Erzherzog Carl von Österreich. Geistigkeit und Relilgiosität

Archduke Charles of Austria (1771-1847), third son of Emperor Leopold II and thus younger brother of the Emperor Francis HJ, is considered one of the most important military adversaries of Napoleon an the Austr side, chiefly due to his famous victory at Aspern in 1809. Nevertheless, as the methodological inquiry and c review of the literature (chapter i) Show, a major study of his life has been lacking up to now. The author`s research as presented in this monograph deals with the development of the character and intell this outstanding Habsburg prince. The study`s principal source, the edition of Charles` "Selected writings", analysed systematically: The First Part (i.e. chapters ii, iii) focuses an the development of his character and intellectual life, while the Second Part (chapters iv, v) concentrates particularly an his religious thought. The principles behind Charles` thinking may be summarized as follows (ch. iii): Raised with and strongly influenced by the enlightened thought of reason, perfectibility, and progress, he reflected intensively upon t nature of the French Revolution. On the basis of theories of knowledge, society, and war, as well as of poli historical, and anthropological analysis, he sought to determine the structural bases of new phenomena and ambiguities - e.g. democracy, nationalism, and total war. A leading politician, he promoted the principles o Josephinism - e.g. state building, moderate social progress - through an elaborate programme of state-refo (1801-1809). Alas, he was eventually undermined by the conservative majority, led principally by Metterni thus stands for one of the last significant exponents of the era of enlightened reform in Austria. Even after h retreat from politics in 1809 (and the fall of Napoleon 1815), he continued to comment critically upon curre affairs such as questions of political reason, social development, and restoration, partly in a very far-sighted manner. One further aspect of Charles` personality is his most remarkable religiosity, which is analysed here for th time (chapter v): In his pious meditations given in the afore-mentioned source, he retained the enlightened f of the traditional "Pietas Austriaca", which was originated by Empress Maria Theresia and her husband, Fr Stephan (chapter iv). As a representative of the spiritual transition from Enlightenment to Romanticism he i example of the previously neglected endurance into the modern era of Habsburg family piety. This work thus provides an original contribution to the study of Archduke Charles` life and personality. By remaining true to the concept of reason, he represented an uncommonly unique character as the values and standards of the revolutionary period shifted around him (ch. vi).