The Empress Elisabeth Of Austria: A Good Ruler?

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, affectionately known as Sisi, was a complex figure. She was intelligent, extravagant, and ahead of her time. She was beloved by the people of Austria and Hungary, where she was Empress and Queen, respectively. However, she struggled with the strict etiquette of the Imperial Court and was often unhappy in her role. She was a free spirit who craved independence and resented the loss of privacy that came with her position. She was also a victim of anorexia nervosa and other psychosomatic disorders, which contributed to her untimely death at the age of 60.

Elisabeth's popularity with the people

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, affectionately known as "Sisi", was beloved by the people. She was intelligent, high-spirited, and had a natural grace that soon made her a fairy-tale princess in the eyes of the public. She was also an "empress against her will", who was decades ahead of her time.

Secondly, Elisabeth was able to establish a special relationship with all classes of her subjects. She was liberal and forward-thinking, sympathising with the Hungarian cause during the nationality conflict and making an important contribution to the historic compromise of 1867. This earned her an unparalleled position of respect and affection in Hungary, which has lasted until the present day.

Thirdly, Elisabeth's tragic death at the age of 60, when she was assassinated by an anarchist, further solidified her place in the hearts of the people. Like Princess Diana, to whom she has often been compared, Elisabeth represented her country with dignity and elegance and won a special place in the hearts of the people, even amidst the ceremony and protocol of ancient dynasties.

Finally, Elisabeth's popularity was also due to her approachability and relatability. She was known to have a happy, unbridled, and somewhat unconventional Bavarian childhood, which contrasted with the strict and proper Hapsburg court. This made her more relatable to the people, especially those from non-Austrian ethnicities within the empire, who could easily identify with her situation as an outsider in the Austrian court.

Her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph I

On 24 April 1854, Emperor Franz Joseph married his cousin Elisabeth, who was seven years his junior. The marriage, which began as a love match, was an unhappy arrangement for both parties. Elisabeth, known as Sisi, found life at the Habsburg court extremely stifling and was at odds with her domineering mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie, who took charge of the upbringing of Elisabeth's children.

Elisabeth gave birth to four children: three daughters and one son. The death of her first child, Sophie, in infancy, plunged the couple into crisis. 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.

The death of Elisabeth's only son and his mistress, Mary Vetsera, in a murder-suicide in 1889 was a blow from which the Empress never fully recovered. She withdrew from court duties and travelled widely, unaccompanied by her family. In 1890, she had the palace Achilleion built on the Greek island of Corfu.

Franz Joseph was passionately in love with his wife, but they had a complex relationship. He was a conservative, guided by his mother and strict court ceremony, whereas Elisabeth was restless, introverted, and emotionally distant from her husband. She avoided him and her duties at the Vienna court as much as possible, embarking on a life of endless travel. Their relationship became a warm friendship in their later years, with increased correspondence between them.

On 10 September 1898, Elisabeth was assassinated by an Italian anarchist, Luigi Lucheni, in Geneva, Switzerland. She had been Empress of Austria for 44 years.

Her struggles with mental health

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also known as Sisi, faced numerous challenges and tragedies throughout her life. She struggled with her mental health and well-being, particularly as she adjusted to the strict protocols and expectations of the Habsburg court following her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph.

Elisabeth's mental health issues began soon after her marriage, as she lamented the loss of her carefree life and suffered from coughing fits and anxiety attacks, which may have been psychosomatic. She often felt homesick and was pressured by her mother-in-law to continue public appearances despite her fragile health. The birth of her three children in quick succession—Sophie, Gisela, and Rudolf—further exacerbated her mental health struggles, as she experienced postpartum depression and nervous exhaustion. The death of her eldest daughter, Sophie, in 1857, caused Elisabeth to withdraw from the world, and she became despondent and refused to eat.

Elisabeth's health issues were often attributed to her rigorous exercise routines, which included long hikes, horseback riding, and gymnastics. She was also known for her extreme focus on maintaining her famous 15-inch waist, which likely contributed to her physical ailments. During this period, she was diagnosed with pulmonary disease and galloping consumption, and she sought treatment in various locations, including Madeira, Corfu, and Bad Kissingen.

The pressure to maintain her appearance, coupled with the constant scrutiny and the tragedies she faced, took a significant toll on Elisabeth's mental health. She suffered from depression and eating disorders, and her passions, such as learning new languages and physical exercise, became a coping mechanism. Later in life, she became increasingly reclusive, rarely appearing in public and refusing to be photographed, as she feared the effects of ageing on her renowned beauty.

Tragically, Elisabeth's life was cut short in 1898 when she was assassinated by an Italian anarchist, bringing an end to a life marked by both extraordinary beauty and profound sorrow.

Her beauty and self-image

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, affectionately known as "Sisi", was considered a woman of extraordinary beauty and elegance, even being likened to Princess Diana in obituaries following her tragic assassination in 1898. She was intelligent, extravagant, and decades ahead of her time.

Sisi's beauty was renowned, and she is said to have had an almost inhumanly slender figure, standing at 5 feet 8 inches tall and never weighing more than 50 kilograms. Her dedication to maintaining her figure and appearance was extreme, and she is known to have suffered from anorexia nervosa and other psychosomatic disorders. She followed a brutal exercise regimen, including marathon solitary hikes, swimming, gymnastics, and fencing. She also wore elaborate corsets that reduced her waist to just 16 inches, and she would spend hours each day dressing her ankle-length hair, which had to be tied to hooks at night to relieve its weight.

Sisi's beauty drew crowds and made her a legend, but it also caused her pain as she found the ageing process difficult to accept. She refused to sit for photographs from the age of 32 and wore masks of raw veal to aid her complexion. Her beauty gave her self-confidence, but it also contributed to her unhappiness as she felt trapped by the expectations and scrutiny that came with being an Empress.

Sisi's preoccupation with her physical appearance was a way for her to assert her individuality and express herself within the confines of court life, which she found restrictive and stifling. She was known to be spontaneous, warm-hearted, sensitive, and brooding, and the strict etiquette and constant public attention of court life did not align with her natural disposition. She sought refuge from court life through her travels, horse riding, and other sports, which gave her a sense of freedom and helped her escape the pressures of being an Empress.

Overall, Sisi's beauty was both a blessing and a curse. While it brought her fame and the admiration of her people, it also contributed to her unhappiness and sense of entrapment. Her dedication to her appearance was a way for her to exert control over her life and express her individuality within the confines of her role as Empress.

Her impact on Hungarian politics

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, affectionately known as "Sisi", had a significant impact on Hungarian politics. She was known for her liberal and forward-thinking views and placed herself decisively on the Hungarian side during the nationality conflict with Austria. This ultimately contributed to the historic compromise of 1867, which resulted in Hungary gaining equal footing with Austria and strengthened the liberal element within the monarchy.

Elisabeth's influence was instrumental in fostering reconciliation between the rebellious Hungarian people and the monarchy. She learned to speak Hungarian fluently and spent more time in Budapest than in Vienna, which angered her mother-in-law and the Viennese Court. Her affinity for Hungary was further demonstrated by naming her fourth child, Marie Valerie, the "Hungarian child" as she was brought up and educated in the Hungarian language.

Elisabeth's popularity and respect in Hungary endured, and even a century after her tragic assassination in 1898, her hold on the Hungarian imagination remains strong. Many buildings and institutions in Budapest are named after her, and Elisabeth continues to be the most popular girl's name in Hungary.

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