Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg

Elisabeth of Württemberg (Elisabeth Wilhelmine Luise; 21 April 1767 – 18 February 1790) was an Archduchess of Austria by marriage to Archduke Francis of Austria.

For the Duchess born 1802, see Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine of Württemberg.
Duchess Elisabeth
Archduchess of Austria, Princess Royal of Hungary and Bohemia, Princess of Tuscany
Born21 April 1767
Treptow an der Rega, Pomerania
Died18 February 1790 (aged 22)
Vienna, Austria
Burial
Imperial Crypt
SpouseArchduke Francis of Austria
IssueArchduchess Ludovika Elisabeth
Full name
Elisabeth Wilhelmine Luise
HouseWürttemberg
FatherFrederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg
MotherPrincess Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt
ReligionLutheranism then Roman Catholicism

Life

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.

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. On the night of 18 February, she prematurely gave birth to Archduchess Ludovika Elisabeth, who lived for only 16 months. Despite an emergency operation to save her life, Elisabeth did not survive the birth, which lasted more than 24 hours. She is buried in the Imperial Crypt, in Vienna. The emperor died two days after the death of his niece.

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

Ancestry

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