This hefty book is more about context – the turbulent years of mid-19th-century Europe – than it is about its two protagonists. Details of the many popular uprisings of the time, plus the jockeying for position of the main players and the battles and intrigues involved, are so packed into its pages that teasing out the stories of the two empresses is not always easy.
The early married life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, known as Sisi, sounds appalling. Her older sister had been groomed to marry the young Emperor Franz Joseph, but the moment he saw Sisi, then only 15, she was the one he wanted. It was impossible to turn him down. Much of the future of Bavaria (her parents’ kingdom), let alone that of her own family, depended on his goodwill.
To the child it seemed like one of the romantic fairy tales of which she was so fond; but the reality could not have been more different. After marrying in 1854, aged 16, she was plunged into what sounds like a prison – and solitary confinement at that. Her formidable mother-in-law, Archduchess Sophia, controlled everything, from the empire to her son – who from early childhood had obeyed her entirely and continued to do so. Far from her family, Sisi was given stiff, disapproving, elderly ladies-in-waiting; she was forbidden the outdoor exercise that was vital to her wellbeing, ordered to learn French and Spanish, and hedged in by the rigid protocol of the Viennese court. Even her children were taken away from her by the archduchess, and she spent most of the time in tears.
Magazine articles are subscriber-only. Keep reading for just £1 a month
SUBSCRIBE TODAY- Free delivery of the magazine
- Unlimited website and app access
- Subscriber-only newsletters
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in