Emperor of Austria in 1875. As Ferdinand I had no sons, his brother Francis Charles would have become emperor, but was persuaded by his wife to pass over the right of succession to their son, Francis Joseph. He accepted the duty of the Emperor of Austria without having been Crown Prince or "Thronfolger" before. Francis Joseph's only son Rudolf committed suicide in 1889, Francis Joseph's brother Karl Ludwig died in 1896. Karl Ludwig's son Franz Ferdinand became heir presumptive to the throne. He was assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia in 1914; due to his morganatic marriage, his son had no rights to the throne.
Archduke Albrecht Franz, Duke of Teschen Archduke Albrecht Franz, Duke of Teschen Albert Franz Josef Karl Friedrich Georg Hubert Maria, Archduke of Austria, Prince Royal of Hungary and Bohemia, Duke of Teschen (In German: "Erzherzog Albrecht Franz Josef Karl Friedrich Georg Hubert Maria von Österreich, Herzog von Teschen") – (24 July 1897 – 23 July 1955) was a member of the House of Habsburg and titular pretender to the Duchy of Teschen. Archduke Albrecht Franz was born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary, only son of Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen (1856–1936, son of Archduke Karl Ferdinand of Austria and Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria) and his wife, Princess