Ferdinand I Karl Leopold Joseph Franz Marchlin Emperor of Austria King of Hungary and Bohemia (April 19, 1793 – June 29, 1875) succeeded his father (Franz II Holy Roman Emperor/Franz I of Austria) as Emperor and King in 1835 and was forced to abdicate in 1848. He was also King of Lombardy-Venetia.

He was feeble-minded and epileptic, but was nevertheless placed on the throne by Metternich in order to preserve the throne's legitimacy against all challenges. Though he was not declared incapacitated, a regent's council, including other Habsburgs and Metternich, steered the government. His marriage to Princess Maria Anna of Sardinia (1803-1884) was probably never consummated, nor is he believed to have had any other liaisons. He is famous for his one coherent command: when someone tried to keep him from eating dumplings because his digestive system could not stand them, he said “I'm the Emperor, and I want dumplings!” (German: Ich bin der Kaiser und will Knödel.)

With the breakout of revolution in Vienna in 1848, Metternich fled the country. As the revolutionaries were marching on the palace, Ferdinand is supposed to have said “But are they allowed to do that?” (German: Ja, dürfen sie denn das?) He was convinced by Felix zu Schwarzenberg to abdicate in favor of his nephew, Franz Joseph, who would occupy the Austrian throne for the next sixty-eight years.

Ferdinand was the last King of Bohemia to be crowned as such. Due to his sympathy with Bohemia (where he spent the rest of his life in Prague Castle) he was given the Czech nickname “Ferdinand V, the Good” (Ferdinand Dobrotivý). In Austria, Ferdinand was similarly nicknamed “Ferdinand der Gütige” (Ferdinand the Benign), but also ridiculed as "Gutinand der Fertige" (Goodinand the Finished).

He is buried in tomb number 62 in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna.

External links

• "Biography of Emperor Ferdinand"

Emperors of Austria | Hungarian monarchs | Bohemian monarchs | Dukes of Opole | House of Habsburg-Lorraine | 1793 births | 1875 deaths | People of the Revolutions of 1848

Ferdinand I. Dobrotivý | Ferdinand I. (Österreich) | Ferdinand I (Austria) | Fernando I de Austria | Ferdinando la 1-a de Aŭstrio | Ferdinand Ier d'Autriche | Ferdinand I., car Austrije | Ferdinando I d'Austria | Ferdinandus I Austriae | Ferdinand I van Oostenrijk | フェルディナント1世 (オーストリア皇帝) | Ferdynand I Habsburg (cesarz austriacki) | Фердинанд I (австрийский император) | Ferdinand I (Itävalta) | 斐迪南一世 (奧地利)