Figure 1.--We do not yet have much information about Franz Josef's boyhood. Here we see him in 1832. He would have been about 2-3 years old. The portrait was painted by Ferdinand Georg Waldmueller. It was painted in the office of his grandfather Emperor Franz I located in the Badener Palais. On the desk you can see miniatures of his uncle Archduke Ludwig (1784-1864) and Elisabeth, Pss of Savoie-Carignan 1800-56). Notice the toy soldiers.

Of all the Hapsburgs, one of the longest ruling was Francis Joseph I (1830-1916). He also proved to be end of the reining monarchs. By uniting himself with the conservative absolutist foces, he preserved the monarchy for over a half century. In the end, however, his refusal to allow basic democratic reforms would eventually lead tonthe end of the monarchy a few years after his death in 1916. Francis Joseph may indeed be the most tragic figure in the twilight of European monarchies. While he reigned for 7 tumultuous decades, his life was filled with tragedy. His brother Maximilian was executed in Mexico. His sonv Rudolf, a man of liberal ideals who might have saved the monarchy, commited suiside in a torrid love affair. His beloved wife Sisi was stabbed by an anarchist. His heir Francis Ferdinand was assasinated. His Empire had alrady begun to crumble in World War I, even before his death. Francis Joseph's rule was both magnificent and at the same time pathetic. The Austrian monarchy was one of the most prestiogious in Europe. The Emperor himself was the most long-lived soverign. Yet he lived to see Austria reduced to a second rate power by Germany, his loved ones die in tragic circumstances, and his Empire begin to desintegrate.

Family

Francis Joseph was a descendent of one of Europe's most important royal families--the Hapsburgs. Francis Joseph's father was Arch Duke Franz Karl, a brother of the Emperor. His mother was a Bavarian princess. He had two brothers, all three relatively close in age. Neither of his brothers ended up well, but for very different reasns.

Parents

Francis Joseph's father was Arch Duke Franz Karl (1802). Franz Karl's parents were Emperor Francis II (1768- ) and Maria Theresa of Naples (1772- ). Francis Joseph's mother was Princess Sophie (Wittelsbach) of Bavaria (1805- ). Sophie's parents were King Maximilian I Joseph (Wittelsbach) King of Bavaria (1756- ) amd Catharine (Zähringen) of Baden (1776- ). Many rumors surrounded the marriage. Sophie was known to be unhappy with her marriage to Arch Duke Franz Karl. She was a beautifull and extremely intelligent woman. He seems to have been opposite. Nor was he by some accounts a specialy a good lover.

Siblings

Francis Joseph (1830-1916) was the eldest son. He had two brothers, all three relatively close in age. Neither of his brothers ended up well, but for very different reasns. One brother was a competent man with liberal persasions, but ended up before a Mexican firing squad. Their younger brother was an embarassment to the family, but bcame important in the secession.
Maximillian (1832-67): One brother was the ill-fated Maximilian. Royal historians believe that Maximillian was not actually the son of Franz Karl. There is a wide-spread belief that he was actually the son of Napoleon II, Duke of Reichstadt. There are several reasons for believing that. First there was a particularly affenctionate relationship between Sophie and Napoleon II. Second, Sophie in fact never recovered from Napoleon II's untimely death. She blamed it on Count Metternich and hated him for the rest of her life. Third, Maximilian stature and face resembled Napoleon II more than than either Franz Karl or his brothers. Maximillian was much moreliberal than his older brother. He was appointed an Austrial official in Italy, but eventually removed. Maximillian's marriage to the Bavarian princess Carlotta is on of the great love stories of the 19th century. When the French attempted to install as Emperor of Mexico in 1863. Napoleon III's choice is in part a reflection of the wide-spread belief that Maximilian's father was actuall the Bonaparte Napoleon II. Maximillian mer atragic end in Mexico. He was shot by Mexican Republican forces in 1867 after the Emperor Napoleon III withdrew French forces.
Karl Ludwig (1833-1906): Francis Joseph's youngest brother was Arch Duke Karl Ludwig who had to be exiled after being convicted of taking gross indecencies with a boy at a public bath. While Karl Ludwig played only a minor role in Austrian affairs, he himself became very important in terms of dynastic succession. When Francis Joseph's only son Crown Prince Rudolf killed himself in 1889, the succession then went to Arch Duke Karl Ludwig and after his death in 1906 to his discendents. His son was Franz Ferdinand who became heir to the throne, but was assasinated by Serbian revolutionaries in 1914, setting off World War I.

Boyhood

I have no information on Francis Joseph's boyyhood. I'm not sure how he was dressed as a boy. As a very little boy he wore dresses as can be seen here (figure 1). The painting suggests he liked to play with toy soldiers. We suspect that royal children were encouraged in such play activities.

Assumption of the Crown (1848)

Francis Joseph became Emperor when his father renounced his claims to the throne, which had been abdicated by Ferdinand I, Francis Joseph's uncle--after the Austrian revolution of 1848. For a while the political situation looked desperate. Many believed the Hapsburg monarcy might collapse. The year of 1848 was a year of popular revolution throughout Europe. Many European monarchies stood on a precipice.

Early Years

Grancis Joseph was to lead the fight against constitutional democracy and liberal ideas in Europe. The first 18 years of Francis Joseph's reign were characterized by strict absolutism and repression of liberal political movements. Francis Joseph worked to check the spread of revolutionary ideas from France, in alliance with the absolutist monarchies of Russia and Prussia, prevent the re-establishment of an independent Poland. Emperor Francis Joseph supressed uprisings an even abrogated the Austrian Constitution in 1851. He signed a concordat with the Vatican giving the clergy jurisdiction over education and powers over the marriage laws.

Figure 2.--This image shows a young Prince Otto, wearing a summer frock, with Empreror Franz Josef in 1914.

Princess Elizabeth

The one moderating factor in Francis Joseph's court was his beloved wife, the Emperess Sisi. The love story of Emperor Francis Joseph I. and the Bavarian princess began in 1853 at the Upper Austrian spa town Bad Ischl, the summer retreat of the 23-year old Emperor. Francis Joseph was meant to be introduced to his fiancée-to-be, Princess Helen of Bavaria, at this scenic Salzkammergut town. However, the Emperor defied his mother's marriage plans and fell in love with Helen's sister Elisabeth, then only 15 years old, who had accompanied the party rather accidentally. Already one day after their first encounter Francis Joseph and Elisabeth celebrated their engagement.

Marriage

Emperor Francis Joseph and Bavarian Princess Elizabeth on April 24, 1854 married at Vienna's Augustinerkirche. They were the most beautiful and richest couple in the world. Because of her natural charm, the public adored her like a fairy-tale figure. In her private life, however, she was soon confronted with problems. The Empress had exchanged a carefree country life with the strict etiquette of the Imperial Court and could hardly adapt to it. Francis Joseph loved his wife dearly, but he ruled over an empire of 50 million people and had little time to be with "Sisi" who felt lonely. "I wish he were no emperor", she confided her former governess. Elisabeth was also concerned for the poor and sick. Although she disliked official public functions, she often visited hospitals and asylums, and was interested in new treatments and cures for paitents. The normal man on the street saw her as the mother empress comforter of the poor. As a young woman, the Empress Elizabeth had little interest in the "profession" of her husband. She gradually became more poltically active influencing the Emperor. With her liberal and progressive political ideas she supported the Hungarians in their struggle for indepence and contributed considerably to Hungary's equalized status with Austria in 1867.

Figure 3.--This portrait of Franz Josef and his son Rudolf was taken about 1864. Both are wearing Alpine folk clothing.

Children

Emperor Franz Josef and Emperess Elisabeth had four children. The Emperess gave birth to four children, three in quick order after marriage. She was not, however, a very engaged mother. She has been criticized, however, for her lack of warmth as a mother. This is not just a family matter. Her son Rudolfis a man, who if he had become emperor, night have been able to stop World War I. The Empresses' motherly role may have been affected by her treatment at Court. She was only 16 when she was married and very innocent. Her initail intinmate realtions with her husband appear to have been unpleasant. When the children arrived, Franz Josef's mother the Archduchess Sophia constantly interfered. She prohibited Elizabeth, for example, from breast feeding the children. She ccame to dislike, she used the term "loath" the idea of having children. After the first three children, even though her health was excellent, she insisted to her husband that they have no more children. This proved to be decission if enormous political consequence when their only son, Rudolf committed suiside. This showed a very strong turn of mind for a young woman in the mid-19th century. She in fact encouraged Franz Josef to find a mistress so as not to have further intimate relations with him. This rejection was a considerable scandal in court circles and very painful to Franz Josef as he was so attached to her.

Military Defeats and Constitutional Reforms

Francis Joseph was forced to accept constitutional reforms after disastrous military defeats. The Austrians were defeated in Italy (1859) leading to a new unified Italian monarchy to the south. In the War of Italian independence, Austria lost all of its Italian possessions except Venetia which was only retained until 1866. Austria's position within Germany was radically altered when it was swiftly defeated by Prussia in the Astro-Prussian War or German Civil War (1866). The defeat by Prussia in 7 week forced Austria to withdraw from the German Confederation and to cede its traditional dominance in Germany to Prussia. This was to lead to the unification of Germany under the Prussians and founding of the German Empire in 1871. The Austrian monarch was converted into a dual crown for Austria and Hungary in the 1867 Ausgleich. Hungary was raised from the status of a Crownland to a joint partnership in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy.

Elizabeth Assasinated

Emperess was asassinated by an Italian in Geneva on one of her many trips during 1898. She died in her hotel room a few hours after the attack.

Bosnia

Austria-Hungary acquired Bosnia as the Ottoman Empire unravelled. The Austrians did not formally annex Bosnia until several years later (1908). Serbs who constituted a part of the populsation were outraged. This set off an international crisis that could well have ignited a European war at the time. It did in fact further inflame Serb sentimet against the Austrians. This of course led to the Franz Ferdinand's assasination while visiting Bosnia (1914). A Serbian nationalist shot him, leading to World War I. It also layed the ground work for the terrible attrocities that occurred in Bosnia during Word War II (1940s) and with the disolution of Yugosalvia (1990s).

Figure 4.--This post card shows the German and Austrian royal families during World War I. Notice Arch Duke Karl and Otto at the right in military uniform.

World War I

Austria-Hungary was an empire with many contentious minorities, many aspiring for independence. The Austrians annexed Bosnia in 190?, angering Serbian nationalists. Austria-Hungary under Francis Joseph joined Germany and Italy in the Tripple Alliance of 1882. The asasination of Francis Joseph's heir, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, in 1914 by an a Serbian nationalist precipitated World War I. He favored reforms to address some of the nationalist concerns of the subjects of the Empire. His reforms were did no approach the demands of Serbian nationalists nor entirely supported by the Emperor. Austrian prepared an invasion of Serbi where nationalist elements supported terroist groups. I am not sure to the extentto which the Emperor participated in the planning, but he approved the opearation. The Austrians supported by Kaisser Wilhelm II, launched a military campaign to punish Serbia. This brought Russia to support Serbia and France had an alliance with Russia. The Austrians hoped the German alliance would disuade the Russians from intervening and if they did provide the military power to defeat them. Germany as soon as Russia began to mobilize declared War, invading France through neutral Belgium. The British entered the War when the Germans invaded Belgium. Italy did not honor its treaty obligations to Austria and Germny. Rather in 1915 they entered the War on the Allied side, hoping to gain areas in northern Italy still controlled by the Austrians. Francis Joseph died during the War in 1916.

Figure 5.--The Arch Duke Francis Ferdinand is shown here with his family. His sons wore long pants sailor suits. They were denined any rights of sucession they might have had because the Emperor considered Countess Sophia a commoner. Note the younger boy's long hair.

Succession

With the sensational suicide of Crown Prince Rudolf, the succession passed to Francis Joseph's brothers and nephews. Francis Joseph's daughters were ineligible to succeed.

Karl-Ludwig

The Austro-Hungarian crown would therefore pass to the Emperor's brother, Karl-Ludwig, and eventually to this archduke's descendants. Karl-Ludwig had three sons: Franz-Ferdinand, of a sickly complexion, Otto, of a wild and debauched nature, and Ferdinand-Karl, who was only too ready to give up his imperial rights and become a commoner under the name Ferdinand Burg. Franz-Ferdinand contracted a morganatic marriage in 1900 with Countess Sophie Chotek, his children could not inherit the throne.

Francis Ferdinand

Francis Joseph's nephew Francis Ferdinand was made heir to the throne after the untimely death of Archduke Rudolf. I know little of his childhood or how he was dressed as a boy. Historians have written a great deal about Franz Ferdinand and very little of it has been very positive. Franz Ferdinand has been referred to as a miser, a bigot, and a spoiled child. He was shunned by the elite of Viennese society. One observer called "the loneliest man in Vienna". Francis Ferdinand appears to have lacked the two key elements for success in political life--charm and elegance. His Family life, however, appears to have been surprisingly better. His marriage to Countess Sophia von Chotkowa und Wognin, Duchess of Hohenburg in 1900 was called one of the world's great love affairs. Unfortunately the Emperor considered the Duchess a commoner and tried to convince Franz Ferdinand he was marrying beneath his station. They went through with the marriage against the Emperor's wishes but had to renounce rights of rank and succession for their children. In the years to come, Sophie would not be allowed to ride in the same car with her husband during affairs of state.

Figure 6.--Archduke (Crown Prince Otto) is pictured here with his parents and sister about 1917. He was about 5 years old. He wears a an elaborate white blouse which hangs low, almost like a smock and short pants with white socks.

Karl I (1918-18)

Charles Francis Joseph, Charles I or Karl I (Charles IV of Hungary) (1887-1922), was another of Francis Joseph's nephews (figure 1). I have few details about how Charles was dressed as a boy. He seems to have passed out of dresses by about 4 yeas of age as he is pictured in a sailor suit with knee pants rather than a skirt in a photograph taken with his mother about 1891. Karl replaced Francis Joseph when the Emperor died in 1916 (figure 4). Even before his death, Francis Joseph had planned to confer the rights of co-regent on Charles. Karl I was the last of the Hapsburg rulers. Although he was the eldest son of the Archduke Otto (and nephew of Francis Ferdinand), he was little known in Europe until he married Princess Zita of Parma. Durng the War he commanded an Austrian Army on the Transylvanian front (Romania), but returned to Vienna to rule after Francis Joseph's death. His efforts at diplomacy to end the War allienated his German allies. He favored the French claim, for example to Alsace-Loraine.

Created: February 26, 1999
Last updated: 12:51 AM 12/6/2007