A CATHOLIC MONARCH

The Habsburg monarchy had a long relationship with the Roman Catholic Church. As the political descendant of the Holy Roman Empire, the Habsburg monarchy had dual responsibilities for its subjects' spiritual and temporal welfare. In this context, the Austro- Hungarian monarch was head of both the State and Church; however, it must be noted that although the Habsburg emperors were Apostolic Majesties mandated to spread the Catholic faith and foster the Church's welfare, they were also tolerant of non-Catholic faiths found in their empire. Jews, Muslims, and Protestants were protected by the crown, and permitted to observe their faiths in peace. Karl was perfectly suited for this role, and is an excellent model of a head-of-state who diligently works for the spiritual and temporal welfare of his people.

In order to reign constitutionally in the Hungarian half of the dual monarchy a coronation was required. Since the First World War was raging and speed was necessary, the coronation in Budapest was pushed forward earlier than usual, but nevertheless it was celebrated with great solemnity. Karl and Zita spiritually prepared for the event, which was a moving experience for both of them, and nourished their souls. They were anointed and crowned as Apostolic Majesties by the Hungarian Cardinal Primate. After receiving Holy Communion, they were given the commission to uphold the Hungarian constitution and the welfare of the Roman Catholic Church.

Karl took both of his mandates seriously. He strove to make the correct ethical and moral decisions, even when overlooking some of his duties might have been easier for him, and perhaps may have even allowed him to maintain his throne. Every decision, act, order and law was made with ethical and moral deliberation, using the criteria of whether what was being proposed fostered both the temporal and spiritual welfare of the people. For him, these two functions could not be separated, as they were mandates given to him by God, through the auspices of the Church-hence a sacred trust.

He upheld this sacred trust in all that he did. At home, Emperor Karl established a Ministry of Social Welfare-the first of its sort in the world. Its mission was to deal with such social issues as youth welfare, war disabled, widows and orphans, social insurance, labor rights and job protection, job placement, unemployment relief, and emigration protection and housing. He commuted death sentences whenever he could, and constantly urged his Hungarian ministers to enact universal suffrage in Hungary (unfortunately, his ministers resisted his instructions and suffrage was not legislated during Karl's reign). Karl ordered rationing to be instituted at the palace, just as it was throughout the rest of Vienna. He organized soup kitchens, used the palace's horses and wagons to deliver coal to the Viennese, fought against usury and corruption, and gave away most of his private wealth by distributing alms beyond his means. He went among his people, suffered with them, and comforted them with his presence and words. His subjects called him "The People's Emperor," a title he cherished more than his noble and royal titles.

On the warfront, Emperor Karl halted strategic bombing of civilian populations and buildings, restricted the use of mustard gas, and was adamantly opposed to submarine warfare and the mining of harbors. He abolished the military punishment of binding wrists to ankles, prohibited duels, and forbade flogging. He decreed an amnesty for anyone sentenced by military or civilian courts on charges of high treason, insults to the Royal Family, disturbance of the public peace, rebellion or agitation. At risk to his own life, he visited the soldiers on the frontlines and in the hospitals, giving all of the moral support he could, and observing the fighting firsthand. As Supreme Commander, Karl would not send his men anywhere that he himself would be afraid to go. His trait of showing up unexpectedly at anytime, anywhere, caused his soldiers to affectionately nicknamed him: "Karl-the-Sudden." His presence inspired courage and valor.

Morally, the Emperor was concerned for the spiritual welfare of his people. He had plans to build many churches throughout Vienna to make access to churches easily available to all Viennese. He also insisted that the name of God be cited in all laws and acts of his government, because laws should be motivated by the love of God and one's fellow man. He enacted laws to protect readers from obscene reading material, started a movement to provide soldiers with good books, and fostered the printing of Catholic reading materials by implementing the formation of a Catholic printing press. Although he incorporated many laws and movements to raise the morality of his people, he primarily led them by the example of his life. A life dedicated to God, family, and homeland.

At the end of the war, revolution was beginning to spread throughout the empire. In Vienna, members of his government approached him requesting that he abdicate. He resolutely refused, stating: "My crown is a sacred trust given to me by God. I can never forsake that trust or my people." With the empire literally falling apart, and the Austrian government in chaos, he was finally coerced into signing a renunciation document in which he temporarily removed himself from governing until the people could decide on what form of government they desired. It was not an abdication-he would keep his sacred trust, even if it meant exile and poverty.

Emperor Karl went into seclusion at Eckartsau, a family hunting estate outside of Vienna and from where he would later be sent into Swiss exile. While he was in exile, he was approached several times by unscrupulous people and groups offering to return him to his throne. They, of course, had ulterior and selfish motives for making their offers. He refused them saying: "As a Catholic monarch, I will never make a deal with the devil-even for the return of my throne." Because of his continual refusal to abdicate, he was sent into exile in Switzerland.

He spent a couple of quiet years with his family in Switzerland, but requests from Hungary continually begged him to return. Hungary was still a monarchy at this time and Karl was the rightful monarch. He staged two attempts to reclaim his throne from his regent, Admiral Horthy. The first time, Admiral Horthy convinced him that it was not yet time to restore Karl to the vacant throne, and that more preparations had to be made. However, back in Switzerland, Karl continued to receive requests for him to return, along with reports that convinced him that Horthy had betrayed him, and had no intention of returning the throne. He attempted a second restoration bid, which had the support of the French government and the Vatican, but this time, Admiral Horthy lied to university students in Budapest, armed them, and sent them against their rightful king. Thinking the King was held captive by Slovak forces, the students created a standoff with the army, which was loyal to Karl. When he saw that there would be bloodshed in his name, instead of pressing on to the capital with his loyal troops, the Emperor-King surrendered saying: "The return of my crown is not worth the spilling of innocent Hungarian blood."

Emperor Karl was taken prisoner, and then sent into exile on Madeira island, where he soon became fatally ill. Towards the end of his illness, he called his eldest child, Crown Prince Otto, to his side. He wanted his son and heir to witness the faith, with which he approached death, saying: "I want him to see how a Catholic and an Emperor dies." This too clearly shows how Karl perceived his spiritual and temporal mandates to be irrevocably intertwined.

Like a loving father and good monarch, Karl's prayers during the final days of his life were for the people of his former empire. He forgave his enemies, and those who betrayed and exiled him. His most fervent desire was to return to his homeland. He prayed for his homeland, saying: "I must suffer like this so that my peoples can come together again."