‘A Zealous Defender of German Freedom’: Constructing an Imperial Image for Charles Albert of Bavaria, 1726–1742

Abstract This article examines the self-fashioning of a princely image in the mid-eighteenth century and the mechanisms for its diffusion by studying the political communication of Prince-Elector Charles Albert of Bavaria in the years before his accession as Charles VII, Holy Roman emperor. A member of the House of Wittelsbach, the prince-elector claimed the inheritance of the House of Habsburg upon the death of Charles VI in 1740, which ended the Habsburg male line, while aspiring in parallel to the elective throne of the Empire. In his endeavour, he faced both Charles VI’s daughter and heir, Maria Theresa, and her husband, Francis Stephen of Lorraine, who also stood as a candidate in the imperial election. Based on French diplomatic sources complemented by Charles Albert’s diary and printed material issued by the Bavarian court, the article shows how the prince-elector’s efforts to craft and communicate his image were embedded in long-term patterns that were adapted to numerous changes during the early modern era, such as the increase in printed material and the rise of a transnational readership. It analyses how the numerous facets of Charles Albert’s monarchical identity were reflected in his political communication. It also considers the extent of his agency to fashion his image in light of the asymmetrical alliance with France that made him dependent on that kingdom.