Caroline Augusta of Bavaria
Encyclopedia
Caroline Augusta of Bavaria ' onMouseout='HidePop("89930")' href="/topics/Mannheim">Mannheim
, 8 February 1792 – 9 February 1873 in Vienna
) was a daughter of Maximilian I Joseph, King of Bavaria (1756–1825) and his wife, Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt (1765–1796), and a member of the House of Wittelsbach
. She was married to Crown Prince William of Württemberg
and to Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
. From 1816-1835 she was Empress of Austria in her second marriage.
, she married Crown Prince William of Württemberg
(1781–1864). They divorced on 31 August 1814. They had no children.
Her first marriage was arranged to avoid a political marriage arranged by Napoleon. After the marriage ceremony, her spouse said to her: We are victims to politics. They lived separated in the palace and the marriage was never consummated. She spent her time writing letters to her brother Louis
, and learning Italian and English. Her first marriage was dissolved by Pope Pius VII
to ensure that they both be able to marry again according to the Catholic Church.
On 29 October 1816 she married Francis I
, Emperor of Austria
, King
of Hungary
and Bohemia
. They had no children. Prior to this marriage, she has always been known as Charlotte, but now began using Caroline.
Both the Emperor and his brother Ferdinand proposed to her, and Ferdinand took back his proposal so that she could accept the Emperor's. The marriage was simple due to the strict economy of the Emperor. She became popular in Austria and was active in social work; she founded several hospitals and residences for the poor. Empress Caroline was described as elegant, likable, religious and intelligent, although not as beautiful.
After the death of her spouse, she moved to Salzburg
. She was good friends with both her sister Archduchess Sophie
and her niece Empress Elisabeth
.
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, 8 February 1792 – 9 February 1873 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
) was a daughter of Maximilian I Joseph, King of Bavaria (1756–1825) and his wife, Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt (1765–1796), and a member of the House of Wittelsbach
Wittelsbach
The Wittelsbach family is a European royal family and a German dynasty from Bavaria.Members of the family served as Dukes, Electors and Kings of Bavaria , Counts Palatine of the Rhine , Margraves of Brandenburg , Counts of Holland, Hainaut and Zeeland , Elector-Archbishops of Cologne , Dukes of...
. She was married to Crown Prince William of Württemberg
William I of Württemberg
William I was the second King of Württemberg from October 30, 1816 until his death.He was born in Lüben, the son of King Frederick I of Württemberg and his wife Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel .-First marriage:...
and to Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when he dissolved the Empire after the disastrous defeat of the Third Coalition by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz...
. From 1816-1835 she was Empress of Austria in her second marriage.
Biography
On 8 June 1808, at MunichMunich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, she married Crown Prince William of Württemberg
William I of Württemberg
William I was the second King of Württemberg from October 30, 1816 until his death.He was born in Lüben, the son of King Frederick I of Württemberg and his wife Duchess Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel .-First marriage:...
(1781–1864). They divorced on 31 August 1814. They had no children.
Her first marriage was arranged to avoid a political marriage arranged by Napoleon. After the marriage ceremony, her spouse said to her: We are victims to politics. They lived separated in the palace and the marriage was never consummated. She spent her time writing letters to her brother Louis
Ludwig I of Bavaria
Ludwig I was a German king of Bavaria from 1825 until the 1848 revolutions in the German states.-Crown prince:...
, and learning Italian and English. Her first marriage was dissolved by Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
to ensure that they both be able to marry again according to the Catholic Church.
On 29 October 1816 she married Francis I
Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor
Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, ruling from 1792 until 6 August 1806, when he dissolved the Empire after the disastrous defeat of the Third Coalition by Napoleon at the Battle of Austerlitz...
, Emperor of Austria
Emperor of Austria
The Emperor of Austria was a hereditary imperial title and position proclaimed in 1804 by the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, and continually held by him and his heirs until the last emperor relinquished power in 1918. The emperors retained the title of...
, King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
and Bohemia
Czech lands
Czech lands is an auxiliary term used mainly to describe the combination of Bohemia, Moravia and Czech Silesia. Today, those three historic provinces compose the Czech Republic. The Czech lands had been settled by the Celts , then later by various Germanic tribes until the beginning of 7th...
. They had no children. Prior to this marriage, she has always been known as Charlotte, but now began using Caroline.
Both the Emperor and his brother Ferdinand proposed to her, and Ferdinand took back his proposal so that she could accept the Emperor's. The marriage was simple due to the strict economy of the Emperor. She became popular in Austria and was active in social work; she founded several hospitals and residences for the poor. Empress Caroline was described as elegant, likable, religious and intelligent, although not as beautiful.
After the death of her spouse, she moved to Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
. She was good friends with both her sister Archduchess Sophie
Princess Sophie of Bavaria
Sophie Friederike Dorothee Wilhelmine, Princess of Bavaria was born to King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and his second wife Karoline of Baden. She was the identical twin sister of Princess Maria Anna of Bavaria, Queen of Saxony as wife of Frederick Augustus II of Saxony...
and her niece Empress Elisabeth
Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Austria was the spouse of Franz Joseph I, and therefore both Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She also held the titles of Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, among others...
.