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Archduke Rudolf
Rudolf in 2008
Born	Rudolf Syringus Peter Karl Franz Joseph Robert Otto Antonius Maria Pius Benedikt Ignatius Laurentius Justiniani Marcus d'Aviano (1919-09-05)5 September 1919 Prangins, Switzerland
Died	15 May 2010(2010-05-15) (aged 90) Brussels, Belgium
Burial	Muri Abbey, Switzerland
Spouse	Countess Xenia Czernichev-Besobrasov ​ ​(m. 1953; died 1968)​ Anna Gabriele von Wrede ​ ​(m. 1971)​
Issue	Maria-Anna Galitzine Karl Peter Simeon von Habsburg Johannes Karl Catharina-Maria
House	Habsburg-Lorraine
Father	Charles I of Austria
Mother	Princess Zita of Bourbon-Parma

Archduke Rudolf of Austria (5 September 1919 – 15 May 2010) was the sixth child and youngest son of Emperor Charles I of Austria and Zita of Bourbon-Parma.

Early life

He was born in Prangins, Switzerland, where the former Austrian Imperial family were staying after they had been sent into exile. He was named after Rudolf IV, Duke of Austria.

Educated with his siblings first in Spain, in Belgium and at the Université Laval in Quebec City, but Rudolf was expelled in 1946 once his membership in the formerly imperial House of Habsburg was exposed due to rumors of him and his brother being part of Austrian resistance. After the war he travelled to the United States, Canada and the Belgian Congo.

Rudolf worked as a Wall Street junior executive and a bank director.

First marriage

Rudolf was married by Archbishop Fulton Sheen to Countess Xenia Czernichev-Besobrasov the daughter of Count Sergei Aleksandrovich Czernyshev-Besobrasov and Countess Elizabeta Dmitrievna Sheremeteva, on 22 June 1953 at Tuxedo Park, New York. They had four children. Xenia was killed in a car crash on 20 September 1968, in which Rudolf was also seriously injured.

• Maria-Anna Galitzine (b. 1954) married Peter Galitzine (b. 1955); on 24 November 1981. They have six children.
• Karl Peter von Habsburg (5 November 1955) married Alexandra Elisabeth von Wrede (12 May 1970), niece of his stepmother Anna Gabriele. They have two children.
• Simeon von Habsburg (29 June 1958) married Princess María of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (b. 1967) on 13 July 1996. They have five children.
• Johannes Karl von Habsburg (11 December 1962 – 29 June 1975)

Second marriage

Rudolf was married secondly to Anna Gabriele von Wrede (11 September 1940), daughter of Prince Carl Josef Maria von Wrede (1899-1945) and his wife, Countess Sophie Schaffgotsch-Semperfrei von und zu Kynast und Greiffenstein (1916-2008) on 15 October 1971 in Ellingen, Bavaria. They have one daughter:

• Catharina-Maria Secco d'Aragona (14 September 1972) married Massimiliano Secco d'Aragona (b. 1967) on 9 December 1998. They have three sons.

Death

Rudolph died on 15 May 2010. He was survived by two older brothers; Otto and Felix.

Ancestry

References

1. Brook-Shepherd, Gordon (2003). Uncrowned Emperor. Hambledon Continuum. p. 54. ISBN 1-85285-439-1.
2. Bernier Arcand, Philippe, « Les Bourbon-Parme dans les institutions d’enseignement du Québec », Histoire Québec, 202, p. 24-28 (lire en ligne )
3. ^ de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. Le Petit Gotha. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery, Paris 2002, p. 172-174, 196-198 (French) ISBN 2-9507974-3-1
4. "Milestones". Time. 6 July 1953. Archived from the original on 7 March 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2008.
5. ^ Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XV. "Haus Österreich". C.A. Starke Verlag, 2001, pp. 87, 97. (German) ISBN 3-7980-0814-0.
6. "Archduchess Xenia of Habsburg killed". New York Times. 27 September 1968.
7. de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. Le Petit Gotha. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery, Paris 2002 (French) ISBN 2-9507974-3-1
8. Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, Fürstliche Häuser XV. "Spanien". C.A. Starke Verlag, 1997, pp. 104-105. (German) ISBN 3-7980-0814-0.

• 1919 births
• 2010 deaths
• House of Habsburg-Lorraine
• Knights of the Golden Fleece of Austria
• Austrian princes
• Swiss emigrants to Belgium
• Sons of emperors
• Children of Charles I of Austria
• Sons of kings
• Exiled royalty