Monarch Profile: Emperor Leopold II
His Royal Highness Peter Leopold Josef Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard von
Habsburg-Lothringen, Prince Imperial and Archduke of Austria, Prince of
Hungary and Bohemia, Prince of Tuscany was born in Vienna, Austria on
May 5, 1747 the ninth child and third son of Emperor-Elect Francis
Stephen and Empress Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria and Queen of
Hungary. When his older brother, Archduke Charles, died of smallpox
early in life in 1761 he became next in line for the Habsburg throne
after his eldest brother who would be Emperor Joseph II. As it was not
expected that he would inherit the numerous thrones of the House of
Habsburg, as a child he was first given an education aimed at his
joining the priesthood. However, even while quite young he did not take
well to his religious education and it soon became clear he was not cut
out to be a priest. Instead, it was decided to ‘farm him out’ to Italy
and as a child he was engaged to marry the heiress of the Duchy of
Modena. This never came to be but Italy was still in his future.
