The Emperor Franz Joseph and Elisabeth of Bavaria were married on 24 April 1854. The event was truly one to be called the wedding of the century. Those who have seen the 1955-1957 romantic trilogy Sissi, starring Romy Schneider, can easily imagine the fairy-tale aura surrounding the young, beautiful couple.
Unfortunately, it was merely a façade, concealing the deep incompatibility of two immature and fundamentally different personalities. Court life in Vienna, with its restrictions, routine, and strict etiquette, proved unbearable for the romantic and sensitive Empress. Franz Joseph, on the other hand, with his extremely developed sense of duty, was overwhelmed by state affairs and simply could not comprehend her psychological needs.
No unhappy marriage is ever complete without a third party. In the case of Franz Joseph and Elisabeth, the role of the ambiguous, controlling, and interfering mother-in-law was filled by Archduchess Sophie. The Emperor, although never rude or neglectful towards his young wife, had very little time for her and generally sided with his mother. Elisabeth’s well-known eccentricities, obsession with beauty, and constant travelling were largely forms of compensation for the emotional needs unfulfilled by Franz Joseph and the deep wounds inflicted by Sophie.
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