On This Day

Charles Albert of Bavaria invades Upper Austria and Bohemia

Charles VII (6 August 1697 – 20 January 1745) was elector of Bavaria from 26 February 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 24 January 1742 to his death.

Charles VII (6 August 1697 – 20 January 1745) was elector of Bavaria from 26 February 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 24 January 1742 to his death. He was also King of Bohemia (as Charles Albert) from 1741 to 1743. Charles was a member of the House of Wittelsbach, and his reign as Holy Roman Emperor thus marked the end of three centuries of uninterrupted Habsburg imperial rule, although he was related to the Habsburgs by both blood and marriage.

Charles was the eldest son of Elector Maximilian II Emanuel of Bavaria and the Polish princess Theresa Kunegunda Sobieska. He became elector following the death of his father in 1726. In 1722, Charles married Archduchess Maria Amalia of Austria, daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph I and niece of Emperor Charles VI.

Historical Significance

Charles VII (6 August 1697 – 20 January 1745) was elector of Bavaria from 26 February 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 24 January 1742 to his death.

Events Before

  1. Charles de Bourbon, King of Naples, invites Jews to return to Sicily

    Charles de Bourbon, King of Naples, invites Jews to return to Sicily

  2. British Parliament passes the Plantation Act, naturalizing foreign Protestants and others residing for seven years or mo

    British Parliament passes the Plantation Act, naturalizing foreign Protestants and others residing for seven years or more in any of Britain's American colonies

  3. King Frederik II of Prussia ends torture and guarantees religion & freedom of the press

    King Frederik II of Prussia ends torture and guarantees religion & freedom of the press

  4. Jews are expelled from Little Russia by order of Tsarina Anne

    Jews are expelled from Little Russia by order of Tsarina Anne

  5. Prospero Lambertini chosen Pope Benedictus XIV

    Prospero Lambertini chosen Pope Benedictus XIV

Events After

  1. George Frideric Handel's oratorio "Messiah" is performed for the first time at the New Music Hall in Dublin

    Messiah (HWV 56) is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel. The text was compiled from the King James Bible and the Coverdale Psalter by Charles Jennens.

  2. First indoor swimming pool opens in Goodman's Fields, London

    First indoor swimming pool opens in Goodman's Fields, London

  3. HMS Tyger runs aground on coral reefs near Garden Key, Florida, (rediscovered 1993 and identified 2024) [1]

    HMS Tyger runs aground on coral reefs near Garden Key, Florida, (rediscovered 1993 and identified 2024) [1]

  4. German leaders elect Charles VII, Prince Elector of Bavaria, Holy Roman Emperor

    German leaders elect Charles VII, Prince Elector of Bavaria, Holy Roman Emperor

  5. Sardinia and Austria sign military alliance Convention of Turin

    The Convention of Turin was a 1742 agreement between Austria and Sardinia signed in the Sardinian capital of Turin.

More from the 1740s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 31, 1741?
Charles VII (6 August 1697 – 20 January 1745) was elector of Bavaria from 26 February 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 24 January 1742 to his death. He was also King of Bohemia (as Charles Albert) from 1741 to 1743. Charles was a member of the House of Wittelsbach, and his reign as Holy Roman Emperor thus marked the end of three centuries of uninterrupted Habsburg imperial rule, although he was related to the Habsburgs by both blood and marriage.
Why is Charles Albert of Bavaria invades Upper Austria and Bohemia significant?
Charles VII (6 August 1697 – 20 January 1745) was elector of Bavaria from 26 February 1726 and Holy Roman Emperor from 24 January 1742 to his death.

Explore More