Ferdinand I (1793-1875) - Find a Grave Memorial

Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. He was the second son of Francis I and younger brother of Maria Luisa of Habsburg, second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. During his reign (1835-1848) he did not have much influence on the political life of the empire which was entrusted, due to some of his psychosomatic problems, to a shadow council led by his brother Francis Charles with the help of the Prince Klemens von Metternich. Historians assert that in private life, despite his disabilities, he was a man of considerable culture and versatility having mastery several languages and some musical instruments. He is also remembered for his charitable and sensitive nature towards the problems of the less well-off classes of the territories subject to Austria. The European revolutionary movements of 1848 that did not spare his nation forced Ferdinand I to abdicate, strongly urged by his wife and sister-in-law Sophia of Bavaria, in favor of his nephew Francesco Giuseppe. He lived the last years in retreat in the Hradčany castle in Prague taking care of the wealth management of his nephew the Duke of Reichstadt, Napoleon's son.

Bio by: Lucy & Chris