Elisabeth of Württemberg (1767–1790)
Elisabeth Wilhelmine Louise von Württemberg (born April 21, 1767 in Treptow an der Rega ; † February 18, 1790 in Vienna ) was the first wife of the later Emperor Franz II.
Life
Elisabeth was the eighth child of Duke Friedrich Eugen von Württemberg and Princess Friederike Dorothea Sophia von Brandenburg-Schwedt . She received a good education under the direction of Freiin von Bork. Because the Russian heir to the throne Paul took her older sister Sophie Dorothea as his second wife in 1776 , Elisabeth was a politically interesting match for Emperor Joseph II . He made her the future wife of his nephew, who later became Emperor Franz. At his instigation, Elisabeth came to Vienna in 1782 and was further educated in the Salesian convent. Josepha Countess von Chanclos became their chief stewardess. Father Alois Langenau made Elisabeth with the principles of Catholicism familiar to what denomination it in December 1782 converted . Before she married, she received a monthly income of one hundred ducats, which she also used to support those in need. Emperor Joseph II took tender care of them.
On January 6, 1788, 20-year-old Elisabeth married Archduke Franz, who was barely a year younger, in Vienna. Emperor Joseph allegedly even took care of a dental adjustment for the young princess, who helped the seriously ill emperor with her youthful charm in the last years of his life. In 1789 Elisabeth became pregnant, but her condition was very unstable, not least caused by the unrest due to the constantly deteriorating health of Emperor Joseph. After Joseph received the last unction on February 15, 1790, Elisabeth wanted to visit him; until then, due to her condition, she had not been allowed to do so. In order not to frighten her with his deathly pallor, the emperor only let his sick room light up dimly when she received her. Nevertheless, Elisabeth was deeply shaken at the sight of the terminally ill emperor and passed out. On the night of February 17, she gave birth prematurely to a mentally weak child, Archduchess Ludovika Elisabeth, who died on June 24, 1791. Elisabeth did not survive the 24-hour delivery, during which emergency surgery was initiated to save the mother's life. She died in Vienna on February 18, 1790 at the age of only 22. She found her final resting place in the Capuchin Crypt .
literature
- Constantin von Wurzbach : Habsburg, Elisabeth Wilhelmina Ludovica von Württemberg . In: Biographisches Lexikon des Kaiserthums Oesterreich . 6th part. Imperial and Royal Court and State Printing Office, Vienna 1860, pp. 171–173 ( digitized version ).
- Elisabeth Wilhelmine von Württemberg , in: Brigitte Hamann (Hrsg.): The Habsburgs, a biographical lexicon . Verlag Carl Ueberreuter, Vienna, 1988, ISBN 3-85002-445-8 , p. 90.
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Elisabeth of Württemberg |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Elisabeth Wilhelmine Louise of Württemberg (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | first wife of the later Emperor Franz II. |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 21, 1767 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Treptow at Rega |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 18, 1790 |
| Place of death | Vienna |