Leslie Massey
Empress Elisabeth of Austria was also Queen of Hungary from her marriage to Franz Joseph I of Austria in 1854 until her assassination in 1898. She was born in Munich, Bavaria, in 1837 and was known for her beauty, her love of nature, and her strained relationship with her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie.
Elisabeth's first visit to Hungary in 1857 left a deep and lasting impression on her. She felt a strong affinity for the Hungarians and began to learn Hungarian. She was also a key figure in bringing about the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary in 1867.
Elisabeth was assassinated in 1898 by an Italian anarchist named Luigi Lucheni while travelling in Geneva.
What You'll Learn
Empress Elisabeth's early life
Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi or Sissi, was born on 24 December 1837 in Munich, Bavaria. She was the third child and second daughter of Duke Maximilian Joseph in Bavaria and Princess Ludovika of Bavaria. She had an informal and unstructured upbringing, often skipping lessons to go riding in the countryside.
In 1853, Archduchess Sophie, the mother of Emperor Franz Joseph I, arranged a meeting between her son and her sister Princess Ludovika's eldest daughter, Duchess Helene. However, Franz Joseph fell in love with Princess Ludovika's younger daughter, Elisabeth, and they were married on 24 April 1854 when she was just 16 years old. This marriage thrust Elisabeth into the formal Habsburg court life, which she found suffocating. She had a difficult relationship with her domineering mother-in-law, who took over the rearing of Elisabeth's daughters. The birth of a son, Crown Prince Rudolf, improved her standing at court, but her health suffered under the strain.
Elisabeth enjoyed visiting Hungary, as it offered a more relaxed environment than the Austrian court. She developed a deep kinship with the country and helped bring about the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary in 1867. She was crowned Queen of Hungary in June of that year. Elisabeth was admired by the Hungarians, who reciprocated her adoration. She learned Hungarian and became a personal advocate for the Hungarian Count Gyula Andrássy.
Elisabeth was considered a beautiful woman and was often credited with retaining public interest in the Austrian court. She had a rigorous exercise regimen and demanding beauty routines, including a three-hour hair ritual. She was also highly educated, with a particular interest in history, philosophy, and literature. She spoke fluent English and French and studied modern Greek and Hungarian.
Elisabeth's life was marred by tragedy. In 1889, her only son, Crown Prince Rudolf, died by suicide along with his mistress, Mary Vetsera. She never fully recovered from this loss and withdrew from court duties, travelling widely without her family. In 1898, she was assassinated by an Italian anarchist, Luigi Lucheni, in Geneva, Switzerland.
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Her marriage to Franz Joseph I
Empress Elisabeth of Austria, born Duchess Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie in Bavaria, was married to her first cousin, Emperor Franz Joseph I, on 24 April 1854. She was sixteen at the time, while he was twenty-three. The marriage was arranged by Franz Joseph's domineering mother, Archduchess Sophie, who preferred a niece to a stranger for her daughter-in-law. Sophie invited Elisabeth's mother, Princess Ludovika, and her eldest daughter, Duchess Helene, to Bad Ischl, Upper Austria, to receive her son's formal proposal of marriage. However, it was Elisabeth, who accompanied her mother and sister, who captured the young emperor's heart.
Elisabeth and Franz Joseph's marriage was an unhappy one. Elisabeth found the Habsburg court life suffocating and was unprepared for its formality. She was also at odds with her mother-in-law, who took over the rearing of Elisabeth's daughters, even refusing to allow Elisabeth to breastfeed or care for them. The birth of a son, Crown Prince Rudolf, improved Elisabeth's standing at court, but her health suffered under the strain. She often visited Hungary, where she found a more relaxed environment, and developed a deep kinship with the country. She helped bring about the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary in 1867 and was crowned Queen.
Franz Joseph was passionately in love with his wife, but their relationship was complex. He was a conservative, guided by his mother, while Elisabeth was restless, hyperactive, and emotionally distant. She avoided him and her duties at the Vienna court, embarking on a life of endless travel. Their correspondence increased in their later years, and their relationship became a warm friendship.
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Her relationship with her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophia
Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi or Sissi, had a complex relationship with her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophia. Sophia was a strong-willed and authoritarian woman, known for her ambition and political influence. She was the power behind her son's throne and was considered the 'secret empress' due to her dominant role at the Viennese court during the 1850s. As a result of her political views, she despised the Hungarians and wanted to strengthen Austria's presence in German lands. This clashed with Elisabeth's deep affinity for Hungary and its people, which she developed after her first visit to the country in 1857.
Archduchess Sophia arranged the marriage between her son, Emperor Franz Joseph I, and Elisabeth, who was her niece. However, the two women soon found themselves at odds with each other, primarily over the upbringing of Elisabeth's children. Sophia, who was also Elisabeth's maternal aunt, took control of the rearing of Elisabeth's first two daughters, Sophie and Gisela, refusing to allow the Empress to breastfeed or care for them. This caused great distress to Elisabeth, who begged her husband to intervene, but to no avail. Sophia also named the firstborn child, Sophie, without Elisabeth's consent. The birth of a son, Crown Prince Rudolf, improved Elisabeth's standing at court, but it did not resolve the tension between the two women.
Elisabeth's relationship with her mother-in-law was further strained by their differing views on the role of an empress. Sophia had deliberately foregone the position of empress, while Elisabeth found herself thrust into it after her marriage. Elisabeth rejected the traditional role, which expected her to dedicate herself solely to the continuity of the dynasty as a devoted wife and mother. Instead, she often escaped court life, travelling widely without her family and pursuing interests such as horseriding and languages.
While Sophia's diary and letters describe Elisabeth quite pleasantly, the Empress hated her mother-in-law for being demanding and controlling. Sophia's dominance at court and in family matters earned her the popular cliché of a malevolent mother-in-law, a stereotype that has been perpetuated in films and other portrayals. However, this simplistic view fails to acknowledge the more complex dynamics between the two women, which arose from conflicting views and expectations of their roles.
Despite their differences, there were some attempts at reconciliation. Eventually, Elisabeth began to openly express her wishes to Sophia and even took her daughters with her on travels. After the death of her son, Crown Prince Rudolf, in 1889, Elisabeth withdrew from court duties and travelled extensively. Archduchess Sophia died in 1872, and it is not known if the two women had any further significant interactions before her passing.
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Her popularity in Hungary
Empress Elizabeth of Austria was very popular in Hungary, where she was also Queen. She was admired by the Hungarians, especially for her role in bringing about the Compromise of 1867, which created the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary.
Elizabeth's popularity in Hungary can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, she was seen as a counterpoint to her husband, Emperor Franz Joseph I, whose mother, Archduchess Sophie, was known for her antipathy towards the Hungarians. Elizabeth, on the other hand, felt a deep kinship with the Hungarian people and was fond of them. She surrounded herself with Hungarian ladies-in-waiting, learned to speak Hungarian fluently, and even conversed with her youngest child, Maria Valeria, in Hungarian.
Elizabeth's first visit to Hungary in 1857 left a deep and lasting impression on her. She found the country's aristocratic independence and scorn for courtly forms of speech refreshing, and she developed an affinity for the proud and steadfast Hungarian people. This affinity was reciprocated, and Elizabeth became a cult figure in Hungary, admired for her beauty and her role in the creation of the dual monarchy.
The Hungarians presented the royal couple with the Gödöllő estate as a coronation gift in 1867, and Elizabeth spent much of her time there, escaping the rigid rules of the Viennese court. She was able to indulge her passion for horse riding and spent time with her youngest child, who was born in Hungary.
After Elizabeth's tragic death in 1898, efforts to preserve her memory increased in Hungary. Several statues were erected in her honour, including the Elisabeth Lookout Tower on János Hill, and a memorial and park in Gödöllő. A museum dedicated to her was also established in the Buda Castle Palace, featuring items such as the bodice she wore during her assassination, donated by Countess Sztáray.
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Her assassination
Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi, was assassinated on September 10, 1898, at the age of 60. She was stabbed in the heart by an Italian anarchist named Luigi Lucheni.
The Assassination
On the day of her assassination, Sisi was in Geneva, Switzerland, where she was staying at the Hotel Beau-Rivage. Despite warnings of possible assassination attempts, she chose to walk to the steamship "Genève" without her entourage, accompanied only by her lady-in-waiting, Countess Irma Sztáray.
As they walked along the promenade, Lucheni approached them and stabbed Sisi with a self-made weapon—a sharpened needle file inserted into a wooden handle. The weapon penetrated 3.33 inches into her thorax, piercing her lung and heart.
Initially, neither Sisi nor Countess Sztáray realised what had happened. They continued to board the ship, but a few minutes later, Sisi lost consciousness and died shortly after.
Aftermath
The assassination of Empress Elisabeth shocked and saddened the public, especially in Austria and Hungary. Her body was brought back to Vienna, where a funeral cortege followed her to the tomb of the Capuchins.
Lucheni, the assassin, was caught and confessed immediately. He was brought to court and incarcerated for life, although he had hoped for the death penalty. During his trial, he declared that he had come to Geneva intending to ""murder the first high-born person" he encountered.
Legacy
Sisi's tragic life and untimely death have captured the imaginations of many. She has been portrayed in numerous films and television series, and her story has been told in books and musicals. She is remembered as a beautiful, melancholic, and progressive empress who struggled with mental illness, a severe eating disorder, and the strict confines of court life.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Empress Elizabeth of Austria spoke Hungarian fluently. She was also well-versed in English, French, and modern Greek.
Empress Elizabeth of Austria was very fond of Hungary. She was known to have a deep kinship with the country and its people, and she helped bring about the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary in 1867. She was also known to be an advocate for Hungarian Count Gyula Andrássy, who was also rumoured to be her lover.
Empress Elizabeth of Austria spent a considerable amount of time in Hungary. She often visited Hungary for its more relaxed environment and to escape the rigid protocols and etiquette of the Austrian court life, which she found suffocating. She also had a country residence in Gödöllő, Hungary, where she spent a lot of time riding horses.
