Editing Charles I of Austria (section)

==Heir presumptive==
[[File:Bosniaks in Italy 1915.jpg|thumb|Charles with [[Bosnian-Herzegovinian Infantry]] on the [[Battles of the Isonzo|Isonzo front]] in Italy in 1915]]
Charles, whose father had died in 1906, became heir presumptive after the [[assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand]], his uncle, in [[Sarajevo]] in 1914, the event which precipitated [[World War I]]. The old Emperor took steps to initiate Charles in affairs of state, but the outbreak of World War I interfered with this political education. Charles spent the first phase of the war at headquarters at [[Cieszyn|Teschen]], but exercised no military influence.<ref name=eb/>

Charles then became a ''[[List of Austrian field marshals|Feldmarschall]]'' ([[Field Marshal]]) in the [[Austro-Hungarian Army]]. In the spring of 1916, in connection with the [[Battle of Asiago|offensive against Italy]], he was entrusted with the command of the XX. Corps, whose affections he won by his affability and friendliness. The offensive, after a successful start, soon came to a standstill. Shortly afterwards, Charles went to the [[Eastern Front (World War I)|eastern front]] as commander of [[Army Group Archduke Karl]] operating against the [[Russian Empire|Russia]]ns and [[Kingdom of Romania|Romania]]ns.<ref name=eb/>