This behavior was widely condemned among the Austrian nobility, even though Franz Joseph did not try to restrict his wife’s wanderings. Elizabeth, on the contrary, was increasingly neglecting her official royal duties and indulging herself in an isolated and whimsical lifestyle.įrom the 1860s on, the Empress spent her time traveling, rarely seeing her husband and hardly ever seeing her children. Sophie was, indeed, an ambitious woman who placed royal duties above anything else. In multiple biographies and fiction describing Elizabeth’s life, Sophie is often portrayed as a controlling and power-hungry tyrant, ruthlessly submitting her daughter-in-law to her own will. The relationship between Elizabeth and her mother-in-law Sophie progressively spiraled down, as the latter was convinced that the young and free-spirited Empress could not provide an adequate upbringing to the royal children. The engagement proposal itself was made in a much more formal way – through Archduchess Sophie, who approached her sister and arranged the agreement between the families to marry Elizabeth and Franz Joseph. Even the bold "two cotillions in a row" move Franz Joseph allowed himself at the ball, inviting Elizabeth one dance after another (which was a telltale sign of an upcoming engagement), was discussed between Franz and his mother prior to the ball. The romanticized version of their encounter depicted in The Empress – in the woods – is one of many myths circling Elizabeth and her life. Back then Elizabeth was too young to spark the interest of the future Emperor who was too busy dealing with revolutionary events that threatened to collapse the monarchy. Technically, the first meeting between Elisabeth and Franz Joseph happened in June 1848 when Duchess Ludovika with children visited her sister, Archduchess Sophie, in Innsbruck. The celebration in Bad Ischl was not, in fact, the first time Franz Joseph saw his cousins. Little did the young Emperor know that on that trip, his aunt would also take her youngest daughter – 15-year-old Elizabeth – who would steal Franz Joseph’s heart in the blink of an eye. On August 15, 1853, burning with impatience to see the promised beautiful bride, Franz Joseph rushed to the small Austrian town of Bad Ischl, where Duchess Ludovika was supposed to arrive with her daughter to celebrate Franz Joseph’s birthday. That led his mother to reach out to her sister – Duchess Ludovika of Bavaria – and arrange an engagement between Franz Joseph and Ludovika’s eldest daughter – Helena ( Elisa Schlott). The young emperor Franz Joseph was quite picky: he liked neither Princess Anna of Prussia nor Princess Sidonie of Saxony. Notably, the royal Bavarian House of Wittelsbach was not Sophie’s first choice, however. The hastiness to find a wife for the 22-year-old monarch was partially sparked by the recent attempt at his assassination (on 18 February 1853), which would leave Austria without a direct male heir. Meanwhile, at the Viennese Court, Franz Joseph's authoritarian mother – Archduchess Sophie ( Melika Foroutan) – considered a prominent alliance for her son. The third child and second daughter of Duke Maximilian Joseph of Bavaria and his wife Ludovika, Duchess Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie – also known as Sissi (alternative spelling Sisi) – was, indeed, a charming and freedom-loving girl who lived secluded with her family in Possenhofen Castle and dreamed of happiness and true love. But who was the real Elisabeth, and what struggles did she have to endure at the Viennese Court to become the legendary Empress of Austria, admired worldwide even a century and a half later? As is often the case with period dramas, The Empress mixes historical background with fiction, not trying to provide ultimate historical accuracy, but rather giving a compelling love story that captivates the hearts and minds of the audience. ![]() The Empress’ first (and currently the only) season is focused on the fateful meeting between the young Bavarian Duchess Elisabeth ( Devrim Lingnau) and the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I ( Philip Froissant). Seven decades later, The Empress offers a fresh take on the great love story between Elizabeth and Franz Joseph – equally strong and dramatic from its very beginning. Prior to its release, the most well-known film adaptation of Elizabeth’s life had been the 1950s Sissi trilogy, with charming Romy Schneider as the leading actress. ![]() The 6-part Netflix series The Empress tells the poetic story of the early life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria.
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