Elisabeth Of Austria: A Childless Empress?

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi, had four children with her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph I. The couple had three daughters: Sophie (1855-1857), Gisela (born 1856), and Marie Valerie (born 1868). They also had a son, Crown Prince Rudolf, who died by suicide in 1889.

Elisabeth's three children with Franz Joseph I

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi, had three children with her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria. Their first child, a daughter named Sophie Friederike Dorothea Maria Josepha, was born in 1855 but died of an intestinal infection at the age of two. Their second child, a daughter named Gisela Louise Marie, was born in 1856 and grew up with her brother Rudolf, who was born in 1858. Rudolf was the long-awaited heir to the throne and improved Elisabeth's standing at court. However, he died in 1889 in a murder-suicide with his mistress, Mary Vetsera. Gisela was very close to her father, Emperor Franz Joseph, and at the age of 16, she married Prince Leopold of Bavaria and had four children.

Elisabeth's third child, Marie Valerie Mathilde Amalie, was born in 1868 in Budapest and was considered the "Hungarian child." Marie Valerie was the only child that Elisabeth was allowed to raise herself, and she was brought up speaking Hungarian. She married Archduke Franz Salvator, a distant relative, and they had ten children together.

The role of Archduchess Sophie in raising Elisabeth's children

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi, had a difficult relationship with her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie, who was also her maternal aunt. Archduchess Sophie was the domineering mother of Emperor Franz Joseph I, and she took charge of raising Elisabeth's children.

Elisabeth gave birth to her first child, daughter Sophie Friederike Dorothea Maria Josepha, just ten months after her wedding. Archduchess Sophie, who often referred to Elisabeth as "a silly young mother", named the child after herself without consulting the mother. She then took complete charge of the baby, refusing to allow Elisabeth to breastfeed or care for her own child. When a second daughter, Gisela Louise Marie, was born a year later, the Archduchess took this baby away from Elisabeth as well.

Archduchess Sophie's dominance over Elisabeth's children was enabled by her son, Emperor Franz Joseph I, who was besotted with his mother. Elisabeth begged her husband to discuss the matter with his mother, but her cries went unheard. Eventually, Franz Joseph did discuss the problem with Archduchess Sophie, and Elisabeth began to openly express her wishes to her mother-in-law and even took her daughters with her when she travelled.

Archduchess Sophie was known for being strong-willed and authoritarian by nature, but she was also devoted to her family and the Habsburg empire. She was politically ambitious and hoped to shape her young niece, Elisabeth, along her own lines. However, she had not reckoned with Elisabeth's wilfulness and spirit of defiance. The popular cliché of Sophie as a malevolent mother-in-law is too simplistic; the clash between the two women arose out of conflicting views of an empress's role.

Archduchess Sophie's influence over Elisabeth's children faded after the birth of Rudolf Franz Karl Josef in 1858. Elisabeth was determined to bring up her last child, Marie Valerie Mathilde Amalie, by herself, and she finally had her way. Archduchess Sophie died in 1872.

The death of Elisabeth's son, Crown Prince Rudolf

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi, was the mother of Crown Prince Rudolf, her only son and third child. Rudolf was the heir apparent to the imperial throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

On 30 January 1889, Crown Prince Rudolf died in a murder-suicide pact with his mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, at his hunting lodge in Mayerling. The scandal made international headlines. The precise circumstances of the deaths remain a mystery, but it is believed that Rudolf shot his mistress and then himself.

The death of her son had a profound impact on Empress Elisabeth. She withdrew from court duties and travelled widely without her family. She also dressed only in black or pearl grey, the colours of mourning, for the rest of her life. Elisabeth never fully recovered from the tragedy, and her mental health suffered greatly. She became increasingly reclusive, and her behaviour grew more eccentric.

The death of Crown Prince Rudolf also had significant political ramifications. Rudolf's liberal and reformist ideas had put him at odds with his conservative father, Emperor Franz Joseph I. With Rudolf's death, Franz Joseph was left without a direct male heir, which created a succession crisis for the Austro-Hungarian throne.

Elisabeth's eating disorder and obsession with her figure

Empress Elisabeth of Austria was known for her beauty, fashion sense, and slender figure. However, her obsession with maintaining her youthful appearance and figure led to the development of restrictive eating habits and an extreme exercise regimen, indicating that she suffered from an eating disorder.

Elisabeth's dieting methods included crash diets, consisting of eating only oranges and chicken broth for weeks, and fasting cures or hunger cures, which involved almost complete fasting. She also had a distaste for meat, often opting for thin soups made from the juice of half-raw beefsteaks or a diet of milk and eggs. On one occasion, she surprised her travelling companions by visiting a restaurant and consuming a large meal of broiled chicken, Italian salad, cake, and champagne. This may indicate binge eating, which she possibly did in secret.

Elisabeth's fear of weight gain and preoccupation with maintaining her figure are evident in her extreme weight-loss methods. She maintained her weight at approximately 50 kg (110 pounds) for most of her life, and when it threatened to exceed 50 kg, she would resort to fasting cures. Through her restrictive diet and rigorous exercise, she kept her weight at a mere 43.5 kg (95.7 lbs) in her later years.

In addition to her diet, Elisabeth engaged in demanding beauty routines. She spent at least three hours a day on her hair care and styling, and she often complained that the weight of her elaborate hairstyles gave her headaches. She also tested countless beauty products, favouring those that showcase her natural beauty. Her night-time rituals included sleeping without a pillow on a metal bedstead and applying facial masks made from raw veal or crushed strawberries.

Elisabeth's obsession with her figure and appearance extended to her wardrobe as well. She preferred simple, monochromatic riding habit-like attire and often wore extremely tight-laced corsets to emphasise her tiny waist, which was only about 16 inches in circumference during the peak period. She also disliked wearing petticoats or any other type of undergarment that added bulk and was often sewn into her clothes to bypass waistbands and further emphasise her slim waist.

The empress's exercise habits were equally rigorous and disciplined. She had a private exercise room in each of her palaces and was an avid walker and horseback rider. She would go on walks that lasted up to eight hours, and her horseback riding practice was so intense that she became a skilled horsewoman, possibly the best-known of her time. As she got older and suffered from sciatica, she substituted her horseback riding with long walks, subjecting her attendants to interminable marches in all weather conditions.

In conclusion, Empress Elisabeth of Austria's eating disorder and obsession with her figure were evident in her restrictive dieting, extreme weight-loss methods, and rigorous beauty and exercise routines. Her preoccupation with maintaining her youthful appearance and slender figure had a significant impact on her life, influencing her relationships, health, and daily routines.

The assassination of Elisabeth by Luigi Lucheni

On 10 September 1898, Empress Elisabeth of Austria was assassinated by Luigi Lucheni, an Italian anarchist. Elisabeth, accompanied by her lady-in-waiting Countess Irma Sztáray, was en route to board the steamship "Genève" on Lake Geneva when Lucheni approached and stabbed her with a file. The weapon, a four-inch tapered file used for sharpening needles, was concealed in a wooden handle. The attack occurred in the early afternoon, and Elisabeth continued walking, supported by two people, to board the steamship. However, she soon lost consciousness and was carried back to her hotel, where she was pronounced dead within an hour.

Luigi Lucheni, born in Paris in 1873, had a tumultuous upbringing, moving between orphanages and foster families. He harboured a deep hatred for the aristocracy and had served in the military before travelling to Switzerland, where he associated with anarchists in Lausanne. On the day of the assassination, Lucheni had initially planned to kill the Duke of Orléans but targeted Elisabeth when he learned of her presence in Geneva. He was motivated by a desire to make a political statement and later expressed disappointment that he did not receive the death sentence, instead being sentenced to life imprisonment.

The assassination of Elisabeth by Lucheni had far-reaching consequences. It sparked international efforts to address anarchist activities, leading to the first international conference against terrorism. Additionally, it deeply impacted her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph I, who is said to have exclaimed, "You have no idea how much I loved this woman." The couple's relationship, though complex and marked by periods of separation, was characterised by mutual loyalty and protection. Despite their differences, they maintained a bond of friendship, and Franz Joseph never remarried after Elisabeth's death.

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