assassinated | Archduke Otto 1896–1906, brother | |
| Archduke Karl 1906–1914, nephew | |||||
| Archduke Karl | Grandnephew Heir presumptive | 28 June 1914; uncle died | 21 November 1916; succeeded | Archduke Otto 1914–1916, son | |
| Karl I | Crown Prince Otto | Son Heir apparent | 21 November 1916; father succeeded | 12 November 1918; Empire replaced by republic | Archduke Robert 1916–1918, brother |
References
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