CHARLES (Karl Ludwig Johann Joseph Laurens), Archduke of Austria, 3d son of the Emperor Leopold II: b. Florence, 5 Sept. 1771; d. Vienna, 30 April 1847. As soldier, statesman and military historian Charles was one of the most brilliant members of the Haps burg family. At the time of his birth his father was Grand Duke of Tuscany and his uncle was Emperor (Joseph II). Charles spent his youth in Tuscany; his education was derived from General Spanocchi, Count Hohenwart and the Archduchess Christine Maria. A political party in Belgium desired to elect him °hereditary sovereign and grand but The Hague Convention frustrated the plan. In his 20th year he distinguished himself at the battle of Jemappes; two years later he was made major and commanded the advance guard of Prince Josias of Saxony at Aldenhoven, Tirle mont and Neerwinden, defeating the French republican armies. In 1793 he was appointed governor-general of the Netherlands. His victories had recovered Belgium for Austria. He was appointed field-marshal of the empire and commander of the Austrian army on the Rhine in 1796; he opened the campaign by storming the heights of Altstetten and turning his retreat at Wetzlar into a victory over Jour dan. He followed this up with the other suc
cesses at Teining and Amberg, which compelled Moreau to make his memorable retreat. In the winter of 1797 he captured Kehl, the only posi tion the French occupied in Germany, and on 11 November was appointed governor and captain general of Bohemia. After the fruitless con gress at Rastadt he put himself at the head of the Rhine army and again defeated his old opponent Jourdan at Ostrach and Stockach. Misunderstandings that arose between him and the Russian generals, Suwarow and Korsakow, and his weak state of health, compelled him to throw up his command antt'retire to Bohemia. In the protracted struggle in the heart of Ger many Napoleon's genius was on every occasion triumphant; once only, at Aspern, did Charles snatch a victory from him, but the battle of Wagram laid Austria at the feet of the French Emperor. A particular interest attaches to the Archduke Charles from the fact that he was the uncle of Marie Louise and acted as proxy on behalf of Napoleon in the first marriage ceremony held in Vienna, 11 March 1810; thus half married, she proceeded to Paris and mar ried the Emperor in person on 1 April.