Empress Elisabeth of Austria: Free Spirit, Beauty Queen & Imperial Legend

by Regine Neuhauser

When in 1854, the 16-year-old Bavarian Princess Elisabeth, nicknamed Sisi, married the 24-year-old Emperor of Austria, Franz Joseph I, it seemed that her life would be all sunshine and roses. However, a rude awakening followed at the Vienna Court, where protocol dictated every gesture of the Habsburg Empress. Imbued with a strong desire for freedom, Sisi decided to live by her own rules against all the odds. She became a top athlete as a champion horseback rider as well as being a power walker, poet, dedicated fan of Greek antiquity and traveler of the world, making her a modern woman far ahead of her time. Moreover, her outstanding beauty and enchanting charisma bewitched everyone who met her. All these factors, combined with her fateful, tragic death have turned her into an immortal legend.

428 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 7, 2024

About the author

Regine Neuhauser was born and raised in Innsbruck, Austria. After earning a master’s degree in history from the University of Vienna, she spent several years abroad—among other roles, serving as a university lecturer in Papua New Guinea and contributing to a United Nations project in Tanzania, East Africa.

For the past twenty-two years, she has made her home in Vienna, where she has lectured extensively on a wide range of topics related to the Habsburg dynasty and Austrian culture.

A lifelong passion for history and the enduring fascination of the Habsburg legacy inspired her to pursue historical writing. In 2015, she published her debut biography, Maria Theresa of Austria, now available in its fourth, revised edition as of 2024. In November 2023, she released her second biography, this time focusing on Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

Both titles are available in paperback at selected bookstores and museum shops in Vienna, as well as online via Amazon. They are also published as Kindle eBooks.

She is currently working on her next project: Empress Elisabeth of Austria and Her Poetry.

Reviews

[L. C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This retelling of Sisi's life is exactly what I was looking for. Without the fanfare of emotional biase etc, it allows for the reader to "see" into her life and detained whether the life of this renowned Empress was mostly one of sadness and struggle or one of a person who pushed through societal rules and limitations until she was known worldwide and for years to come.
I personally went to Sisi's museum, saw one of the many places she lived in and loved every telling of her story. What a historical figure. 🥰

[Ana Pancardo · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author’s lack of impartiality in addressing the marriage between Sisi and Franz Joseph, Sisi’s relationship with her mother-in-law, and even with her own children is frustrating.

Several chapters are devoted to judging the unproven rumor of Sisi’s affair with Ambrozy, yet all of Franz Joseph’s affairs are justified by blaming Sisi’s absence.

It seems that poor Sisi remains the villain of her own story, and this biography feels like it was written by the Viennese court itself.

In the end, the author seems to forget that it was Franz Joseph who became infatuated with her when she was just a child and ruined her life.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book regarding the life of Sisi, Empress of Austria. Having read the two novels of Sisi by Allison Pataki I was interested in reading a historical account of her life. And I was not surprised to read pages and pages of diary quotes and facts and dates and conversations that add so much more dimension to her true life story.
One court official writes of Sisi “People want to harness to the torture of etiquette and lifeless formalities, but one cannot lock up, tame or oppress a fairy child as it has secret wings and flies away whenever it finds the world unbearable.”
That sums up Elizabeth’s aversion to court life and her free but quirky spirit and really strange ideas of life. To me she bordered on the spectrum of mental disorders.
If you watched the first two seasons of the Netflix presentation of “The Empress” which I have watched twice, you can see glimpses of the wild spirit. But how they will portray her in Season 3 should give viewers a more truthful account of her rebellion against the aristocracy, her marriage, her mistakes as a mother and her theatrical and somewhat morbid behavior. At 60 years old she yearned for death; it gave her exactly the departure from earth she had hoped for.

[JBF · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author has presented a well-written, objective and balanced historical account regarding Sisi and all individuals involved. After reading it I felt as though I had been living during this time period. It is a very easy read from cover to cover and I would highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in history(especially European history) It is a social, historical and geographical must-read book all wrapped up in one. One of the best books I have ever read.

[Ashlyn Neader · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easily readable and digestible account of Empress Sisi’s life and character.
I’m sure the original German was well written, but the translation into English was hasty at best, to the point where I doubt any native English speaker read this through before publication. Referring to Sisi as an “angle” the entire time was, as a German speaker would say, lächerlich. Als ob Franz Josef die Sisi als Dreieck gesehen hat. Aber naja, wenn man ein Gehirn hat kommt die Bedeutung eh durch.

[Susan M Wells, Bookmark Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put it down. Book starts with Sisi in Hungary after having her last child, Valerie. Captivating and follows history. She actually was dear friends with the Andrassy and Bay. Worth the read.

[Martha Fowler · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting book about a narcissist

Inconsistencies: typos where Franz Joseph refers to “his angel Sisi, “ it is sometimes written as “his angle Sisi.”In A Midsummer Night’s Dream it is Bottom who wears the donkey’s head, not Oberon.

[Alejandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author gives an extensive yet easy to read biography of Sissi.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very detailed biography of Sisi. The further I reads the more I came to dislike Sisi. She became very selfish and self centered.