Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen, was the third son of one Emperor and the brother of another.

Charles distinguished himself as a brilliant general in the French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802). Those wars may have been personal. Queen Marie Antoinette was the sister of his father and adoptive mother. He became one of Napoleon's most formidable opponents in the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). Charles drove the French back across the Rhine River more than once.

On the battlefield, he would execute very risky and complex movements of troops. Still, his contemporaries criticized his adherence to 'geographic strategy', which was defensive. He was a contradiction, and he was conservative and cautious.

Archduke Charles was often compared to the Duke of Wellington as a military genius. However, Wellington only faced Napoleon once; Charles fought him more than any other commander.

Original Artwork: Johann Peter Krafft: Archduke Charles at the Battle of Aspern