Archduke Charles

Archduke Charles
Duke of Teschen
Portrait by Anton Einsle Born 5 September 1771 Florence, Grand Duchy of Tuscany Died 30 April 1847(1847-04-30) (aged 75) Vienna, Austrian Empire Burial Imperial Crypt, Vienna Spouse Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg Issue Detail Maria Theresa, Queen of the Two Sicilies Archduke Albert, Duke of Teschen Archduke Karl Ferdinand Archduke Frederick Ferdinand Archduchess Maria Karoline Archduke Wilhelm Franz Full name Karl Ludwig Johann Josef Lorenz House Habsburg-Lorraine Father Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor Mother Maria Luisa of Spain Religion Roman Catholicism Military service Allegiance  Holy Roman Empire  Austrian Empire Service/branch Imperial Army Imperial and Royal Army Years of service 1792–1809 Rank Lieutenant Field Marshal Commands Imperial and Royal Army Battles/wars French Revolutionary Wars  • Battle of Jemappes  • Battle of Neerwinden  • Battle of Fleurus  • Battle of Aldenhoven  • Battle of Amberg  • Battle of Würzburg  • Battle of Emmendingen  • Battle of Ostrach  •  • First Battle of Zurich  • Battle of Hohenlinden Napoleonic Wars  • Battle of Caldiero  • Battle of Abensberg  • Battle of Eckmühl  • Battle of Aspern-Essling  • Battle of Wagram

Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen (German: Erzherzog Carl Ludwig Johann Joseph Laurentius von Österreich, Herzog von Teschen; 5 September 1771 – 30 April 1847) was an Austrian field-marshal, the third son of Emperor Leopold II and his wife, Maria Luisa of Spain. He was also the younger brother of Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor. Despite being epileptic, Charles achieved respect both as a commander and as a reformer of the Austrian army. He was considered one of Napoleon's most formidable opponents.

He began his career fighting the revolutionary armies of France. Early in the wars of the First Coalition, he saw victory at Neerwinden in 1793, before being defeated at Wattignies 1793 and Fleurus 1794. In 1796, as chief of all Austrian forces on the Rhine, Charles defeated Jean-Baptiste Jourdan at Amberg and Würzburg, and then won a victory at Emmendingen that forced Jean Victor Marie Moreau to withdraw across the Rhine. Following these victories were others at Zürich, Ostrach, , and Messkirch in 1799. He reformed Austria's armies to adopt the nation at arms principle; in 1809, he went into the War of the Fifth Coalition and inflicted Napoleon's first major setback at Aspern-Essling, before suffering a defeat at the bloody Battle of Wagram. Following Wagram, Charles saw no more significant action in the Napoleonic Wars.