The Habsburg Family stands as one of the most influential dynasties in European history, and their ascent to power in Austria and Germany laid the foundation for centuries of dominance. Their story, beginning in the shadows of the Holy Roman Empire, is one of strategic marriages, political acumen, and territorial expansion. This article delves into the early stages of the Habsburg family’s rise, focusing on key figures and events that cemented their influence in Central Europe.
The narrative truly begins with Rudolf I, originally Rudolf IV of Habsburg, the son of Albert IV. In 1273, Rudolf of Habsburg was elected as German king, marking a pivotal moment for the family. This election as Rudolf I, Holy Roman Emperor, propelled the Habsburgs onto the grand stage of European politics. A decade later, in 1282, Rudolf I solidified the family’s connection with Austria by bestowing the Duchies of Austria and Styria upon his sons, Albert and Rudolf. This act is considered the genesis of the long-lasting association between the Habsburgs and Austria. From this point forward, the history of Austria and the Habsburg dynasty became inextricably linked.
However, the Habsburg family’s governance wasn’t always straightforward. Their tradition of shared rule among male family members often led to complexities. Despite Rudolf II relinquishing his share in 1283, the issue resurfaced after the death of King Albert I in 1308. A period of shared rule, or condominium, ensued before Rudolf IV of Austria attempted to streamline the succession in 1364. His agreement with his brothers aimed to maintain equal rights within the family but effectively prioritized the head of the Habsburg house. Yet, this arrangement proved temporary. Following Rudolf IV’s death, his brothers Albert III and Leopold III of Austria divided the Habsburg lands in 1379 through the Treaty of Neuberg. Albert III gained Austria, while Leopold III acquired Styria, Carinthia, and Tirol, demonstrating the ongoing internal divisions within the expanding Habsburg territories.
Despite these familial divisions, the Habsburgs continued to pursue positions of power beyond their Austrian holdings. Rudolf III of Austria briefly held the Bohemian crown from 1306 to 1307. Albert I’s brother, Frederick I, further elevated the family’s standing by becoming German king as Frederick III from 1314 to 1330, albeit in competition with Louis IV of Bavaria. Albert V of Austria’s election in 1438 as King of Hungary, German King (Albert II), and King of Bohemia showcased the growing Habsburg reach across Central Europe. His son, Ladislas Posthumus, inherited the Hungarian crown in 1446 and the Bohemian crown in 1453. However, Ladislas’s death in 1457 marked the end of the male line descended from Albert III of Austria, leading to shifts in Habsburg power dynamics.
During this period, the Styrian line descended from Leopold III branched into Inner Austrian and Tirolean lines. Frederick V, representing the Inner Austrian branch, achieved a significant milestone for the Habsburgs. He was elected German king in 1440 and crowned Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III in 1452. This coronation in Rome was the last imperial coronation to take place in the ancient city, underscoring the changing political landscape of Europe. Frederick III’s ascension to the imperial throne solidified the Habsburgs’ place among Europe’s elite.
The imperial title, while prestigious, was closely tied to the German kingship, which, like the Bohemian and Hungarian crowns, was elective. The Habsburgs’ sustained hold on the imperial title, from Frederick III in 1493 to Charles VI in 1711, was largely due to their extensive and wealthy hereditary lands. These territories gave them the leverage to influence the German electors, despite only possessing an electoral vote through their claim to Bohemia.
While the Habsburgs’ future imperial dominance was not guaranteed during much of Frederick III’s reign, they demonstrated resilience and ambition. The Bohemian and Hungarian kingdoms were lost for nearly seven decades after Ladislas Posthumus’s death in 1457. Swiss territories, effectively lost from 1315, were formally relinquished in 1474. Frederick III also faced challenges to his control over the Austrian lands themselves. Yet, Frederick strategically secured the Habsburgs’ unique title of “archduke of Austria” in 1453, a title first asserted by Rudolf IV. His motto, A.E.I.O.U., often interpreted as Austriae est imperare orbi universo (“Austria is destined to rule the world”) or Alles Erdreich ist Österreich untertan (“The whole world is subject to Austria”), reveals a vision of global Habsburg influence. His reign witnessed his son Maximilian I’s pivotal marriage and the reunification of Austrian hereditary lands in 1490 when Sigismund of Tirol abdicated in Maximilian’s favor.
Finally, a distinctive physical trait emerged within the Habsburg lineage from Emperor Frederick III onwards: the prominent Habsburg jaw and lower lip. This feature, believed to be inherited from his Mazovian mother, Cymbarka, became increasingly pronounced through subsequent intermarriages, particularly among the Spanish Habsburgs. This physical characteristic serves as a recognizable marker of the Habsburg lineage across generations.
The early Habsburg rulers, through strategic political maneuvering, territorial consolidation, and a degree of dynastic ambition, laid the groundwork for their family’s future prominence. From their Austrian power base, they extended their influence across Germany and beyond, setting the stage for the Habsburg dynasty’s central role in European history.
