Damon Mcknight
Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria's death in 1889 was initially attributed to an aneurysm, but it was later discovered that he had shot his mistress, Mary Vetsera, before turning the gun on himself. The incident, known as the 'Mayerling Incident', has inspired numerous creative works and is considered one of the most dramatic events in Austrian history.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cause of death | Rudolf shot his mistress, Mary Vetsera, and then himself |
| Date of death | 30 January 1889 |
| Location | Imperial hunting lodge in Mayerling |
| Age | 30 |
| Mistress's age | 17 |
| Mistress's name | Mary Vetsera |
| Mistress's title | Baroness |
| Mistress's father | Albin von Vetsera, a diplomat at the Austrian court |
| Burial | Rudolf was given a Roman Catholic burial in the Imperial Crypt |
| Mistress's burial | The countess's body was clothed, smuggled away from Mayerling and buried in an unmarked grave |
What You'll Learn
Rudolf's death was initially ruled as an aneurysm
The thirty-year-old prince had in fact shot his mistress, Mary Vetsera, before turning the gun on himself. The bodies of Rudolf and the seventeen-year-old Mary were discovered in the Imperial hunting lodge at Mayerling in the Vienna Woods on 30 January 1889. Rudolf was found sitting up in a chair with a bullet to his head next to the bed upon which Mary lay naked but for a rose in her hair.
The countess's body was clothed, smuggled away from Mayerling and buried in an unmarked grave. Rudolf was given a Roman Catholic burial in the Imperial Crypt. In 2015, letters from Mary to her mother were released by the Austrian National Library, confirming the double suicide.
Austria's Francophone Culture: A Country's Language Identity
You may want to see also
Rudolf's mistress was clothed and buried in an unmarked grave
Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, and his mistress, baroness Mary Vetsera, died in an apparent murder-suicide pact. Rudolf was married to Princess Stéphanie of Belgium, but he was also involved with the 17-year-old daughter of diplomat Albin von Vetsera. On 30 January 1889, the bodies of Rudolf and Vetsera were discovered in an imperial hunting lodge in Mayerling, Vienna Woods. Rudolf was found sitting up in a chair with a bullet to his head next to the bed upon which his mistress lay naked but for a rose in her hair.
The official story was that Rudolf had died of an aneurysm, but a private investigation proved that he had shot his mistress and then himself. The countess's body was clothed, smuggled away from Mayerling, and buried in an unmarked grave. The Crown Prince was given a Roman Catholic burial in the Imperial Crypt, at the behest of his parents, who claimed he had been in a state of mental unbalance. In 2015, letters from Vetsera to her mother were released by the Austrian National Library, confirming the double suicide.
Austria's Colonization: A Historical Perspective
You may want to see also
Rudolf's death was a murder-suicide pact
Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, died in 1889 in an apparent murder-suicide pact with his mistress, 17-year-old baroness Mary Vetsera. Rudolf was married to Princess Stéphanie of Belgium, but he was having an affair with Vetsera, the daughter of a diplomat at the Austrian court. The bodies of Rudolf and Vetsera were found in an imperial hunting lodge in Mayerling, Vienna Woods, on 30 January 1889. Rudolf was found with a bullet to his head, and Vetsera was found naked, with a rose in her hair.
The official story was that Rudolf had died of an aneurysm, but a private investigation proved that Rudolf had shot Vetsera and then himself. The countess's body was clothed and smuggled away from Mayerling, and she was buried in an unmarked grave. Rudolf was given a Roman Catholic burial in the Imperial Crypt. In 2015, letters from Vetsera to her mother were released by the Austrian National Library, confirming the double suicide.
Austria's Railway History: Building Tracks and Connections
You may want to see also
Rudolf's mistress was the daughter of a diplomat
Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, died in 1889 in an apparent murder-suicide pact with his mistress, 17-year-old baroness Mary Vetsera. Rudolf was married to Princess Stéphanie of Belgium, but he was having an affair with Vetsera, the daughter of diplomat Albin von Vetsera, who was a diplomat at the Austrian court.
Rudolf and Vetsera were found dead on 30 January 1889 in an imperial hunting lodge in Mayerling. Rudolf was discovered sitting up in a chair with a bullet to his head next to the bed upon which Vetsera lay naked but for a rose in her hair.
The countess's body was clothed, smuggled away from Mayerling and buried in an unmarked grave. Rudolf was given a Roman Catholic burial in the Imperial Crypt. In 2015, letters from Vetsera to her mother were released by the Austrian National Library that confirmed the double suicide.
Prussia-Austrian Empire: Historical Ties and Complex Connections
You may want to see also
Rudolf's death indirectly led to World War One
Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, died in 1889 at the age of 30. Rudolf was the only son of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth, and heir apparent to the Austro-Hungarian throne. He died in an apparent murder-suicide pact with his 17-year-old mistress, baroness Mary Vetsera. Rudolf shot Vetsera and then himself.
Rudolf's death interrupted the security inherent in the direct line of Habsburg dynastic succession. As an only child, his death indirectly lit the touch paper for World War One.
Exploring Salzburg: Best Areas for Accommodation
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, died by suicide. He shot his mistress, Mary Vetsera, and then himself.
Mary Vetsera was Rudolf's mistress. She was the daughter of Albin von Vetsera, a diplomat at the Austrian court.
Rudolf and Mary died at an imperial hunting lodge in Mayerling.
Rudolf and Mary died on 30 January 1889.
The initial cause of death was reported as an aneurysm of the heart.
