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 […]
What may appear as mere small talk around Archduke Leopold’s birthday dinner table in fact reflects the precarious situation on the theatre of war in early May 1757. A Prussian army of about 100,000 men, led by King Friedrich himself and three of his generals, advanced towards Prague. Thanks to Field Marshal Browne, the Austrian […]
In retrospect of the early days of The Case of Princess Schwarzenberg, I must admit that the death of the Prince, her husband, at a deer hunt in June 1732 was what first caught my attention. Hunting is, of course, intrinsically a dangerous entertainment, and accidents occurred in the past as they do in our […]
According to Count Khevenhüller’s Tagebuch, Marianne left the Hofburg for Hetzendorf on 2 May to spend the summer season there. This former hunting lodge was considered far more suitable for her convalescence than the vast, overcrowded, and noisy Schönbrunn. The cosy and compact Hetzendorf Palace has remained largely unchanged to this day, making it easy […]
Archduchess Maria Elisabeth, the daughter of Emperor Leopold I and long-time governess of the Austrian Netherlands, died on 26 August 1741. With her, the dynasty lost a talented political leader and administrator. In 1715, after the defeat in the War of the Spanish Succession, Austria received the Spanish Netherlands as compensation. Due to widespread hostility […]
Archduchess Marianne is, without doubt, an unusual investigator. She began her efforts with no belief whatsoever that any offence had been committed. Moreover, she was rather reluctant to cast suspicion on any of the people involved; indeed, she had every reason to interpret the evidence and circumstances in their favour. Then, just as she reaches […]
The reader’s patience will be rewarded in Chapter 22, which finally breaks the ice. In a half-dream, Archduchess Marianne stumbles upon an insight buried deep within her subconscious and allows herself to be carried away by its thrilling force. Already agitated, she then receives a letter from Mademoiselle Leontine. An unimaginable, breathtaking announcement suddenly lends […]
As the first half of the novel draws to a close, a responsible author – seeking their readers’ approval – should prepare them for an imminent, unexpected twist. However, before a fresh impulse re-ignites Archduchess Marianne’s full engagement, let us enjoy a moment of anticipation and join an after-supper entertainment in her salon. Beyond great […]
This chapter serves as a bridge between two psychologically distinct phases. Although Archduchess Marianne has declared the case closed, her mind has not entirely left the mystery behind. Moreover, new pieces of information continue to reach her. Princess Schwarzenberg signed her last will a week before her death. The only published citation reads as follows: […]
Throughout the narrative, I have been sketching Archduchess Marianne’s psychological portrait and her strenuous family relations. This chapter brings that subject fully into focus. In the presence of her confessor, she pours out all the anxiety that has gathered in her heart. At first glance, one might consider this a minor sideline with no direct […]
Access to the Metatext via placing an order for an augmented product. See Terms of Use
