Empress
Elisabeth, born as Duchess Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie in Bavaria on December 24, 1837, and known by the nickname Sisi, was the Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary from her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph I on April 24, 1854, until her tragic assassination in 1898. Sisi was born into the royal Bavarian House of Wittelsbach and had an informal upbringing before marrying Emperor Franz Joseph I at the young age of sixteen. This marriage thrust her into the more formal and rigid Habsburg court life, which she found challenging and unwelcoming. Early in her marriage, she clashed with her mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophie, who took charge of raising Sisi's daughters, one of whom, Sophie, tragically passed away as an infant. The birth of their son, Crown Prince Rudolf, improved Sisi's standing at court, but the strain on her health became evident. Consequently, she often sought solace in the more relaxed atmosphere of Hungary and forged a strong bond with the nation, playing a pivotal role in the establishment of the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary in 1867. The devastating loss of her only son, Crown Prince Rudolf, and his mistress, Mary Vetsera, in a murder-suicide at Mayerling in 1889 left the Empress deeply scarred. She withdrew from her court responsibilities, embarking on extensive travels, often alone and far from her family. In 1890, she commissioned the construction of the Achilleion palace on the Greek island of Corfu, characterized by an intricate mythological theme, which served as her refuge. Elisabeth became fixated on maintaining her youthful appearance and figure, adopting a strict diet and wearing tightly laced corsets to achieve a slender waist. Tragically, during a visit to Geneva in 1898, Elisabeth was fatally stabbed in the heart by an Italian anarchist named Luigi Lucheni. Her reign spanned an impressive 44 years, making her the longest-serving Austrian empress in history.
© 2024 InfoMap.travel. All Rights Reserved.