
Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi, was assassinated on 10 September 1898 in Geneva, Switzerland. The tragic event shocked Europe, as Elisabeth was a mysterious fairy-tale princess, known for her beauty and unconventional lifestyle. She was stabbed in the heart with a self-made weapon by Luigi Lucheni, an Italian anarchist. In this article, we will explore the circumstances surrounding her death and the impact it had on the world.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date | 10 September 1898 |
Location | Geneva, Switzerland |
Assassin | Luigi Lucheni |
Assassin's Nationality | Italian |
Assassin's Age | 25 |
Assassin's Motivation | Anarchism, rage for the upper nobility |
Weapon | Homemade, made from a small sharp file |
What You'll Learn
Empress Elisabeth was assassinated
Empress Elisabeth of Austria was assassinated on 10 September 1898 in Geneva, Switzerland. She was stabbed in the heart by Luigi Lucheni, an Italian anarchist.
Elisabeth had spent the night incognito at the Hotel Beau-Rivage and was on her way to the steamship 'Genève' when she was attacked. She was travelling under the false name 'Countess of Hohenembs' and was accompanied by her lady-in-waiting, the Hungarian Countess Irma Sztáray. Despite warnings of possible assassination attempts, she chose to walk the short distance between the hotel and the pier without her entourage.
Lucheni, a poor man full of rage for the upper nobility, ran towards them as they walked along the promenade and stabbed Elisabeth with a self-made weapon composed of a small sharp file. A few minutes later, Elisabeth lost consciousness and died.
The tragic event was well covered in the press, as Elisabeth was a mysterious fairy-tale princess known for her unconventional lifestyle and obsessive concern for her beauty. She spent several hours a day grooming her knee-length hair.
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She was stabbed in the heart with a self-made weapon
Empress Elizabeth of Austria was stabbed in the heart with a self-made weapon on 10 September 1898. She was sixty years old at the time of her death. The weapon was composed of a small sharp file. Her assassin was Luigi Lucheni, a 25-year-old Italian anarchist. He had originally intended to kill Prince Henri of Orléans, but when the prince left Geneva earlier than expected, Lucheni read in a newspaper that Empress Elizabeth had arrived in Geneva and decided to kill her instead.
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She was travelling under a false name
On 10 September 1898, Empress Elisabeth of Austria was assassinated in Geneva, Switzerland. She was travelling under the false name 'Countess of Hohenembs' and had spent the night incognito at the Hotel Beau-Rivage.
Elisabeth was known for her unconventional lifestyle and her obsession with her beauty. She spent several hours a day grooming her knee-length hair. She also travelled frequently, possibly to escape the strict court in Vienna. On the day of her assassination, she was visiting Geneva at the invitation of the Rothschild family. She was walking with her lady-in-waiting, Countess Irma Sztáray, when she was stabbed in the heart by Luigi Lucheni, an Italian anarchist.
Lucheni had originally intended to kill Prince Henri of Orléans, but the prince had left Geneva earlier than expected. Lucheni then read in a newspaper that Elisabeth was in Geneva and decided to kill her instead. He wanted to go down in history by assassinating a member of the nobility. Elisabeth's tragic death shocked Europe and contributed to the creation of a myth that had surrounded her during her lifetime.
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She was warned of possible assassination attempts
Empress Elizabeth of Austria was warned of possible assassination attempts, but she chose to ignore them. On 10 September 1898, she was travelling under the false name 'Countess of Hohenembs' and staying at the Hotel Beau-Rivage in Geneva, Switzerland. She was accompanied by her lady-in-waiting, the Hungarian Countess Irma Sztáray, and had left her entourage behind.
Despite the warnings, the Empress and her companion walked the short distance between the hotel and the pier. As they strolled along the promenade, a 25-year-old Italian anarchist named Luigi Lucheni ran towards them. He was filled with rage against the upper nobility and had come to Geneva with the intention of killing a member of royalty.
Lucheni had initially planned to assassinate Prince Henri of Orléans, but when the prince left Geneva earlier than expected, he changed his target. Upon learning of Empress Elizabeth's presence in Geneva through a newspaper, he decided to make her his victim. As the Empress and Countess walked by, Lucheni stabbed her directly in the heart with a self-made weapon—a small, sharp file.
The Empress and her lady-in-waiting initially thought it was a robbery attempt, and they continued boarding the steamship 'Genève'. However, just a few minutes later, Empress Elizabeth lost consciousness and died. Her tragic death shocked Europe and marked the end of a troubled, unhappy, and often misunderstood life.
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She was obsessed with her beauty
Empress Elizabeth of Austria was obsessed with her beauty. She spent several hours a day grooming her knee-length hair. She was also a mysterious fairy-tale princess, who led an unconventional lifestyle. She travelled a lot, often under a false name, and wrote melancholic poems.
Elizabeth's tragic end came on one of her journeys. On 10 September 1898, she was visiting Geneva, Switzerland, with her lady-in-waiting, the Hungarian Countess Irma Sztáray. Despite warnings of possible assassination attempts, the pair walked without an entourage from their hotel to the pier. There, Luigi Lucheni, an Italian anarchist, stabbed Elizabeth directly in the heart with a self-made weapon composed of a small, sharp file. Elizabeth lost consciousness and died.
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Frequently asked questions
Empress Elizabeth of Austria was assassinated.
Empress Elizabeth was assassinated by Luigi Lucheni, an Italian anarchist.
Luigi Lucheni was a poor man full of rage for the upper nobility. He wanted to go down in history by killing a member of the nobility.
Luigi Lucheni stabbed Empress Elizabeth in the heart with a self-made weapon composed of a small sharp file.
Empress Elizabeth was in Geneva, Switzerland, when she was assassinated.