Archduke Rudolf of Austria

Archduke Rudolf of Austria
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Rudolf Cardinal von Habsburg-Lothringen

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Styles of Rudolf Cardinal von Habsburg-Lothringen


Reference style	His Eminence
Spoken style	Your Eminence
Informal style	Cardinal
See	Olomouc

Rudolf Johannes Joseph Rainier Cardinal von Habsburg-Lothringen, Archduke and Prince Imperial of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary and Bohemia (January 8, 1788-24 July 1831) was an Archbishop of Olomouc and member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine.

Born in Pisa, Italy, he was the youngest son of Emperor Leopold II and Maria Louisa of Spain. He was elected archbishop of Olomouc in 1819 and became cardinal in the same year.

He was born in Florence then part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany the youngest son of Emperor Leopold II.

In 1803 or 1804, Rudolf began taking lessons in piano and composition from Ludwig van Beethoven. The two became friends, and Rudolph became a supporter and patron of Beethoven; their meetings continued until 1824. Beethoven dedicated 14 compositions to Rudolph, including the Archduke Trio and his great Missa Solemnis. Rudolph, in turn, dedicated one of his own compositions to Beethoven. The letters Beethoven wrote to Rudolph are today kept at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna.

At the age of 31 on 24 March 1819 he was appointed Archbishop of Olomouc in the present day Czech Republic but then part of the Austrian Empire. He was created and proclaimed Cardinal-Priest of the titular church of S. Pietro in Montorio by Pope Pius VI on 4 June 1819.