Arckduchess Sofia the mother in law of Sisi

 

THE " pestiferous " REAL -law : Archduchess Sofia

Among the numerous examples above , however, one has remained in the popular memory refreshed because of a series of popular films which , while respecting the historical truth only in palms , from this point of view, they told neither more nor less than the reality . In short, if the Empress Elizabeth of Austria , the legendary Sissi, already neurotic , unstable and unhappy with her , over the years slips into hysteria has to do to secure the family inheritance , but also the mother-in-law had a good dose of objective responsibility. A mother-in-law who ( as in the case of Blanche of Castile ) is a woman whose son , sovereign only 18 years old, owes much if not all .Sophie of Bavaria (left in a youthful portrait ) is very young and romantic girlfriend ex officio when the Archduke Francis Charles , brother "spiritually and physically deficient " Emperor of Austria in turn seriously ill. The princess , beautiful and graceful , certainly did not have dreamed of a husband like that , but it also has a strong sense of duty and a lot of character, and then dry the tears decides to bravely face their own destiny, take control of the situation , becomes a powerful woman and you get used to fend for herself . And in 1848, when yet another revolution pushes the reigning sovereign to abdicate convinces Sofia , effortlessly , her brilliant husband not to leave the place and the crown to the young son Franz Joseph. You will never be Empress , but manages to put on the throne that , in all senses is his creature, that is a perfectly polite young man , aware of its responsibilities , hard worker and person of integrity . In short, a sovereign perfectly adheres to the policy desired by the same Sofia: sovereignty by the grace of God , king of the autocracy , repression of any popular will and rejection of parliamentarism . Present in every moment of the life of his son, who loves her deeply and is extremely devoted Sofia , obviously wants to have its say when it comes to choosing a bride , which must first be appropriate to the role and rank.The story , again thanks to the film , is known , Archduchess finds the perfect candidate , Elena daughter of his sister Ludovica and a prince of a collateral branch of the royal house of Bavaria, the Wittelsbach , is organizing the meeting . His plans , however, go up in smoke , because the young emperor falls in love with Sissi , the beautiful younger sister of the bride of your choice. Elizabeth is too young , educated in a summary manner (like all the girls at the time, but in most duchesses "in" Bavaria were not parties of interest ) , less inclined to respect the rules , not reflexive , "light" , in short, according to Sophia, the worst of the worst . It matters little that the Emperor is madly in love , dynastic politics has more feelings ; stiff and old-fashioned in the court of Vienna , a loving marriage is seen as an issue to be philistines .But there's nothing to do, the two are married with great pomp and painful ménage à trois begins. Sofia , which considers the daughter / granddaughter immature and silly, is determined to take charge of the situation and it does on the morning after the wedding night , when it falls into the parlor where the two newlyweds are having breakfast .The presence of the mother-in-law - aunt, for years perfectly inserted in the gears , mechanisms , and almost medieval in strict protocol of the Habsburg court , prevents Sissi "rejuvenate " the atmosphere and above all to be herself . But there's more , Sofia is the soul of the monarchy itself , is the champion of the imperial dignity , and has an immense power within the family.

By the time living with what many call " the empress secret " becomes impossible because Sofia wants to have absolute control over the life of the daughter in law which implicitly relies on only two tasks , represent the ideal wife and give birth to an heir. Everything else takes care her mom very much loved and feared the young emperor. Grandchildren , Sofia and Gisela and then the Crown Prince Rudolf ( he is , to Mayerling ) , Archduchess it " seizes " as they are in the world and decides everything regarding their education . The Archduchess Sophie explains the most famous biographer of Sissi Brigitte Hamann , " reserved the right to decide in any case , it was family issues or political affairs . In addition, she was used to being obeyed . His wife was dependent , in every way , from her. The four children - Francis Joseph, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian , Charles Louis and Louis Victor - seen since childhood in her the highest authority in the world and did not dare to object . " This is not the case -law of the Empress, with which the clashes become more and more ferocious . Consequently, the climate at the Hofburg , the Vienna residence of the emperor, is made heavier every day , because Francis Joseph struggles to choose between his mother and his wife. The standoff between the two women is devastating and slowly destroys the relationship of a couple who , among other things , has nothing in common. After the birth of their children Elizabeth begins to become aware of its role and tries to rebel against the mother-in-law considered omnipotent. Leveraging a loveliness that is thriving in the splendor of which they speak witnesses and portraits , the Empress convinces her husband to entrust the education of children in full control . Not that affect the children more than they should ( in fact will only dell'ultimogenita Maria Valeria , the daughter of Hungarian ) , but this means away Sofia , to which the child does not dare to speak in person. The news that the little dukes will be transferred to another wing of the Hofburg is communicated by letter.But the victory is short-lived , in 1857, Elizabeth, against the wishes of the mother-in-law , carries with it the two girls , who just two years and one year , traveling to Budapest. The largest falls ill and dies, and Sofia takes over again , but at this point the Empress begins to resign and isolate themselves more and more from her husband, the court and life in Austria and begin his evasions . "Sofia - notes Hamann - fails to ' educate ' the daughter in law as he wished , on the other hand , however, escapes the monarchy and the imperial family a promising and talented personality , Sissi forced to isolate themselves ." And what is worse, because the Empress is an intelligent woman and acute , to create a life of its parallel , often in contrast with that of her husband and mother-in-law . The Archduchess Sophie hates the Hungarians , well Elizabeth becomes their champion , he studied the language difficult , surrounds himself with Hungarian nobles and her ladies of the court are only from Budapest, in more autonomist supports the aims of this turbulent region of the empire.

In any case, the ideas and political positions of the wife of little interest to Francis Joseph that the affairs of state speaks only with his mother, always fidatissima and listened to his counselor. It does not matter that Sofia represents the past , and is not of any help in the transition to the new . The Archduchess defends with all his might the conservative state , the idea of sovereignty, only by the grace of God and the Concordat , but unfortunately for her the Austria since 1867 has a Constitution and the Concordat was repealed .

Obviously Elizabeth reaction to challenge and develop ideas contrary to those of mother and child often loses control of herself and the situation, challenge the family and society , causing the environment that surrounds it and the mother-in-law in the first place , but all this backfires . The natural consequence is that the emperor , exasperated by the constant quarrels between his wife and mother, seeking consolation elsewhere and , of course, no one in Vienna has nothing to say .

But is it really the fault of the mother-in-law pestiferous ? In fact , no matter how unpleasant it can be the attitude of domination and intrusion dell'autoritaria Sofia , Archduchess mother has an easy to fit into an already difficult enough and the source origin in a relationship right away full of cracks and misunderstandings. Because , legends aside, Franz Joseph and Elisabeth are one of the worst assorted pairs of real history . Puts it well and without false halos romantic , Franz Herre also one of the most authoritative biographer of the Emperor, " Francis Joseph was engaged hastily , without thinking too much about his future bride , without wondering if that would support fifteen as befitted the role of wife and empress . " " It was one of two mortgages of his life - continues Herre - on one hand the throne gotten too early and maintained for too long and the other reckless union with a woman too young, too unprepared and , as would be seen later , refractory to mature as a woman and as empress. The only advantage that the Emperor he obtained it was the joy manifested by his subjects at the beginning and then their constant compassion. " Elizabeth is a sensitive woman ensnared by the imagination , man chained to a barren and obsessed with work and duty , which never had any understanding of the complicated psychic life of her.

Sophia died May 27, 1872 , but for years has been a shadow of itself. The Mexican adventure of his son Maximilian, Emperor ephemeral shot at Queretaro, removes the force to exist. For Francis Joseph her mother's death is a blow , only she still offered a semblance of family life, but it was his most faithful counselor, the teacher , the guide. In Vienna, even those who do not sympathize with the political ideas of Sofia can not fail to recognize the value , the sense of duty of duty, the latter absent in Elizabeth. The Liberals are hoping that with the disappearance of the Empress Sofia take the field and finally reappropriate the place that needs replacing even the mother-in-law as a political adviser . But Sissi , lost in his dreams, in his studies and in his travels , now prevents the court . The crisis of the Empire does not care , does not care how her husband and children .

from site : http://www.altezzareale.com/2010/08/09/donne-reali/altezza-reale-rewind-le-pestifere-suocere-reali/


 

Archduke Franz Karl of Austria

Archduke Franz Karl Joseph of Austria (17 December 1802 – 8 March 1878) from the House of Habsburg was father of two emperors (Franz Joseph I of Austria and Maximilian I of Mexico) as well as the grandfather of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, whose assassination sparked the hostilities that led to the outbreak of World War I, and the great-grandfather of the last Habsburg emperor Karl I.

origin
  Franz Karl was the third son of Emperor Francis I and his second wife, his cousin Princess Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily (1772-1807) a daughter of King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies adH Bourbon (1751-1825) and his wife Archduchess Maria Carolina of Austria.

marriage
  On 4 November 1824 in Vienna he married Princess Sophie Friederike of Bavaria (1805-1872), daughter of Maximilian I of Bavaria and his second wife, Princess Caroline Friederike Wilhelmine of Baden.

life
  Franz Karl of Austria. Photography by Rosa Jenik, Hoffotografin
Franz Karl of Austria's history was insignificant, although he was involved in the secret state conference, which controlled the fate of the country, because his brother Ferdinand I was unfit to rule.
  At the urging of his wife, Francis Charles waived on 2 Resigned in December 1848 to the imperial throne when Ferdinand I.. Archduke Franz Karl died in Vienna in 1878. He survived, so his wife of six years.
  He was the last Habsburg was buried in the old court protocol: The heart urn in the Augustinian Church, St. Stephen's Cathedral in the intestines and the rest in the Imperial Crypt.

Interests
Franz Karl was very interested in art and culture. He appeared often as a patron for cultural facilities. The most famous is probably the institution of its kind that bears his name in honor of Francisco Carolinum in Linz.
After the birth of his children Franz Karl went often alone into the Salzkammergut, to hunt and to attend productions at the theater in Bad Ischl. This provincial theater with extremely mediocre performances lacked the money to every nook and corner and the search was for some time for a generous patron. Franz Karl was the knight in shining armor, as the theater was close to ruin. He bought all the tickets for all performances during his presence at Ischl and sat whole evenings together with a few people in his court otherwise empty theater. These private performances had a program according to his wishes. At his departure he paid the actors nor the fee for the whole year. Because of his generosity, he was in Bad Ischl most popul

Progeny
The four brothers (from left to right): Ludwig Viktor, Franz Joseph Karl Ludwig and Ferdinand Maximilian (1859) Franz Joseph (1830-1916) ∞ 1854 Princess Elizabeth (Sissi), daughter of Duke Maximilian of Bavaria and his wife Princess Ludovica of Bavaria
Ferdinand Maximilian (1832-1867), Emperor of Mexico ∞ 1857 Princess Charlotte, daughter of King Leopold I of Belgium and his second wife, Princess Louise of Orléans
Charles Louis (1833-1896)
First ∞ 1856 Princess Margaret, daughter of King John I of Saxony and his wife Princess Amalie Auguste of Bavaria
Second ∞ 1862 Princess Maria Annunziata, daughter of King Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies and his wife Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria Isabella
3rd ∞ 1873 Princess Marie Therese, daughter of King Michael I of Portugal and his wife, Princess Adelaide of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg
Maria Anna (1835-1840), she died after severe seizures with just four years on the 5th February 1840 in Vienna.
stillborn son (* / † 24 October 1840)
Ludwig Viktor (1842-1919),unmarried

From site : http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Karl_von_%C3%96sterreich

Archduke Franz Karl of Austria : the father of Franz Josef