Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria

Archduke Karl Ferdinand (on the right) with his brother Archduke Albert

Karl Ferdinand (Vienna, July 29 1818 - Zidlochovice, November 20 1874) was the second son of Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen (1771-1847) and Henrietta of Nassau-Weilburg, and the maternal grandfather of King Alfonso XIII of Spain.

A son of the "hero of Aspern" he started a military career in Infantery Regiment 57 in Brno. Later he received command of a brigade in Italy and fought against the insurgents in Prague in 1848.
In 1859 he was a general in Moravia and Silesia and returned to Brno in 1860.

Marriage and children

In 1854 Karl Ferdinand married the widow of Ferdinand d'Este (1821–1849), Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria (1831–1903), daughter of Archduke Joseph, Palatine of Hungary.
They had 6 children :

1. Archduke Franz Joseph of Austria (1855-1855)
2. Archduke Friedrich of Austria, Duke of Teschen (1856-1936), Supreme Commander of the Austro-Hungarian Army during World War I.
3. Archduchess Maria Christina of Austria (1858-1929), married King Alfonso XII of Spain
4. Archduke Charles Stephen of Austria (1860-1933), Admiral
5. Archduke Eugen of Austria (1863-1954), Fieldmarshal
6. Archduchess Maria Eleonora of Austria (1864-1864)