He was emperor of the Habsburg Monarchy for 68 years; his reign permanently influenced European history. An exhibition in Austria marks the centenary of Franz Joseph's death on November 21 - and goes beyond the myths.
Image: KHM-Museumsverband
Advertisement
The long rule of Emperor Franz Joseph
The mark the centenary of Franz Joseph's death in 1916, Austria is holding an exhibition in four different locations. The show explores different aspects of his long reign and aims to go beyond the myths.
Image: Schloß Schönbrunn/S. Rieger
The long-reigning monarch
Emperor Franz Joseph ruled over the Habsburg Monarchy for 68 years and died on November 21, 1916. For the centenary of his death, an Austrian exhibition explores in four locations the different facets of Franz Joseph's reign and life. Beyond the myths surrounding this figure, the show explores the impact of his long rule in a multi-ethnic empire and the emergence of a modern political landscape.
Image: Schloß Schönbrunn/ E. Knaack
Beginning and end
Franz Joseph was born in Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace in 1830. With more than 1,400 rooms and a 160-hectare park, it is Austria's most important castle. Several hundred employees worked in the Emperor's summer residence, which served as the cultural and political center of the Habsburg Empire. Franz Joseph also died there on November 21, 1916, at the age of 86, while the First World War was raging.
Image: Schloß Schönbrunn/A. E. Koller
Eternal homage to the Emperor
In this painting, various princes pay homage to Franz Joseph in 1908, on the 60th anniversary of his rule. It would go on another eight years. The Emperor, a dutiful person, was committed to keeping his multi-ethnic empire united, even if it meant creating the Compromise that established the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary in 1867. The pragmatic Franz Joseph was said to despise festivities.
Image: Schloß Schönbrunn/ Fotograf: A.E. Koller
The long-awaited heir
His predecessor, Ferdinand I, was unable to father a child. The Habsburgs desperately set their hopes on the offspring of his brother, Archduke Franz Karl. Following several miscarriages, Franz Joseph was finally born in 1830. The dynasty was saved. His mother, Princess Sophie of Bavaria, would start training him as a heir at a very young age.
Image: Schloß Schönbrunn/E. Knaack
Strict training
As soon as it became apparent that Franz Joseph was to become the future emperor, a demanding education program was established, teaching him dutifulness, religion and dynastic awareness. He spent some 18 hours a week on these tasks as a child, and the program increased to 50 hours after his 16th birthday. Barely aged 18, Franz Joseph I ascended the throne of the Habsburg Monarchy.
Image: KHM-Museumsverband
Failed assassination attempt
Hopes were high when Franz Joseph I came to power; deep disappointment followed when he too turned out to be a harsh and reactionary ruler. In 1853, a Hungarian nationalist stabbed him in the neck for the merciless way he dealt with Hungarian revolutionaries. The Emperor survived, and the aggressor was hanged.
Image: KHM-Museumsverband
The man at her side
In 1854, Franz Joseph married his cousin Elisabeth, named "Sisi," who was seven years younger than him. Nowadays, the enchanting empress is seen as one of the most popular representatives of the Habsburg dynasty. Franz Joseph is said to have fallen in love with her at first sight, and he revered his wife throughout his lifetime - even though she apparently did not fully reciprocate his feelings.
Image: Schloß Schönbrunn/S. Rieger
The aging emperor
Around the turn of the 20th century, the empire's population waited in vain for real solutions to social problems and right-extremist forces in the "Balkan powder keg." Following the assassination attempt against the heir to the throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Emperor Franz Joseph I declared war to Serbia in 1914 - and WWI erupted.
Image: Schloß Schönbrunn
The funerary carriage
Franz Joseph outlived his beloved wife, his daughter and his son. Sisi was stabbed to death in Geneva at the age of 60. His daughter Sophie had already died as a young child, aged 2. His only son Rudolph committed suicide in 1889. Whether the heir apparent felt unable to fulfill his political responsibilities or pained by love, speculations on his motivations still abound to this day.
Image: KHM-Museumsverband
The myth lives on
The monarchy ended with his death. But in the awareness of many Austrians, he became a symbolic figure. Franz Joseph died from pneumonia at age 86. He maintained his dutiful way of life until the very end. His last words are said to have been: "I haven't been able to finish my work, please wake me up tomorrow morning at half past three, as usual."
Image: Schloß Schönbrunn/S. Rieger
10 images1 | 10
The special exhibition "Franz Joseph 1830-1916 - Centenary of the Emperor's Death" explores different facets of the life and reign of the monarch who died 100 years ago on November 21, 1916.
"Man and Monarch," held in the historical Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, explores the personality of the ruler and the fundamental events in his life.
"Majesty & Modesty," shown at the Imperial Carriage Museum, focuses on how the emperor staged his image. Although huge sums were spent on runninng the court, Franz Joseph was proud of his frugal personal requirements.
"Festivities & Everyday Life" is the part of the exhibition organized at the Imperial Furniture Collection. It contrasts Franz Joseph's strict daily duties with the events and festivities that contributed to mythologizing the long-reigning monarch. Franz Joseph also became the first emperor to be immortalized through voice recordings and film.
"Hunting & Recreation" is the fourth topic of the exhibition and is hosted at Schloss Niederweiden in Lower Austria. It shows how hunting was not only a pastime of the Habsburg dynasty; it also provided the opportunity to informally exchange on important political matters.
The exhibition opened on March 16 and runs through November 27.
