Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor

Biography

Charles was the second son of Emperor Leopold I and his third wife, Princess Eleonore Magdalene of Neuburg, born on 1 October 1685. After the death of Charles II of Spain in 1700 without a direct heir, Charles declared himself King of Spain, leading to the War of the Spanish Succession that lasted nearly 14 years. His candidacy was endorsed by Portugal, England, Scotland, Ireland, and most of the Holy Roman Empire, with supporters concentrated in the Crown of Aragon. Charles disembarked in Spain in 1705 and ruled only in Catalonia for six years until his brother Joseph I's death, when he returned to Vienna to assume the imperial crown. Great Britain withdrew support to prevent a personal union of Austria and Spain, and the war ended with the Treaties of Utrecht, Rastatt, and Baden. The Treaty of Utrecht in 1713 recognized Philip as King of Spain, while Austria gained Naples, Milan, the Austrian Netherlands, and Sardinia. Discontented with losing Spain, Charles adopted Spanish Habsburg court ceremonial, wearing a black doublet and hose, black shoes, and scarlet stockings. His father arranged his marriage to Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, daughter of Louis Rudolph, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, who was considered strikingly beautiful.