How many children did the couple have and at what intervals were they born? Who was the “Hungarian child” and later became the angel of Wallsee?
On April 24, 1854, Emperor Franz Joseph married his cousin Elisabeth (1837-1898 ), who was seven years his junior. Sophie, Franz Joseph’s mother, was also his aunt and the marriage also made her Sisi’s mother-in-law.
The marriage between Franz Joseph and Elisabeth produced four children : three daughters and one son:
Sophie Friederike (1855-1857) died of an intestinal infection at the age of just two. This plunged the young couple into their first crisis.
Gisela (1856-1932) grew up together with her brother Rudolf (1858-1889) , who was two years younger, under the care of their grandmother Sophie. Elisabeth was considered too young and inexperienced to raise her children herself. As a result, the two children had little contact with their mother, who was also away on sick leave a lot.
Gisela was very close to her father, Emperor Franz Joseph. The two shared a similar sober character. At the age of 16, she was married to Prince Leopold of Bavaria and they had four children.
Crown Prince Rudolf (1858-1889) was the longed-for heir to the throne, but he did not become a ruling member of the Habsburg dynasty. He is regarded as the tragic figure of the declining monarchy. Compared to his father, Emperor Franz Joseph, he had progressive ideas that he was unable to implement. He preferred to commit suicide together with his lover Mary Vetsera.
At the age of 21, Sisi was already a mother of three.
The youngest daughter, Marie Valerie (1868-1924), was born a long way behind her siblings as a “latecomer”. Marie Valerie was born in Budapest and was therefore considered a “Hungarian child”. Sisi spoke only Hungarian with her youngest daughter and brought her up accordingly.
Marie Valerie married Archduke Franz Salvator, who was a distant relative from the Tuscan line of the House of Habsburg. From this fruitful union, 10 children were born. The family with many children had their main residence at Wallsee Castle in western Lower Austria. She was very charitable and has therefore gone down in history as the Angel of Wallsee.
Franz Joseph had numerous descendants, 15 grandchildren and 55 great-grandchildren.
Time Travel Tip: You can find out more about Emperor Franz Joseph, Sisi and their children in the Imperial Apartments in the Hofburg or at Schönbrunn Palace.
More info: Hofburg Vienna (hofburg-wien.at)
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