Random Tragic Life Of Elisabeth Of Austria (13 items)

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  (#9) Elisabeth Would Not Allow Photographs

  Despite her renowned beauty and dedication to maintaining her looks, Elisabeth refused to sit for portraits or allow formal photographs beginning at the age of 32. She was famous for riding on horseback or walking in public with a fan or parasol covering her face to prevent people from photographing her.
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  (#5) Rudolph's Suicide Set The Stage For World War I

  The death of their son put a massive strain on Elisabeth and Franz Josef's marriage. Elisabeth spent the rest of her life traveling, largely absent from the imperial court. Had Rudolf assumed the throne after his father's abdication, the progressive prince would have likely ended Austria's alliance with Germany as well as Kaiser Wilhelm II. The move would have precluded the possibility of full-scale war in Europe.

  As a result of Rudolf's death, Franz Josef's nephew Franz Ferdinand eventually became the heir apparent to the Austrian throne. Franz Ferdinand's assassination in 1914 set off the events that triggered World War I. 
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  (#2) Her Mother-In-Law Took Control Of Her Children And Mercilessly Taunted Elisabeth

  Elisabeth's mother-in-law, Princess Sophie, was domineering and manipulative. Sophie took charge of Elisabeth's children's upbringing. She supervised their day-to-day and didn't allow them much contact with Elisabeth.

  Elisabeth and Franz Josef named their first child Sophie. She was christened at the behest of her grandmother without Elisabeth's input. In 1857, during a visit to Hungary, two-year-old Sophie and her infant sister Gisela, became ill, and the older child ultimately died from what was probably typhus. Elisabeth's mother-in-law used the incident to further strengthen her control of Gisela's upbringing, which estranged Gisela from her mother. Princess Sophie also routinely and savagely upbraided her daughter-in-law because she produced only female children. She wanted a son and heir to the Austrian throne. Eventually, Elisabeth gave birth to Crown Prince Rudolf.
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  (#10) Elisabeth Was Extremely Popular In Hungary

  Hungary was historically oppressed in the Austria-Hungary empire. In 1848, after popular uprisings in Hungary threatened Austrian rule, Franz Josef instituted harsh reprisals against the Hungarian people, which further damaged relations between the two regions.

  Elisabeth was sympathetic to Hungary, likely encouraged by her—possibly romantic—relationship with Count Gyula Andrassy, a Hungarian populist leader. Elisabeth eventually convinced her husband, after Austria's defeat at the hands of Prussia in 1867, that improved relations with Hungary and expansion into the Baltic states could reestablish Austria as a European power. Franz Josef and Elisabeth were officially crowned King and Queen of Hungary in 1867. Andrassy was named as the prime minister of the Hungarian part of the dual state. The union set off a period of stability and economic prosperity in the region. Elisabeth became extremely popular, and even today, she's revered in Hungary—numerous Hungarian memorials and statues are dedicated to her memory.
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  (#1) Elisabeth Married Her First Cousin, Emperor Franz Josef

  Elisabeth of Austria's mother and aunt decided her future from an early age. Princess Ludovika and Princess Sophie were ambitious, aristocratic sisters from Bavaria's ruling Wittelsbach family. They wanted their children to marry influential men in the ruling class.

  Princess Ludovika had two daughters, Elisabeth and Helene. Princess Sophie had a son, Austrian Emperor Franz Josef. Sophie arranged for Franz Josef, Elisabeth, and Helene to meet. Both women intended for 23-year-old Franz Josef to court and marry Helene, Princess Ludovika's eldest daughter. But Franz Josef was more interested in the 15-year-old Elisabeth. He married Elisabeth only eight months after their first meeting, on April 24, 1854.
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  (#8) Elisabeth Was Assassinated By An Italian Anarchist On the Streets Of Geneva

  By 1898, the Empress Elisabeth only spent a few weeks out of the year in Vienna, opting instead to travel around Europe. In September of that year, Elisabeth planned to take a steamboat across Lake Geneva to Montreux. Elisabeth left her hotel for the short walk along the lake to the ship's boarding area. 

  Italian anarchist and fanatic Luigi Lucheni stalked Elisabeth and discovered she was staying at the hotel Beau Rivage. He approached the unprotected empress, appeared to stumble, and braced himself by leaning on Elisabeth. He stabbed her with an industrial file attached to a wooden handle, penetrating her heart and lungs. Because of Elisabeth's extremely tight corset, however, she didn't feel pain from the wound and successfully made her way to the ship. Only a few minutes after the craft's departure, Elisabeth collapsed and died. Authorities immediately arrested Lucheni, placed him on trial, and gave him a life sentence. He hanged himself in 1910.

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