Caroline Augusta of Bavaria
| Princess Caroline Augusta | |
|---|---|
| Crown Princess of Württemberg | |
 |
|
| Empress consort of Austria | |
| Tenure | 29 October 1816 – 2 March 1835 |
| Born |
8 February 1792 Mannheim, Electoral Palatinate |
| Died | 9 February 1873 (aged 81) Vienna, Austria-Hungary |
| Spouse |
William, Crown Prince of Württemberg Francis I of Austria |
| House | Wittelsbach |
| Father | Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria |
| Mother | Princess Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Princess Caroline Augusta of Bavaria (German: Karoline Auguste von Bayern; Mannheim, 8 February 1792 – 9 February 1873 in Vienna) was a daughter of Maximilian I Joseph, King of Bavaria (1756–1825) and his wife, Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt (1765–1796), and a member of the House of Wittelsbach. She was married to Crown Prince William of Württemberg, whom she divorced, and to Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor. From 1816–1835, she was Empress of Austria in her second marriage.
On 8 June 1808, at Munich, Caroline Augusta married Crown Prince William (1781–1864) becoming Crown Princess of Württemberg. They had no children and were divorced on 31 August 1814.
Her first marriage was arranged to avoid a political marriage arranged by Napoleon. After the marriage ceremony, her spouse said to her: We are victims to politics. She spent her time writing letters to her brother Louis, and learning Italian and English. The couple never bonded with each other and the marriage was finally annulled by Pope Pius VII to enable both of them to make remarriages that were valid in the Catholic Church. At the time of the annulment, it was claimed by them that they had lived separately in the palace and that the marriage had never been consummated.
After the annulment of her marriage, Caroline Augusta was considered as a bride for both the Emperor Francis II and his younger brother, Ferdinand. Later, Ferdinand withdrew his proposal and Caroline August became the Emperor's bride.
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