Ferdinand III of Tuscany (1769 – 1824)

Ferdinand III of Tuscany (1769 – 1824) belonged to the Habsburg-Lorraine dynasty. He was the son of Emperor Leopold II and the grandson of Maria Theresa. He was a secular ruler and from 1803 to 1805 he ruled as the Elector of Salzburg. At that time, Salzburg had a special status: it was previously ruled by princely archbishops who combined ecclesiastical function with political power. After the Napoleonic changes, Salzburg came under the rule of Ferdinand, who was a Habsburg but not a spiritual dignitary.