Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg

For the Duchess born 1933, see Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg (b. 1933). For the Duchess born 1802, see Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine of Württemberg.

Elisabeth of Württemberg
Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria, Princess Royal of Hungary and Bohemia
Born	21 April 1767 Treptow an der Rega, Pomerania
Died	18 February 1790 (aged 22) Vienna, Austria
Burial	Imperial Crypt
Spouse	Archduke Francis of Austria
Issue	Archduchess Ludovika Elisabeth
Full name Elisabeth Wilhelmine Luise
House	Württemberg
Father	Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg
Mother	Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt
Religion	Lutheranism then Roman Catholicism

Elisabeth of Württemberg (Elisabeth Wilhelmine Luise; 21 April 1767 – 18 February 1790) was by birth a Duchess of Württemberg and by marriage an Archduchess of Austria.

Family

She was the eighth of the twelve children of Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg, by his wife, Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt. She was baptised with the names Elisabeth Wilhelmine Luise.

Life

At the age of 15, she was called by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II to Vienna and educated in the Salesianerinnenkloster where she also converted to Catholicism. The purpose of this was to make her the future wife of Joseph II's nephew Francis, the future emperor.

In Vienna on 6 January 1788, Elisabeth and Francis were married. At this time, Emperor Joseph was in ill health; the young archduchess was close to the emperor and brightened his last years with her youthful charm. At the end of 1789, Elisabeth became pregnant; however, her condition was very delicate, caused in part by concern for the deteriorating health of the Emperor. Joseph received the Anointing of the Sick on 15 February 1790 and the scene overwhelmed the young Archduchess: she fainted upon seeing the terminally ill emperor. On the night of 18 February, she prematurely gave birth to Archduchess Ludovika Elisabeth of Austria, who lived for only 16 months. Elisabeth didn't survive the childbirth, which lasted more than 24 hours, and died, despite an emergency operation to save her life. Two days later, Emperor Joseph also died.

Elisabeth never became Empress because she predeceased her father-in-law, Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II. She is buried in the Imperial Crypt, in Vienna.

Issue

1. Archduchess Ludovika Elisabeth of Austria (18 Feb 1790 - 24 June 1791) died in infancy.

Ancestry

Family of Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg

16. Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg               8. Frederick Charles, Duke of Württemberg-Winnental                       17. Anna Catharina of Salm-Kyrburg               4. Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg                             18. Albert V, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach               9. Eleonore Juliane of Brandenburg-Ansbach                       19. Countess Sophie Margarethe of Oettingen-Oettingen               2. Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg                                   20. Eugen Alexander Franz, 1st Prince of Thurn and Taxis               10. Anselm Franz, 2nd Prince of Thurn and Taxis                       21. Princess Anna Adelheid of Fürstenberg               5. Princess Maria Augusta of Thurn and Taxis                             22. Ferdinand August Leopold, Prince of Lobkowicz               11. Princess Maria Ludovika Anna Franziska of Lobkowicz                       23. Margrave Maria Anna Wilhelmine of Baden-Baden               1. Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg                                         24. Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg               12. Philip William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt                       25. Sophie Dorothea of Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg               6. Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt                             26. John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau               13. Princess Johanna Charlotte of Anhalt-Dessau                       27. Princess Henriette Catherine of Nassau               3. Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt                                   28. Frederick I of Prussia               14. Frederick William I of Prussia                       29. Sophia Charlotte of Hanover               7. Princess Sophia Dorothea of Prussia                             30. George I of Great Britain               15. Sophia Dorothea of Hanover                       31. Sophia Dorothea of Celle

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Titles and styles

• 21 April 1767 – 6 January 1788 Her Highness Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg
• 6 January 1788 – 18 February 1790 Her Royal Highness Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria, Princess Royal of Hungary and Bohemia

References

• Brigitte Hamann: Die Habsburger, ein biographisches Lexikon. Verlag Carl Ueberreuter, Vienna, 1988