Archduke Rudolf of Austria

Rudolph Johann Joseph Rainier was born into the House of Habsburg-Lorraine on 8 January 1788, a prince royal of Hungary and Bohemia by birthright. The church claimed him: he was consecrated Archbishop of Olomouc in 1819 and made cardinal the same year. But his real mark came through music. He sponsored Ludwig van Beethoven, funding the composer through years of work, and Beethoven returned the favor in dedications — the "Archduke" Trio among them. Rudolph died 24 July 1831, a noble who spent his inheritance on someone else's genius.