Background
He was the youngest son of Charles II, Archduke of Austria (1540–1590) and Maria Anna of Bavaria (1551–1608). Born after his father"s death, he was nicknamed "Charles the Posthumous".
He was the youngest son of Charles II, Archduke of Austria (1540–1590) and Maria Anna of Bavaria (1551–1608). Born after his father"s death, he was nicknamed "Charles the Posthumous".
As the youngest of 15 children, he was destined for a career in the Church. In 1602 he was appointed to a canonry of Salzburg Cathedral and in 1605 to a canonry of Passau. Further canonries in Trent and Brixen followed in 1606, and in Cologne Cathedral in 1618.
These were for the most part absentee appointments that provided him with an income from ecclesiastical revenues.
In 1608 he was appointed Prince-bishop of Breslau (Wrocław). Charles was a staunch Catholic.
In 1609, he strongly protested against the decision of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor to treat all religions equally in Silesia. In 1624 he travelled to Madrid to become Viceroy of Portugal, at the request of King Philip IV of Spain, but he fell ill and died before taking up his post.