QUEEN VICTORIA HAPSBUERG FAMILY TREE SERIES

The authors of this study sought to achieve this goal by examining genealogical information.

So there is not hard evidence whether inbreeding actually played a role the demise of the Hapsburg line. His rule saw the rapid decline of the Empire, only exacerbated by his death in 1700.īut for all the speculation and anecdotal evidence of the negative impact of inbreeding on the House of Habsburg, there has been little scientific research. Even as he grew older, he was never able to govern effectively. An enlarged tongue, gastrointestinal problems, mental retardation, and possible growth problems meant that Charles was raised almost as an infant until the age of 10. So much so that it was difficult for him to speak. The so-called “Habsburg Lip”, a form of mandibular prognathism often seen among members of the Habsburg Dynasty, was so pronounced in Charles’ case. Also know as “El Hechizado” (“The Hexed”), Charles was severely deformed. Habsburg Empire Threatendīut the final Habsburg king of Spain, Charles II, was perhaps the most unfortunate result of these unions. Infant and child mortality rose to 50% among Spanish Habsburgs, much higher than the average for the period. Most often, these unions took the form of marriages between first cousins, double-first cousins, and uncles/nieces. In other words they were marriages between close blood relatives. They said that inbreeding so incapacitated the Habsburgs that by the death of King Charles II of Spain in 1700, they were virtually unable to reproduce.įrom 1516 to 1700, it has been estimated that over 80% of marriages within the Spanish branch of the Habsburg dynasty were consanguineous. In PLoS One, scientists from Spain’s University of Santiago de Compostela argue that it did. Family members had distinctive protruding lips, a high rate of infant mortality and a host of other health problems.Ĭould the same marital practices that helped bring the Habsburg dynasty to power also have led to its demise? Habsburg Inbreedingīy the end of the 17th century, the results of their marital practices had become apparent. Yet the Habsburgs are known not only for controlling huge tracts of Europe, but also for maintaining control by rarely marrying outside the dynasty. They controlled land from the Philippines to the Americas. The Spanish branch of the Habsburg dynasty helped create an empire that reached its apex in the 16th and 17th centuries.

QUEEN VICTORIA HAPSBUERG FAMILY TREE SERIES

They did this through a series of strategically executed marriages, from the mountains of Switzerland to a territory that included swaths of Austria, Hungary, Italy, France and Spain. For similar reasons, consanguinity within the same family over multiple generations increases the risk for hereditary disorders more than one isolated instance of a consanguineous union in a family tree.īeginning in the early 12th century they quickly expanded their realm.

Children of parents who are brother and sister are more consanguineous (“con-sang-win-us”) than the children of two people who are first cousins. The degree of relationship between the two individuals matters a lot. The term genetic counselors typically use for inbreeding is “consanguinity,” which means “of the same blood” and is pronounced “con-san-gwinity.” Inbreeding is when two closely related individuals, who inherited some identical segments of DNA from the same ancestor(s), have children. ( We can’t tell you if you’re a royal but you can learn more about your ancestry and your family tree with 23andMe’s DNA Ancestry service, or sign-up for a membership for advanced ancestry reports and features.) Consanguinity But over time, generation after generation of inbreeding, helped contribute to some of the physical ailments that often plagued the family as well as the distinctive look with their big lower lips, long noses and the distinctive “Habsburg jaw.” Research published the Annals of Human Biologydescribes how this inbreeding likely doomed the dynasty. Like many royal families their expansion and hold on power came about in part through inter-family marriages. But genetic inheritance and the perils of inbreeding may explain their demise. The Royal House of Habsburg, one of the most powerful dynasties of Medieval and Renaissance Europe, reigned over much of Europe for centuries. Editor’s note: This post has been changed since it was first published in 2019.

Queen victoria hapsbuerg family tree