Six years before, in 1848, Europe had been rocked by revolutions. Although Franz Josef professed to be very much in love with his new bride, his imperial responsibilities left him with little time for her. The young couple had little time to enjoy their union. When it became clear Franz Josef preferred Sisi to Helene, his mother and aunt decided to support the match. what a magnificent crown of hair frames her face! What lovely soft eyes she has, and lips like strawberries.” Efforts were made to steer his attentions to the older sister. Her aunt, Archduchess Sophie, recalled in her diary her son’s outpourings of praise: “Oh, but how sweet Sisi is. Soon after the three women arrived, eagle-eyed courtiers could not help but notice how the young emperor’s attention was directed not at Helene but at her younger sister. She seemed a bit player in a drama reserved for Helene. She was so shy that she had trouble eating in the presence of the Austrians. She appeared very much a child, still dressing simply and wearing her hair in two braids. Shy and introverted, Sisi showed no interest in romance. A surprise engagementĪt first, only Helene and Ludovika were to make the journey that summer, but Sisi joined them. Following discussions between her mother and Sophie, Helene was invited to Bad Ischl, the town where the imperial family summered, with a view to securing an engagement in 1853. He looked to be a promising catch, and Ludovika set her sights on him.Īt age 15, Sisi was too young to be considered a potential mate for the emperor, and the family focused on her eldest sister, Helene, whose elegance, piety, and reserve would be essential qualities for an emperor’s consort. In 1848 their unmarried son, Franz Josef, became Austrian emperor at age 18. Sisi’s maternal aunt, Sophie, was married to the Archduke of Austria, Franz Karl. Her father, the duke, was a music-loving bon viveur with notably liberal views that filtered down to his children.Īs Sisi and her sisters grew, her mother Ludovika’s thoughts turned to their marriage. Her childhood was unusually informal for the time and for her status. Nicknamed Sisi from a young age, Elisabeth loved nature and spent her summers in the comfortable family mansion on the banks of Lake Starnberg south of Munich.
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