ANALYSIS

Resulting from the marriage of Maria Therese and François of Lorraine,the Habsburg-Lothringen are the logical continuation of two of the most significant families of our old continent. During the last two hundred and fifty years, they begot nine generations until recently, in May of 1993, five hundred and twenty-four princes and princesses were born, divided in twelve main branches and several secondary branches. The family of Habsburg-Lothringen nowadays, counts more than three hundred of her members still alive, just taking in account the male lineage. The significant birthrate in this family ledads to an average of six children per marriage with a death rate during the infancy, of almost ten percent. Alliances which have always been characteristic of the Houses of Lorraine and Habsburg, still play a significant part in the family policy, even if we count more than fifty morganatic weddings out of two hundred and eighty six. The Houses of German origin obviously stand out : seventeen for that of Sachsen, including four for the branch which controls over Belgium, fourteen for Wittelsbach de Bayern, seven for that of Wurtemberg, five for those of Auersperg and Liechtenstein, four for Hohenlohe and, finally, three for Lowenstein and Waldburg-Zeil. Because of the presence of Habsburg-Lothringen in Italia, one finds seven alliances with the House of Savoia and twenty-five with that of Parma. Finally, there were thirteen marriages between cousins, that is to say between members of several branches of Habsburg-Lothringen. Scattered over the five continents, with a considerable part which no longer belongs to the membership of the imperial and royal family, but that we also present. The Habsburg-Lothringen, mainly through their head Archduke Otto, member of the European Parliament keeps playing a great part in the enrichment of the countries where they chose to live.

GENEALOGY