The ensuing War of the Spanish Succession, which pitted France's candidate, Philip, Duke of Anjou, Louis XIV of France's grandson, against Austria's Charles, lasted for almost 14 years. Charles died in 1740, sparking the War of the Austrian Succession, which plagued his successor, Maria Theresa, for eight years.įollowing the death of Charles II of Spain, in 1700, without any direct heir, Charles declared himself King of Spain-both were members of the House of Habsburg. France, Spain, Saxony-Poland, Bavaria and Prussia later reneged. In total, Great Britain, France, Saxony- Poland, the Dutch Republic, Spain, Venice, States of the Church, Prussia, Russia, Denmark, Savoy-Sardinia, Bavaria, and the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire recognised the sanction. They demanded significant terms, among which were that Austria close the Ostend Company.
Charles sought the other European powers' approval. The Emperor favoured his own daughters over those of his elder brother and predecessor, Joseph I, in the succession, ignoring the decree he had signed during the reign of his father, Leopold I. In 1708, he married Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, by whom he had his four children: Leopold Johann (who died in infancy), Maria Theresa (the last direct Habsburg sovereign), Maria Anna (Governess of the Austrian Netherlands), and Maria Amalia (who also died in infancy).įour years before the birth of Maria Theresa, faced with his lack of male heirs, Charles provided for a male-line succession failure with the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713. He unsuccessfully claimed the throne of Spain following the death of his relative, Charles II. German: Karl Franz Joseph Wenzel Balthasar Johann Anton IgnazĬharles VI ( German: Karl Latin: Carolus 1 October 1685 – 20 October 1740) was Holy Roman Emperor and ruler of the Austrian Habsburg monarchy from 1711 until his death, succeeding his elder brother, Joseph I.
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