Editing Ferdinand I of Austria (section)

== Biography ==
=== Early life ===
Ferdinand was the eldest son of [[Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor]] and [[Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily]]. Possibly as a result of his parents' [[inbreeding|genetic closeness]] (they were [[Cousin#Additional terms|double first cousins]]), Ferdinand had [[hydrocephalus]], neurological problems including [[epilepsy]], and a [[speech impediment]]. He was educated by [[Josef Kalasanz von Erberg|Baron Josef Kalasanz von Erberg]], and his wife Countess Josephine von [[Attems]].<ref name="SBL">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://nl.ijs.si:8080/fedora/get/sbl:0432/VIEW/ |title=Erberg Jožef Kalasanc baron |trans-title=Erberg Joseph Calasanz baron |encyclopedia=Slovenski biografski leksikon |editor=Cankar, Izidor |display-editors=et al |date=1925–1991 |language=sl |last=Grafenauer |first=Bogo |isbn=978-961-268-001-5 |access-date=2012-05-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128140340/http://nl.ijs.si:8080/fedora/get/sbl:0432/VIEW |archive-date=2012-01-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Reign ===
[[File:Stadler Ferdinand und Maria Anna.jpg|thumb|left|Double portrait of Ferdinand and Maria Anna of Savoy]]
[[File:Eduard Gurk 001.jpg|thumb|Coronation of King Ferdinand V in 1836 in Prague]]
Ferdinand suffered from epilepsy. Although he has been depicted as feeble-minded and incapable of ruling, he kept a coherent and legible diary and has even been said to have had a sharp wit. However, suffering as many as twenty seizures per day severely restricted his ability to rule with any effectiveness. Though he was not declared incapacitated, a [[Secret State Conference|Regent's Council]] ([[Archduke Louis of Austria|Archduke Louis]], [[Count Franz Anton von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky|Count Kolowrat]], and [[Prince Klemens von Metternich|Prince Metternich]]) steered the government.

[[File: 1 thaler Ferdinand I - 1840A.png|thumb|right|[[Thaler]] minted during the reign of Ferdinand I, {{circa|1840}}]]
When Ferdinand married Princess [[Maria Anna of Savoy]], the court physician considered it unlikely that he would be able to [[Consummation|consummate]] the marriage.<ref name=":1">van der Kiste, John. ''Emperor Francis Joseph'' London: Sutton Publishing, 2005 {{ISBN|0-7509-3787-4}}. p 2</ref> When he tried to consummate the marriage, he had five seizures. He is also remembered for his command to his cook: when told he could not have apricot [[dumpling]]s (''[[Marillenknödel]]'') because [[apricot]]s were out of season, he said "I am the Emperor, and I want dumplings!" ({{langx|de|Ich bin der Kaiser und ich will Knödel}}!).<ref>According to A.J.P. Taylor, he was in fact asking for ''noodles'' - "But it is an unacceptable pun in English for a noodle to ask for noodles" - ''The Habsburg Monarchy 1809–1918''</ref><ref>Regan, Geoffrey. ''Royal Blunders'' page 72</ref>

=== 1848 Revolution ===
[[File:Kaiser Ferdinand I.jpg|thumb|Ferdinand I in the uniform of an Austrian field marshal, by Eduard Edlinger, 1843]]
As the revolutionaries of 1848 were marching on the palace, he is supposed to have asked Metternich for an explanation. When Metternich answered that they were starting a revolution, Ferdinand is supposed to have said "But are they allowed to do that?" ([[Viennese German]]: ''Ja, dürfen's denn des?'') He was convinced by [[Prince Felix of Schwarzenberg]] to abdicate in favour of his nephew, [[Franz Joseph I of Austria|Franz Joseph]] (the next in line was Ferdinand's younger brother [[Archduke Franz Karl of Austria|Franz Karl]], but he was persuaded by his wife [[Princess Sophie of Bavaria|Sophie]] to renounce his succession rights in favour of his son) who would occupy the Austrian throne for the next 68 years.

Ferdinand recorded the events in his diary:

{{quote|The affair ended with the new Emperor kneeling before his old Emperor and Lord, that is to say, me, and asking for a blessing, which I gave him, laying both hands on his head and making the sign of the Holy Cross ... then I embraced him and kissed our new master, and then we went to our room. Afterwards I and my dear wife heard Holy Mass ... After that I and my dear wife packed our bags.}}

===In retirement (1848–1875)===
[[File:Ferdinando I d'Austria.jpg|thumb|190px|alt=Photograph of the aged Ferdinand dated circa 1870|Photograph of the aged Ferdinand by the 1860s]]

[[File:Sarcophagus Ferdinand 1 of Austria Kaisergruft Vienna.jpg|thumb|right|Ferdinand's sarcophagus in the [[Imperial Crypt, Vienna]]]]
Ferdinand was the last [[King of Bohemia]] to be crowned as such. Due to his sympathy with Bohemia (where he spent the rest of his life in [[Prague Castle]]) he was given the [[Czech language|Czech]] nickname "Ferdinand V, the Good" (''Ferdinand Dobrotivý''). In Austria, Ferdinand was similarly nicknamed "Ferdinand der Gütige" (Ferdinand the Benign), but also ridiculed as "Gütinand der Fertige" (Goodinand the Finished).

Ferdinand was also the last ruler to be crowned with the [[Iron Crown of Lombardy]] in his capacity as [[King of Lombardy-Venetia]].

He is interred in tomb number 62 in the [[Imperial Crypt, Vienna|Imperial Crypt]] in Vienna.