The scene of Joseph and Karl Joseph’s boyish nagging is based on their true characters. The teenage Archdukes — aged sixteen and thirteen at the time of the narrative — embodied a classic brotherly rivalry between two quite opposite personalities. Joseph, destined one day to inherit the imperial throne and fully conscious of his exalted position, often appeared arrogant and spoiled, at times even sarcastic and patronising toward his siblings.
Karl Joseph, by contrast, was widely admired for his bright, friendly nature and charming manners, which made him the Empress’s favourite son — a position Joseph deeply, if thinly, resented. Yet even Karl Joseph’s sparkling personality concealed a streak of imprudence and insubordination. In any case, the brothers’ jealousy and open rivalry contributed significantly to the everyday tensions within the imperial family.
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