Born in Vienna, he was the second son of Charles V, Duke of Lorraine. He was bishop of Olomouc (1695–1711) and Prince-Bishop of Osnabrück (1698–1715), for which he was the successful candidate of the House of Palatinate, opposed by Brandenburg and, following some reverses and to the accompaniment of an enormous payment to the chapter of Trier, Charles Joseph was made archbishop and prince-elector of Trier (1711–1715), a political position of notable importance in the Holy Roman Empire. Already in 1711, he was able to make use of his electoral rights in the election of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor. He participated in the negotiations surrounding the end of the War of the Spanish Succession and succeeded in having the French occupying forces leave the Archbishopric in 1714. Charles Joseph died of smallpox during a visit in Vienna.