Emperor Franz Joseph I & Duchess Elisabeth 1854

by Julia P. Gelardi

The Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph I (1830-1916) is one of the longest reigning monarchs in history, having reigned for nearly seventy years. When he was in his fifth year as Emperor of Austria, it had been decided that he needed to secure his dynasty. Franz Joseph’s mother, the formidable Archduchess Sophie, had found an ideal wife for him. The Emperor, however, thwarted the Archduchess’s plans when he chose someone else instead. For Francis Joseph I, it was the young Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, whom he decided to share his throne with. She would go down in history as the legendary Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

81 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2026