Figure 1.--. |
|
Archduke Karl married Princess Zita von Bourbon-Parma of Parma (1892-1989). in 1911. er parents were Duke of Bourbon-Parma (1848- ) and Maria Antonia de Bragança of Portugal (1862- ). I know little about Princess Zita at this time. Karl and Zita had eight children. The oldest who became Crown Prince was Otto. She became emperess during World war I when her husband replace Franz Joseph as Emperor (1916) She was involved in children's charities. She agreed with her husband that the War had to be resolved with a negotiated settlement. They hoped to use her brother, Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma as an intermediary. Her husband failed in his efforts to end the War and as a result he was forced to abdigate.
Princess Zita's fther was the Duke of Bourbon-Parma (1848- ). His parents were Charles III de Bourbon of Parma (1823- ) and Louise du Berry (1819- ).
Zita's mother was Princess Maria Antonia de Bragança of Portugal (1862- ).
Her parents were King Miguel I de Bragança (1802) and Adelheid Rosenberg (1831- ).
Crown Prince Rudolf and Baroness Marie Vetsera committed suiside at mayerling in one of the great love tragedies of the 19th century (1889). Runors abound as to what actually occurred. Empress Zita was one of many who proposed conspiratorial theories. She was convinced that the death of Rudolf and Marie wre the result of an international conspiracy orchestrated by Georges Clemenceau, the French Prime Minister. Zita could not understand how Rudolf destined to become emperor would have shot himself. According to Zita, Clemenceau was plotting to overthrow Emperor Franz Joseph so that germanophobe Rudolf would become emperor. This would have allowed Austria to break the German alliance and sign a new alliance with France. Zita insisted that Rudolf refused to participate and was murdered to ensure that he would not leak details of the plot. We know of no evidence to support that such a plot actully took place.
Archduke Karl married Princess Zita von Bourbon-Parma of Parma (1892-1989). in 1911. At the time of their marriage, neither though that Krl would one day be emperor.
Karl and Zita had eight children. The eldest were two boys (Otto and Robert) and a girl (Adelheid). The eldest was Prince Otto (named after his grandfather) who was born in 1912. Grand Duchness Adelheid was born a year later in 1913, and Robert the second son was born in 1915. Charles and Zita's children came about one a year.
I have no information at his time
on the Emperess or on her relationship with the children. Judging from the available photographs she was very much involved with the children and their upbringing. He married Princess Zita . I know little about Princess Zita at this time.
The royal family raised their eight children in a deeply religious Catholic environment. The family had to deal with war, revolution, and exile which would fundamentlly change the Hapsburg family and Austria itself. Religion was an important part of the royal family's life. Karl and Zita held family devotions, including the Rosary, novenas, and Scripture readings. There were family catechism lessons, daily Mass, and various pious practices that had been developed by the Habsburg family over its long history. These included Pietas Austriaca (devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Holy Cross, the Immaculate Conception, and Corpus Christi). It was a close family with the Emperor and Empress deeply devoted to their children. The photographic record provide some tendender images of the parents with their children and of the children playing hapily together.
Zita appears to have been a very fashionably lady. She dressed very stylishly and insisted on stylish clothes for the children. Her flare for fashion is readily observable in the children's clothes. They were much more fashionably dressed than the children of German Emperor Wilhelm II. She commonly dressed the children in identical or coordinated outfits.
Emperess Zita believed in lon hair styles for her children, especially the boys. I am not sure if Emperor Karl agreed pr discussed the issue with his wife, but he apparently acquiesed in the matter. This as especially the case for Crown Prince Otto. He wore his hair long for severl year after breaching, even apparently as a yoing teenager. His mother nev curled his hair, but it was left quite long. Otto in many photographs hs longer haot than his sisters. It was quite common in the early 20th century for mother who kept their sons hair long to style the hair of sons and daughters differently. It was, however, not that common to have longer styles for boys than girls.
Zita became emperess during World war I when her husband replace Franz Joseph as Emperor (1916)
|
Emperess Zita was involved in children's charities during World war I. She helped raise funds with a lottery, The 1916 lottery ticket here has the portrait of her elest son--Archduke Otto. I am not sure when Kindetag (Children's Day) was or what transpired on that day. Zita agreed with her husband that the War had to be resolved with a negotiated settlement. They hoped to use her brother, Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma as an intermediary. Her husband failed in his efforts to end the War and as a result he was forced to abdigate. She did agree with her husband that the War had to be resolved with a negotiated settlement. As a result of the French ties of her family, Emperor Karl hoped to use her brother, Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma as an intermediary. As a result of the War, Emperor Karl had to addigate the throne.
Karl's effort to restablish a monarch failed (1921). The British exiled him to Maderia whre he died. Zita was left with the rsonsibility of raising their children.
Zuita brought the family to Canada. I'm not sure just when. They settled in Quebec City and they live as the Family
De Koninck. This family is well known in Québec and many De Koninck made a brilliant career at the Université Laval. The Education Pavillion is named De Koninck and their surnames are a kind of dedication the the imperial family of Austria (Rodolphe and Zita).
Felix, Karl, and Rudolf were briefly training with a U.S. Army Free Austria Brigade. Zita began to promote the Brigade as a U.S. effort to restore Otto to the throne. When the idea of the Brigade proved unpopular, the Army quietely dropped it.
Jacobs, Tevie. "When The Grand Dukes Drilled In Indiana," The Indianapolis Star Sunday Magazine, August 15, 1971.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site royal pages:
[Return to the Main Empeor Karl page]
[Austria ]
[Belgium]
[France]
[Germany]
[German states]
[Italy]
[Monaco]
[Netherlands]
[Norway]
[Romania]
[Russia]
[Spain]
[United Kingdom]
