Imperial Crypt Vaults - Karl's Vault

Karl's Vault

The first part of the Karlsgruft was built in 1710 by Emperor Joseph I.₃₅ In 1720 it was extended by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt on the orders of Emperor Karl VI₄₀ and shelters 8 containers:

Proceeding along the south wall, from left to right:

• Emperor Leopold I (9 June 1640 – 5 May 1705) Second son of Emperor Ferdinand III₂₇ and father of Emperors Joseph I₃₅ and Karl VI.₄₀ He repelled an effort by the Muslims to conquer Europe at the Second Siege of Vienna. He built the Leopold's Wing of the Hofburg, used today as the offices of the president of Austria. He can be seen sculpted, kneeling prayer for the end of the plague epidemic, on the plague column (Pestsäule) in Vienna. Died at age 65 after a reign of 48 years. His three wives and 16 of his children are buried here. His heart is buried in urn 11 the Herzgruft in the Augustinerkirche and his viscera are in urn 41 in the Ducal Crypt of the Stephansdom.

• Archduchess Maria Elisabeth (1680–1741) Daughter of Emperor Leopold I.₃₇ Unmarried, she was appointed governor of the Austrian Netherlands in her own right and when she died at age 69, was originally buried in Brussels but was transferred here 8 years later. Her heart is buried in urn 14 in the Herzgruft in the Augustinerkirche and her viscera are in urn 51 in the Ducal Crypt of the Stephansdom.

• Archduchess Maria Anna (14 September 1718 – 16 December 1744) Daughter of Emperor Karl VI.₄₀ and sister of Empress Maria Theresia.₅₆ She married Charles of Lorraine, brother of Maria Theresia's husband, Emperor Franz I Stephen.₅₅ They were joint governors of the Austrian Netherlands. She died in Brussels at age 24 whence her body was transferred at her sister's order. Her heart is buried in urn 15 in the Herzgruft in the Augustinerkirche and her viscera are in urn 52 in the Ducal Crypt of the Stephansdom.

• Emperor Karl VI (1 October 1685 – 20 October 1740) Younger son of Emperor Leopold I.₃₇ Raised in Spain in preparation to inherit the Spanish throne upon the death of his childless cousin, the War of the Spanish Succession ended when Karl unexpectedly inherited the Empire upon his brother Joseph's₃₅ early death and no one wanted to allow the dominance that would come from empowering Karl with both realms. Moving to Vienna, he brought the Spanish Riding School with him and built the magnificent hall it uses today. Because he had no surviving male heirs,₃₀ he negotiated the Pragmatic Sanction to assure that his daughter Maria Theresia₅₆ would succeed him, going so far as to pre-bribe the nine Electors but, of course, once he died they ignored their promises but kept the money, resulting in the War of the Austrian Succession. He died after a reign of 29 years, at age 55 after catching a cold while hunting. His heart is buried in urn 13 the Herzgruft in the Augustinerkirche and his viscera are in urn 48 in the Ducal Crypt of the Stephansdom.

His tomb is one of the most remarkable, with a death's head at each corner wearing one of the distinctive crowns of his major realms (the Empire, Bohemia, Hungary, and Austria).

The empty plaza at the west third of this vault was used as the area for reception ceremonies when new bodies were brought in after the funeral ceremonies upstairs.

Returning along the north wall, from left to right:

• Empress Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (28 August 1691 – 21 December 1750) Wife (1708) of Emperor Karl VI₄₀ and mother of Empress Maria Theresa.₅₆ Died at age 59 of heart failure brought on by corpulence and rheumatism. Her sarcophagus is the earliest by Balthasar Ferdinand Moll. Her heart is buried in urn 17 the Herzgruft in the Augustinerkirche and her viscera are buried in urn 53 in the Ducal Crypt of the Stephansdom.

• Emperor Joseph I (1678–1711) Son of Emperor Leopold I.₃₇ Allied with the British during the War of the Spanish Succession where his great general Eugene of Savoy worked with the Duke of Marlborough to prevent the throne of Spain going to the French. With no surviving son,₃₃ he died of the black pox at age 33 after a reign of 6 years. The heart of his wife₃₄ is nearby. His heart is buried in urn 12 the Herzgruft in the Augustinerkirche and his viscera are buried separately in urn 42 in the Ducal Crypt of the Stephansdom.

• (Urn containing the heart of ) Empress Wilhelmina Amalia of Brunswick (21 April 1673 – 10 April 1742) Wife (1699) of Emperor Joseph I.₃₅ The wing of the Hofburg in which she had living space during her widowhood is named after her, but she founded the Salesian Cloister in Vienna 1712 to educate young women and spent much of her time there. She died of edema at age 69. Her body lies dressed in a nun's habit entombed in a simple stone sarcophagus below the high altar in the Salesian Cloister in Vienna.

• Archduke Leopold Joseph (1700–1701) Infant son of Emperor Joseph I.₃₅ Died of hydrocephalus. His viscera are buried in urn 38 in the Ducal Crypt of the Stephansdom.