a royal German family that provided rulers for several European states and wore the crown of the Holy Roman Empire from 1440 to 1806

The House of Habsburg was a powerful and prominent family of European rulers, patrons and collectors. The Austrian members of the family ruled Austria from 1278 until 1918, and were Holy Roman Emperors from 1452 until 1806. The Spanish branch which controlled Flanders was established in 1516 and continued to occupy the Spanish throne for the next 184 years.

Habsburg (in English sometimes written "Hapsburg") and the successor family, Habsburg-Lorraine, were important ruling houses of Europe and are best known as the ruling Houses of Austria (and the Austrian Empire) for over six centuries.