Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria


Leopold Wilhelm of Austria
Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria, by Pieter Thijs
Born5 January 1614
Wiener Neustadt
Died20 November 1662 (aged 48)
Vienna
Allegiance Holy Roman Empire
Years of service1640 to 1656
Commands heldGovernor, Spanish Netherlands 1647-1656
Battles/warsThirty Years' War
Second Breitenfeld
Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659)
Gravelines Lens
RelationsEmperor Ferdinand III brother
Leopold I nephew
Other workPrince-bishop
Halberstadt Passau Breslau Olmütz Strasbourg
Grand Master, Teutonic Order 1641–1662

Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria (5 January 1614 – 20 November 1662), younger brother of Emperor Ferdinand III, was an Austrian soldier, administrator and patron of the arts.

He held a number of military commands, with limited success, and served as Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, before returning to Vienna in 1656. Despite being nominated as Holy Roman Emperor after Ferdinand's death in 1657, he stood aside in favour of his nephew Leopold I.

His main interest was in art, and he patronised artists including David Teniers the Younger, Frans Snyders, Peter Snayers, Daniel Seghers, Peter Franchoys, Frans Wouters, Jan van den Hoecke and Pieter Thijs. His collection of 17th century Venetian and Dutch paintings are now held by the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.


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