Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI Worksheets
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Fact File
Student Activities
Summary
- Early years
- Marriage and securing the Habsburg succession
- Imperial rule and later years
Key Facts And Information
Let’s find out more about Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI!
Charles VI was Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until his death in 1740. He attempted but failed to restore the global empire of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V by claiming the throne of Spain. His rule was plagued by several wars, which initially expanded his territories but ultimately left him with reduced dominions. In addition to the various wars, much of his reign was concerned with the regulation of the Habsburg succession, particularly in obtaining the support of other European powers to the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713.
Early years
- Born on 1 October 1685, Charles was the second son of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and Princess Eleonore Magdalene of Neuburg. He was a member of the House of Habsburg, which was one of the most influential dynasties in European history. His father had two previous marriages which produced children, making him his father’s fourth son.
- In 1700, the Habsburg Charles II of Spain died without any direct heir. The late Spanish king initially made Charles his heir to an undivided and independent Spanish monarchy.
- However, he was persuaded to alter his will in favour of the Bourbon Philip of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV of France.
- Philip V of Spain succeeded the late king. Meanwhile, Charles also declared him as King of Spain.
- As a result, a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between supporters of the Bourbons and the Habsburgs led to the War of the Spanish Succession.
- Philip V’s claim was backed by France and most of Spain, while Charles had the support of the Holy Roman Empire, the Dutch Republic, Britain, Portugal and the Crown of Aragon.
- Charles sailed to Spain in 1705 in order to launch land campaigns. However, he was only able to exercise his authority in Catalonia.
- When his brother, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I, died in 1711, Charles returned to Vienna to ascend to the imperial crown. He was elected as Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI in April 1711.
- This event led the British and the Dutch to consider withdrawing from the war since a union of Spain with Austria was as unwelcome as one with France.
- As a consequence, a series of agreements created the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713–1715, essentially allowing Philip V to keep the Spanish throne in exchange for permanently withdrawing his claim to the French throne. This sought to preserve the balance of power in Europe.
- Charles VI received the kingdoms of Naples and Sardinia, and the Duchy of Milan, as well as the Spanish Netherlands. However, the loss of Spain upset him, as he was determined to achieve the restoration of the global empire of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. As a result, he imitated the formal Spanish Habsburg court ceremonial by adopting the dress of a Spanish monarch.
Marriage and securing the Habsburg succession
- When it became apparent that Charles would assume the imperial throne, a meticulous search was initiated to secure him a suitable wife. From a selection of candidates, the eldest child of Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Elisabeth Christine, was chosen. She was persuaded to convert to Catholicism in 1707 as a necessary precursor to the union with Charles. The wedding of the two was celebrated in 1708 in Barcelona. Elisabeth Christine was immediately under pressure to produce a son.
- When Charles VI finally assumed the imperial throne in 1711, his wife remained in Catalonia for a few years as regent and only joined him in Austria when the war ended.
- As empress, Elisabeth Christine was not allowed any political influence and was often involved in rivalry with the two dowager empresses at the court.
- The empress’ position at the Viennese court became even more difficult since she was childless for many years. Many looked forward to the birth of a male heir, which would ensure a smooth succession.
- In 1716, Charles VI and Elisabeth Christine finally had their first child, the long-awaited male heir named Leopold. The infant, however, only lived for a few months. The royal couple remained hopeful for further male offspring.
- The empress gave birth to three daughters in the succeeding years, Maria Theresa in 1717, Maria Anna in 1718 and Maria Amalia in 1724.
- In April 1713, prior to the birth of his children, Charles V issued the Pragmatic Sanction, abolishing male-only succession in all Habsburg realms and declaring their lands indivisible. When his first daughter was born in 1717, the emperor disinherited the daughters of his elder brother Joseph I, which undermined the Mutual Pact of Succession (1703) that declared the succession of Joseph I’s daughters in all Habsburg lands in the absence of male heirs. Owing to such actions, Charles VI spent the rest of his reign attempting to ensure that other European powers would enforce the 1713 sanction.
Imperial rule and later years of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI
- Several wars broke out in Europe and plagued Charles VI’s rule, such as the Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718), the War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720), the War of the Polish Succession (1733–1738), and the Russo-Turkish War (1735–1739).
Austro-Turkish War (1716–1718)
- This conflict was fought between the Habsburg monarchy and the Ottoman Empire and was won by the former.
- As a result, the Habsburg monarchy expanded, as Banat was added to Hungary and direct Austrian rule was established over Serbia and Oltenia.
War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720)
- This conflict was fought between Spain and the Habsburg Monarchy, later supported by Britain, France, Savoy, and the Dutch Republic.
- It broke out because the Spanish sought to take back territories in Italy ceded in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht.
- It concluded in Austrian victory, leading to the 1720 Treaty of The Hague, which reinstituted the position prior to 1717, with Savoy and Austria swapping Sardinia and Sicily. At this point, the Habsburg monarchy reached the greatest territorial expansion in its history.
War of the Polish Succession (1733–1738)
- This conflict was sparked by a civil war in Poland–Lithuania over the succession to Augustus II the Strong. Several European powers joined on either side.
- The Treaty of Vienna (1738) formally ended the war, which made Charles VI cede the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily to Don Carlos, in exchange for the much smaller Duchy of Parma and Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Russo-Turkish War (1735–1739)
- Charles VI joined the conflict in 1737, in alliance with Russia.
- The Habsburg armies were initially victorious but later suffered many defeats.
- The war was concluded by the Treaty of Belgrade (1739), in which Charles VI had to give up various regions to the Ottoman Empire, including the Bosnian section of Posavina, central regions of Serbia, and Wallachia Minor. Neither the Russians nor the Ottomans fulfilled their goals in this conflict.
- This expensive war caused popular discontent in Vienna.
By the latter part of Charles VI’s reign, the Habsburg monarchy was in a ruinous state, with weak finances and an army in dire need of reform. This was the situation when Charles VI died in Vienna in October 1740, leaving the Habsburg dominions to his daughter Maria Theresa. The War of the Austrian Succession immediately broke out and troubled the reign of his successor for eight years.
Frequently Asked Questions About Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI
- Who was Charles VI of the Holy Roman Empire?
Charles VI (1685–1740) was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1711 until he died in 1740.
- What was the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713?
The Pragmatic Sanction was a decree issued by Charles VI to ensure that his daughter, Maria Theresa, could inherit the Habsburg lands. It declared the Habsburg territories indivisible and allowed female succession in the absence of a male heir.
- What territories did Charles VI rule over?
As Holy Roman Emperor, Charles VI ruled over the Holy Roman Empire, and as Archduke of Austria, he controlled the hereditary Habsburg lands, including Austria, Bohemia, Hungary, and parts of Italy.