Robert, Archduke of Austria-Este
Encyclopedia
Robert, Archduke of Austria-Este, Prince Imperial of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary, Bohemia and Croatia (Schonbrunn
, 8 February 1915 – Basel
, 7 February 1996), was born as the second son of Karl I
, (beatified
) last Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and Zita of Bourbon-Parma
.
On 16 April 1917, at the age of two, Robert was created Archduke of Austria-Este
by his father, the Emperor. Archduke Robert was thereby chosen to preserve, in the form of a distinct secundogeniture
, the Habsburg-Lorraine representation of the once-sovereign Duchy of Modena
which had belonged to the House of Este. He was thus made heir to his assassinated relative Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
, (1863–1914), who had inherited in 1875 the Austria-Este designation and what had been salvaged of the Este fortune when the duchy was annexed
to Italy in 1860.
Archduke Robert descended through his Habsburg father from Ercole III d'Este, Duke of Modena
, and his mother Zita was a descendant of Maria Beatrice d'Este, heiress of Modena and her husband, Archduke Ferdinand of Austria
. Thus the lineage
of the last Este dukes, in female descent, remained joined to the Austria-Este legacy. Archduke Robert eventually adopted use for himself and his descendants in male line
the surname Austria-Este, and he took also the title Duke of Este, intended henceforth to be borne by the head of the Austria-Este branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine
.
Upon his death in 1996, he was succeeded as head of this line by his son, Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este, Prince of Belgium (born 1955). Although the marriage of his eldest son to Princess Astrid of Belgium, former heiress presumptive
to the Kingdom of Belgium
, relegated use of the Austria-Este archdukedom to a secondary title in that realm
, the title continues in use elsewhere among his cadet
descendants.
The couple had five children, all of whom use the designation of Austria-Este:
Schönbrunn
Schönbrunn may refer to:*Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria*Schönbrunn , a municipality in Rhein-Neckar , Baden-Württemberg, Germany*Schönbrunn , a village in the Fichtelgebirge mountains in Bavaria, Germany...
, 8 February 1915 – Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, 7 February 1996), was born as the second son of Karl I
Karl I of Austria
Charles I of Austria or Charles IV of Hungary was the last ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. He was the last Emperor of Austria, the last King of Hungary, the last King of Bohemia and Croatia and the last King of Galicia and Lodomeria and the last monarch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine...
, (beatified
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
) last Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and Zita of Bourbon-Parma
Zita of Bourbon-Parma
Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma was the wife of Emperor Charles of Austria...
.
Archduke of Austria-Este
Austria-Este
Archduke of Austria-Este and Habsburg-Este are a title and a surname which have been used by several cadet branches of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine to denote a connection with the extinct Italian princely and feudal family of Este and the Duchy of Modena ruled by them...
by his father, the Emperor. Archduke Robert was thereby chosen to preserve, in the form of a distinct secundogeniture
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
, the Habsburg-Lorraine representation of the once-sovereign Duchy of Modena
Duchy of Modena and Reggio
The Duchy of Modena and Reggio |Italian]] state that existed from 1452 to 1859, with a break between 1796 and 1814. It was ruled by the noble House of Este, from 1814 Austria-Este.-House of Este:...
which had belonged to the House of Este. He was thus made heir to his assassinated relative Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria
Franz Ferdinand was an Archduke of Austria-Este, Austro-Hungarian and Royal Prince of Hungary and of Bohemia, and from 1889 until his death, heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne. His assassination in Sarajevo precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia...
, (1863–1914), who had inherited in 1875 the Austria-Este designation and what had been salvaged of the Este fortune when the duchy was annexed
Annexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
to Italy in 1860.
Archduke Robert descended through his Habsburg father from Ercole III d'Este, Duke of Modena
Ercole III d'Este, Duke of Modena
Ercole III d'Este was Duke of Modena and Reggio from 1780 to 1796. He was a member of the House of Este.-Biography:...
, and his mother Zita was a descendant of Maria Beatrice d'Este, heiress of Modena and her husband, Archduke Ferdinand of Austria
Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este
Archduke Ferdinand Karl Anton Joseph Johann Stanislaus of Austria-Este was a son of Holy Roman Emperor Franz I and Maria Theresa of Austria. He was the founder of the House of Austria-Este and Governor of the Duchy of Milan between 1765 and 1796...
. Thus the lineage
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
of the last Este dukes, in female descent, remained joined to the Austria-Este legacy. Archduke Robert eventually adopted use for himself and his descendants in male line
Patrilineality
Patrilineality is a system in which one belongs to one's father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritance of property, names or titles through the male line as well....
the surname Austria-Este, and he took also the title Duke of Este, intended henceforth to be borne by the head of the Austria-Este branch of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine
House of Lorraine
The House of Lorraine, the main and now only remaining line known as Habsburg-Lorraine, is one of the most important and was one of the longest-reigning royal houses in the history of Europe...
.
Upon his death in 1996, he was succeeded as head of this line by his son, Archduke Lorenz of Austria-Este, Prince of Belgium (born 1955). Although the marriage of his eldest son to Princess Astrid of Belgium, former heiress presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the Kingdom of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, relegated use of the Austria-Este archdukedom to a secondary title in that realm
Realm
A realm is a dominion of a monarch or other sovereign ruler.The Old French word reaume, modern French royaume, was the word first adopted in English; the fixed modern spelling does not appear until the beginning of the 17th century...
, the title continues in use elsewhere among his cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
descendants.
Family
Archduke Robert married Princess Margherita of Savoy-Aosta (born 7 April 1930), elder daughter of the late Amadeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta on 28 December 1953 in Bourg-en-Bresse, France (civilly) and 29 December 1953 (religiously), in Brou, France.The couple had five children, all of whom use the designation of Austria-Este:
- Archduchess Maria Beatrice (11 December 1954), who wed Count Riprand of Arco-Zinneberg, a great-grandson of the last Bavarian king, Ludwig IIILudwig III of BavariaLudwig III , was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from 1913 to 1918.-Early life:...
. They have six daughters:- Countess Anna Theresa von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (1981- );
- Countess Margherita von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (1983- );
- Countess Olympia von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (1988- );
- Countess Maximiliana von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (1990- );
- Countess Marie Gabrielle von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (1992- );
- Countess Giorgiana von und zu Arco-Zinneberg (1997- )
- Archduke Lorenz (16 December 1955), who wed 22 September 1984 at Brussels, Princess Astrid of Belgium (born 1962) only daughter of King Albert II of the Belgians. They have three daughters and two sons:
- Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este (1986- );
- Princess Maria Laura of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (1988- );
- Prince Joachim of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este (1991- );
- Princess Luisa Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (1995- );
- Princess Laetitia Maria of Belgium, Archduchess of Austria-Este (2003- )
- Archduke Gerhard (30 October 1957);
- Archduke Martin (21 December 1959), who wed Princess Katharina of Isenburg. They have three sons and a daughter:
- Archduke Bartholomaeus of Austria (2006- );
- Archduke Emmanuel of Austria (2008- );
- Archduchess Helene of Austria (2009- );
- Archduke Luigi of Austria (2011- )
- Archduchess Isabella (2 March 1963), who wed Count Andrea Czarnocki-Lucheschi. They have three sons and a daughter:
- Alvise Czarnocki-Lucheschi (1999- );
- Carlo Amedeo Czarnocki-Lucheschi (2000- );
- Maria Anna Czarnocki-Lucheschi (2002- );
- Alessandro Czarnocki-Lucheschi (2004- );
Ancestry
External links
- An Online Gotha: Austria Genealogy of the Imperial House of Austria-Hungary