Gödöllő Palace: Sisi’s favourite lodgings

I'm delighted to welcome Julia Meister to the salon once more, as your guide to Gödöllő Palace, the favourite billet of Sisi!

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For anyone as obsessed with the Habsburgs and Empress Elisabeth of Austria – the famous Sisi! – as I am, it is almost a duty to have visited Gödöllő Palace at least once in a lifetime. The trouble is that, once you’ve been there, you will most likely want to visit the Palace again and again. It’s that special! 

A memorial to Sisi

The lovely town of Gödöllő is only a short train ride away from Budapest, Hungary’s magnificent capital. I strongly recommend a visit to Gödöllő if you happen to be in Budapest – if you can manage to drag yourself away from all the Sisi-related sights (Buda Castle with its imperial splendour, the Gerbeaud café, where Sisi used to devour hot chocolate…), that is! Just tell yourself that Sisi would have done the same: She simply loved to escape to Gödöllő Palace. In fact, she stayed there for a total of 2000 days over the span of her life, which obviously created quite a stir in Vienna. The Empress did not enjoy staying at the Hofburg and Schönbrunn Palace at all, and that is putting it mildly! 

Sisi was not only the Queen of Hungary, but also a Hungarian at heart. She loved their way of life, their fierce pride of their home country, their language, and, maybe most importantly, their passion for horse riding. To me, Gödöllő Palace, out of all the Habsburg palaces, is the place which captures Sisi’s spirit the most; you can almost still feel her presence there. 

So just hop onto an HÉV train (line H8) at Örs vezér tere (you can reach this station via metro line 2; the fares are very cheap, which is always a bonus), and enjoy the relaxing ride to Gödöllő in a lovely train that has a very nostalgic feel to it (the trains were actually built 40 years ago in Berlin!). The landscape along the way doesn’t hurt, either! 

Then, by all means, get out at Gödöllő, Erzsébet park, so that, before reaching the Palace, you can visit the Empress herself in her own special park, which can be found on the left hand side of the train station. Just walk straight through the alley of lush, green trees – and by then, you will have already spotted her: Sisi, umbrella in hand, pleased to meet you! Certainly the perfect photo opportunity for every devoted fan. The statue is, in my opinion, one of the best ones of the Empress ever made. Although we don’t really know what she looked in high definition, and given her daughter Marie Valerie’s mention that there has never been a picture that truly does Sisi justice, in my head, that statue almost one hundred percent visualises what I think she looked like (confusing, I know!). Moving on straight ahead, there are yet more Elisabeth memorials to be discovered: Yes, the Hungarians really still do love and cherish her as much as she did them! 

The castle entrance

Now it’s time to visit the actual Palace. If you go back to the main road and walk in the direction of the train you’ve just been on, you will get to Gödöllő Palace in no time. You will fall in love with it the minute you see it: It’s the biggest Baroque palace in Hungary, and, with its bright pink and blue paint, looks very much like it has just been transported to Earth from a fairytale. Tickets can be bought at the ticket shop in the vast entrance hall (the staff is always very friendly and helpful; I can only imagine how much they must love working there!). 

From the minute you step into the actual rooms of the Palace, given that it is not too crowded with other tourists, you almost forget that you needed to buy tickets at all: It feels like you are visiting it as a friend of Sisi’s, or shall I say Erzsebet’s? While still being grand and worthy of an Empress, the Palace also feels cosy and homely. You can really imagine Sisi sitting down for tea, conversing with court lady Ida Ferenczy, and with little Marie Valerie, ‘the Hungarian child’, running around. The rooms are all furnished with bright colours, with Sisi’s rooms being dominated by the colour violet, her favourite one. There are numerous pictures and paintings of the Empress herself to be discovered (the Palace features a Memorial Exhibition), but also of her family, her spouse Franz Joseph, her children, her court ladies, and, of course, her horses! 

One particular painting to watch out for is that of the Hungarian Coronation, which took place in 1867 and will, in fact, be commemorated in Budapest in 2017. The painting is of an enormous size, and its grandeur and how it perfectly captures that moment in Hungarian history still take my breath away every time I see it in person (I have been lucky enough to have visited the Palace twice already, but I don’t think I will ever tire of this painting!). 

Sisi

In 1751, when Gödöllő Palace still belonged to its original owner, Count Antal Grassalkovich, Empress Maria Theresia stayed at the Palace for a very short time. Grassalkovich had a succession of rooms furnished to meet Maria Theresia’s needs. Today, a section of these rooms is still dedicated to the memory of Maria Theresia, with a huge painting of hers. Standing in front of it, I have to admit it gave me goose bumps: To think that this forward-thinking, remarkable lady had once stayed right here, and that I’m standing where she once might have stood! 

A proper statue of Maria Theresia can actually be found in the grounds of the Palace Gardens. If the weather is decent, I’d highly recommend for you to take a stroll through the gardens. Sisi, Franz Joseph and her children used to lead an almost bourgeois existence here, without the inhibitions of the strict etiquette of the Viennese court. In Gödöllő, they could enjoy a life of leisure with their children and – always an important point for Sisi! – their animals, too! Sisi loved large dogs, and you can imagine how much these dogs enjoyed the freedom the gardens of Gödöllő Palace brought. And so did Sisi, who has often been called the best horsewoman of her time; the gardens of Gödöllő Palace and the surrounding woods were perfect for horse riding. She often invited fellow horsemen to Gödöllő Palace, so they could all go on hunts together. Sisi also honed her dressage riding skills in the riding hall of the Palace.

I’d love to hear from any readers who have been to Gödöllő and have fallen in love with the Palace, too! Please share your memories and anecdotes of the Palace in the comment section. Köszönöm, barátaim!

Julia Meister is an 18th/19th Century enthusiast, and is especially interested in the social history of women. She has a vast knowledge of royal mistresses and is fascinated by their political power. Whilst she loves British and French history, her main passion is the Habsburg Empire: When on holiday, she can most likely be found visiting a castle within the realms of the former Austro-Hungarian region that has once been inhabited by Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Buda Castle, Gödöllő Palace and Vienna’s Hofburg are among her favourites). In 2016, Julia wrote and recorded the texts for Marienfließ Convent’s audioguide – the first female Cistercian convent in the Brandenburg area of Germany, founded in 1231. She is currently seeking new ways of indulging her passion for history and writing.

"Pity, Pity - Too Late!": The Death of Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (Bonn, Electorate of Cologne, 17th December 1770 – Vienna, Austria, 26th March 1827)

Beethoven by Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820

On this day in 1827, Ludwig van Beethoven died. A musical legend, his name and compositions are feted throughout the world and used across a variety of media. Even if you don't think you know any of Beethoven's work, the chances are that you definitely do. By the time Beethoven died he had lived a life of great triumph and tragedy and even his death was not without some drama!

In the final years of his life, Beethoven’s health had been somewhat precarious and for the three months preceding his death, he had been overcome with vomiting and diarrhoea that caused him to take to his bed. Although he had experienced such episodes before, it soon became apparent to the composer’s friends that this time he would not recover. The efforts of doctors including Andreas Wawruch to relieve his suffering proved fruitless and those who cared for the composer were instructed to visit and pay their last respects, as time was growing short. Still lucid, though weak, the last words spoken by Beethoven were "pity, pity - too late!", when the ailing composer was told that a gift of wine he had been expecting had finally arrived.

Beethoven received the last rites on 24th March, just two days before he lost consciousness. Throughout his final days he was attended by his friend, the composer Anselm Hüttenbrenner, and he recorded his memories of those fateful hours, when a violent thunderstorm raged overhead. In the moments before his death, a thunderclap sounded directly over his Vienna home and Beethoven, for a moment, regained his senses.  He lifted his head and stretched out his arm for a second before the breath deserted him and, sinking back onto the bed, the great composer died.

Beethoven's death mask by Josef Danhauser

Beethoven had been so distressed by his own illness that he requested that an autopsy be performed and this procedure took place on 27^th March. Under the direction of Doctor Johann Wagner, it was revealed that the composer’s liver had suffered severe damage and showed signs of advanced cirrhosis. High levels of metal and lead were found in his blood, presumably having been consumed whilst drinking contaminated alcohol and throughout his organs there were signs of advanced and serious illness. Whether the cirrhosis was a result of alcoholism or other illness has never been adequately proven and explanations including hepatitis and syphilis have been put forward over the years.

Beethoven was laid to rest in the Währing cemetery on 29^th March amid scenes of intense public mourning; though the composer was dead, however, his music lived on and continues to sound to this very day.

Musical Monday: Johannes Matthias Sperger

Johannes Matthias Sperger (Feldsberg, Lower Austria, 23rd March 1750 – Schwerin, Germany, 13th May 1812)

Today is our semi-regular Monday appointment with a composer of the long eighteenth century and Johannes Matthias Sperger is a gentleman I have only encountered in the last six months.

In his long career, Sperger proved himself to be a highly prolific composer who wrote concertos, choral pieces, symphonies and more. He enjoyed a highly successful career in Europe and it is my pleasure to share his work with you today.

The Funeral of Mozart

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart; Salzburg, Austria, 27th January 1756, Salzburg - Vienna, Austria, 5th December 1791)

Last year, I marked the death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by publishing the tale of his final hours, the facts of which are so often confused with the fiction depicted in the excellent play and film, Amadeus. In that same post I addressed the circumstances of his funeral, so often and erroneously reported as a pauper's funeral. Today I thought I would revisit the sad day on which the composer went to the grave, an event which is frequently misunderstood.

Detail of the face of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Johann Nepomuk della Croce, 1780

It is often said of Mozart that he was buried in a pauper's grave, slung into an unmarked pit and stripped of his dignity and identity. In fact, this was not the case at all; Mozart's funeral was not unlike hundreds of other burials that took part that same year for people who, though not paupers, simply couldn't afford the astronomical cost of a private funeral. Though his grave was a common plot, it was not a pauper's pit; rather, a common grave was an individual plot that the city might reuse after a decade and there was nothing unusual or shameful about being buried in one. Indeed, only the most noble were allowed the honour of claiming a grave that wouldn't be reused when space got tight!

The composer went to his grave as one of half a dozen occupants of the plot in question, each person often memorialised by a simple wooden marker. Around the turn of the century, as was the custom, Mozart's remains were disinterred so that the plot might be reused and it is at this point that the location of his final resting place was lost as were so many in the era. 

Mozart was certainly memorialised at services in Vienna and Prague and his widow, Constanze, received many donations towards the cost of her husband's funeral, as well as the upkeep of her family. I for one am certainly pleased that the composer didn't go to a pauper's grave, but this episode does offer a fascinating insight into some burial traditions that seem utterly alien to us today!

The Fungi that Felled an Emperor

Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor (Vienna, Austria, 1st October 1685 - Vienna, Austria, 20th October 1740)

Emperor Charles VI by Martin van Meytens

Newly returned from Europe with a brace of tales of medicine, it it with no small sense of excitement that I welcome Dr Dillingham to the salon. Over a hearty meal that happily, does not feature mushrooms, he shared with me the story of the fungi that felled an emperor and it is my privilege to share that with you today, in the week of the anniversary of Charles IV's death.

On 10th October 1740, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV had really had his fill of problems. Beset by   political intrigue, territorial disputes and possible financial ruin, fate decided that what he really needed to top it all was a nasty cold. Out of sorts and with the worries of the world piling on his shoulders, Charles decided to take the advice of the old wives' tale of "feed a cold, starve a fever," and set out to assuage his hunger, hopefully, battle the illness.

Accordingly, he dined royally on a meal of mushrooms stewed in Catalan oil, one of his favourite dishes. Unfortunately, the seemingly innocent mushrooms were anything but and, quite by accident, the Holy Roman Emperor had filled his belly with deadly death cap mushrooms.

The Death Scene of the Emperor Charles VI from Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Vol. 40, 1870

Within hours Charles fell into a terrible sickness and his doctors were summoned yet found themselves unable to diagnose or treat their patient. For ten long days the unfortunate man lingered on in digestive agony and, at a loss as to what else could be done, his advisers had him taken to rest in the Favourite Palace in Vienna. It was here that Charles IV died, leading to a succession crisis that would engulf his lands and House for almost a decade.

Life in the Georgian Court, true tales of 18th century royalty, is available at the links below.

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The Premiere of The Magic Flute

After attending the premieres of The Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni, it seems only right that we take a carriage to the theatre once more and watch the curtain rise on The Magic Flute, the first opera I ever saw on stage!

Detail of the face of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Johann Nepomuk della Croce, 1780

The story begins in 1780 when Mozart met the impresario, Emanuel Schikaneder, when his troupe visited Salzburg and befriended the composer's family. The two men saw in one another kindred spirits and when the company took up residence at the Theater auf der Wieden in 1789, Mozart often visited the theatre. The company staged a serious of fairytale productions were staged that appeared to culminate in The Magic Flute, which tied together many themes and concepts seen in other pieces. 

Schikaneder and Mozart collaborated on the opera and Schikaneder wrote the libretto, working closely with the composer to ensure that his vision might be adhered to and that each of his company would see their particular talents showcased appropriately. With the premiere scheduled for 30th September 1791, the production became the must-have theatrical ticket of the season and when the curtain rose, Mozart himself conducted whilst Schikaneder performed as Papageno. The Magic Flute was an enormous success and went on to play for over one hundred performances, usually to packed houses as audiences flocked to see the celebrated new opera. Critics lauded it as a triumph, with Mozart himself attending on numerous occasions simply to enjoy the work he had helped to create.

Schikaneder as Papageno

Schikaneder and Mozart's success was to be darkened by tragedy as on 5th December, Mozart died. Devastated at the loss of his friend and collaborator, Schikaneder staged a benefit performance of The Magic Flute for the composer's bereaved family and it has been performed all over the world ever since, bringing a fairytale world to life for centuries. 

The Short Musical Life of Marianna Auenbrugger

Marianna Auenbrugger (Vienna, Austria, 19th July 1759 – Vienna, Austria, 25th August 1782)

Today's guest is a most musical lady. Daughter to a renowned physician, her life and career were all too short and her music is little-heard today. Despite my best efforts I have been unable to find a portrait or drawing of the lady in question but if you can help, I would be delighted to hear from you!

Marianna was born to physician Leopold Auenbrugger and his wife, Anna. and her childhood was far from easy. Frail and in poor health, the young girl nevertheless threw herself into her studies as her father, himself a lover of music, decided that his daughters should enjoy a rich education. Leopold counted Haydn and Leopold Mozart among his friends and held regular musical soirees at his home with Antonio Salieri a regular attendee and family friend. In fact, Auenbrugger would later serve as best man to the composer whilst Haydn dedicated a series of sonatas to Marianna and her sister.

Marianna and her sister regularly performed as a pianist at these events and Salieri took her into his tutelage, deeply impressed by her talent as a composer and musician. Sadly her early promise did not have chance to flourish and she died aged just 23, a victim of consumption. Following her death Salieri paid to have her Keyboard Sonata in E-flat published alongside his own funeral ode, dedicated to her memory.

General Desaix and the Battle of Marengo

​Louis Charles Antoine Desaix (Ayat-sur-Sioule, France, 17th August 1768 – Marengo, Italy, 14th June 1800)

General Desaix by Andrea Appiani, 1800-01

Not so long ago we were present at the death of one of Napoleon's closes friends and today, we find ourselves once more on the Napoleonic battlefields in the heat of conflict. I was first set to thinking about the celebrated general, Louis Desaix, when his brief appearance by portrait in my post on Andrea Appiani drew many admiring glances so today he features in a story of his own, though not a happy one by any means!

Desaix rose from poverty to high military office and decoration, eventually becoming one of Napoleon's most loyal and trusted retainers. His death came at Marengo, Italy in 1800 just days after his arrival to join Napoleonic forces there and take on an infantry command. As Desaix led his men towards engagement, he was met by a member of Napoleon's personal retinue who informed him that the battle was already turned, the Austrians were on the cusp of victory against the French.

Desaix pressed on for an interview with Napoleon and told him, "This battle is lost, but there is time to win another!". The words rallied Napoleon and the battle continued under Desaix's command. The French held Marengo that day, but at the cost of thousands on both sides and one of those who lay dead was Desaix, shot through the heart with a musket ball.

Desaix's body was buried initially in Milan and then, five years later, was moved to a ceremonial tomb at the Great Saint Bernard Pass. He is honoured on the Arc de Triomphe, a pivotal figure in the Battle of Marengo and the military life of Napoleon.

The Eventful Life of Ferdinand, Duke of Breisgau

Ferdinand, Duke of Breisgau (Archduke Ferdinand Karl Anton Joseph Johann Stanislaus of Austria-Este; Vienna, Austria, 1st June 1754 - Vienna, Austria, 24th December 1806)

Ferdinand, Duke of Breisgau by Jean-Étienne Liotard

As you may well know, one of my greatest inspirations when writing is the art of the long 18th century. I can happily lose myself in paintings, illustrations and cartoons for many long hours and it was a pastel by Jean-Étienne Liotard that inspired me to write about Ferdinand, Duke of Breisgau, today. Something about the simplicity of the illustration above really spoke to me and for that reason, I decided to share a little more about the Duke.

Ferdinand was born the son of our old friends, Francis I and his wife, Maria Theresa of Austria and at his birth he was named as heir to the Duchies of Modena and Reggio. However, the onset of war and the inevitable territorial negotiations that followed meant that Ferdinand would never reign over these hereditary lands.

Ferdinand and Maria Beatrice d'Este

When the young boy was just nine years old it was agreed that his future bride would be Maria Beatrice d'Este. Four years his senior, Maria Beatrice was the daughter of Ercole III d'Este, Duke of Modena and Maria Teresa Cybo-Malaspina and considered a particularly good match thanks to the fact that she stood to inherit a large amount of territory. This marriage was, therefore, beneficial to both sides in terms of increasing the power and reach of the respective dynasties.

The marriage took place in Milan on on 15th October 1771 among much rejoicing and rich, colourful festivities. The union was not unhappy and the couple had ten children, seven of whom survived to adulthood. 

Ferdinand and Maria Beatrice with their children, Maria Leopoldine and Maria Theresia by Gaetano Mediolani Peregus, 1776

At the age of just 17, Ferdinand was named Governor of the Duchy of Milan and he would later serve as Governor of Lombardy, though when Napoleon's forces marched into Milan in 1796, Ferdinand and his family fled before their advance. Years of territorial negotiation and bartering followed as Ferdinand strove to gain what he believed was his.

Ferdinand took the title of Duke of Breisgau in 1803 yet was forced to cede the Duchy just two years later. He did aged 52 in 1805, and was buried in the Kapuzinerkirche in Vienna, the city that had become his home.

Life in the Georgian Court, true tales of 18th century royalty, is available at the links below.

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Jean Lannes, Duc de Montebello: The Death of an Emperor's Confidante

Jean Lannes, 1st Duc de Montebello (Lectoure, France, 10th April 1769 – Ebersdorf, Austria, 31st May 1809)
 

Jean Lannes by François Gérard

It seems that rarely a week goes by in which we do not have cause to visit France and hear a story from the shores of that particular nation. Today we meet another French character and hear a gruesome story from the battlefields of Aspern-Essling.

Jean Lannes was a man to be reckoned with. From humble origins he rose to the highest levels of military power and became a confidante and favoured commander of Napoleon, who made him Duc de Montebello in recognition of his efforts. The friendship between Lannes and the emperor was enduring and deep and when the end came for the Duc de Montebello, Napoleon was sharrered at his loss.

Lannes was a military commander to be reckoned with. Loyal, brave and a gifted strategist, on 22nd May 1809 he was engaged in the brutal battle of Aspern-Essling, with the French facing off against the forces of Austria in an attempt to cross the Danube. Napoleon's forces came under a barrage of heavy fire and he ordered Lannes to retreat back to the Danube island of Lobau in order to minimise the casualties falling victim to the Austrian efforts. 

In fact, as their opponents fell back, the Austrians opened cannon fire on the sheltering forces whilst on Lobau, Lannes was in the company of his mentor, General Pierre-Charles Pouzet. As the two men discussed the battle, a cannonball struck Pouzet in the stomach and killed him instantly. Reeling from the shock at watching his close friend die so violently before his very eyes, the dazed Lannes stumbled to the edge of a ditch and sat down.

As he gathered his thoughts, shrapnel from a second cannonball tore through his legs, smashing the knee of one and badly injuring the other. Although Lannes told witnesses that his injuries were not so bad as they seemed, he was unable to stand and was rushed for treatment to our old friend, Dominique Jean Larrey. So terrible were the wounds to the Duke's limbs that Larrey elected to amputate one, whilst dressing the injuries to the other, although he would eventually face the trauma of having that leg amputated too.

The tomb of Lannes

When news of the Duke's plight reached Napoleon, he rushed to his friend's side in a state of utmost distress. The devastated emperor embraced Lannes and those present noted that he  wept bitterly for his injured friend, perhaps counting the true cost of the disastrous battle. Under Napoleon's instruction Lannes was moved to the comfort of a house in Kaiser-Ebersdorf but there was nothing that could be done to save the injured man. Instead he lingered on for a week and, as dawn broke on 31st May 1809, Jean Lannes died. In death, Napoleon ensured that his confidante was feted and his body was interred at the Pantheon, where he rests to this day. 

The Premiere of The Marriage of Figaro

Once again we are honoured to attend the premiere of a new work by that legendary composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. You may recall a previous, autumnal trip to Prague where we were privileged to witness the first performance of Don Giovanni and today we join the iconic Austrian once more, this time at the inaugural performance of Le nozze di Figaro, ossia la folle giornata (The Marriage of Figaro, or The Day of Madness), on 1st May 1786.

Detail of the face of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart by Johann Nepomuk della Croce, 1780

The inspiration and source for the piece came from La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro, an archly comic play written by Pierre Beaumarchais in 1778. The play premiered in 1784 and was the most successful French dramatic work of the century. In fact, it was such a must see show that theatre legend claims that people actually died in the scrum to get a ticket.

Mozart adored the play and believed that it had all the hallmarks of a successful opera and he took his scheme to his librettist, Lorenzo De Ponte, who approached Beaumarchais with the idea. The playwright gave his consent and the composer and librettist set to work. Although the play was briefly banned in Vienna on account of its lascivious content, the pair managed to get their opera cleared and the stage was set. In their hands the French work was translated into Italian and the political content of the original play removed. It took Da Ponte just six weeks to complete his libretto and Mozart then set to work.

Lorenzo da Ponte by Nathaniel Rogers (engraving by Michele Pekenino)

When the opera was presented to the Imperial Italian Opera Company, they were keen to produce it and paid Mozart a rich salary of 450 florins and his librettist 200. It was agreed that the composer would conduct the first two performances and in total nine shows were performed in 1786.

The crowd that filed into the Viennese Burgtheater on that spring evening were alive with anticipation, excited to hear Mozart's newest work. They were not disappointed and cheered their approval as the curtain fell, though not everybody was quite as adoring and reports exist of heckles being shouted as the performers took their bows. Throughout the short run encores were performed every night, sometimes extending to more than half a dozen songs and when news of this reached Joseph II, he did not approve of what he was hearing.

The Old Burgtheater

It occurred to the Emperor that all of these encores seemed just a little excessive and he decreed that posters must be put up declaring that encores should be limited. With this move he intended to end what he saw as the indulgently lengthy running times that operas enjoyed. Regardless, the opera's reputation grew and Figaro became an iconic work, performed across the globe to this day.

The Ill-Fated Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria

Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg (Elisabeth Wilhelmine Luise; Treptow, Brandenburg, Germany, 21st April 1767 - Vienna, Austria, 18th February 1790)

Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg by Johann Baptist von Lampi the Elder, 1785

Our guest today is, perhaps, a lesser known member of European nobility. Despite a long-planned and illustrious political marriage, Elisabeth was fated to live a short life. Although she was to become a favourite of an ailing Emperor and married an Emperor-in-waiting, her ill health ensured that she was never to see her own husband assume the throne of the Holy Roman Empire.

Elisabeth was one of a dozen offspring born to Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg,  and his wife, Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt. Like so many children of her class, it was intended from the start that she would make an expedient political marriage and negotiations swiftly began to secure her a fiancé. The groom-to-be was eventually named as Francis, nephew of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II and the man who would one day hold that title himself.

Duchess Elisabeth of Württemberg by Johann Baptist von Lampi the Elder

When Elisabeth was 15 she travelled from Brandenburg to Vienna and took up resident with the sisters of the Salesianerinnenkloster. In her new home she converted to Catholicism in preparation for her marriage and completed her education. Here she remained until 1788 when, on 6th January, she married the twenty year old Francis. As the couple settled into life together the new Archduchess swiftly became a favourite of her new husband's uncle, Emperor Joseph II, who had brokered the marriage to his nephew. He found her charming and refreshing company and she came to view Joseph in a grandfatherly light, spending long hours in his company. Her affection was of great comfort to the Emperor; his health was falling and he had faced a series of high profile political failures that left him disillusioned and unhappy.

Francis I by Leopold Kupelwieser, 1805

In late 1789 Elisabeth fell pregnant and her condition was to have a huge impact on her health. The cheerful, charming young lady grew weaker by the day and after she attended the Emperor's Anointing of the Sick on 15th February 1790, Elisabeth passed out and was rushed to her chambers. Two days later she went into labour and suffered for a day and night before she gave birth to the extremely premature Archduchess Ludovika Elisabeth on 18th February. Although the little girl would survive for 16 months, Elisabeth passed away within hours of delivering her daughter and just two days later, her beloved uncle-in-law also lay dead.

The ill-fated Archduchess was interred in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna; her infant daughter and the deceased Emperor were laid to rest in the same crypt.

Life in the Georgian Court, true tales of 18th century royalty, is available at the links below.

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The Marriage of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI

We have seen royal marriages before here at the salon but today marks the anniversary of a particularly iconic match of two young people. The leading players in this drama would meet famously unhappy ends, but for now let us visit them in earlier times and see how the match between Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI came to be.

Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria by Martin van Meytens, 1767-1768

The first die was cast with the death of Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1765. His widow, Maria Theresa, was left to rule the Holy Roman Empire alongside her son, Joseph II, and the politically astute Empress set about a carefully planned programme of dynastic marriages. These weddings were intended to cement alliances that were entered into during the Seven Years' War and Austria was set to advance via the altars of Europe.

With betrothals arranged with various royal houses, Maria Theresa intended that one of her daughters would marry the 14 year old Louis, Dauphin of France. However, smallpox swept through the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and killed or permanently disfigured the possible candidates for this key marriage other than 12 year old Archduchess Maria Antonia, who had survived the disease earlier in her childhood. The Empress presented Maria Antonia as a match for Louis and negotiations began in earnest, led by Étienne François, Duc de Choiseul.

Louis XVI by Joseph-Siffrein Duplessis, 1776

Over the two years that followed an enormous dowry of 200,000 crowns was agreed upon and the family of the groom to be began to view their likely new member with a critical eye. Her teeth were crooked and her smile unpleasant, they commented, and the young lady was subjected to months of unanaesthetised corrective surgery at the hans of dentist, Pierre Laveran, until both France and Austria were satisfied. Her wardrobe, hair, make up and etiquette skills were overhauled and finally, it was agreed that the young Archduchess was fit to marry into the Bourbon household.

On 19th April 1770, Maria Antonia attended the Augustinerkirche in Vienna to be married by proxy to Louis. Her brother, Ferdinand, served as groom for the ceremony and she officially took the name and title, Marie Antoinette, Dauphine of France.

The Augustinerkirche in Vienna

By now all of 14, Marie Antoinette immediately began the journey to her new life and two weeks later she was handed over to her French carers, including our old friend, Madame Etiquette, better known as Anne d'Arpajon, comtesse de Noailles. Finally, on 16th May, the bride and groom were married ceremonially in the royal chapel at Versailles before a crowd of 5000 who crowded into grandstands in the Hall of Mirrors to watch the procession pass. It was to be the start of a far from settled union plagued by politics, gossip and intrigue but for now let us leave the newlyweds on this, the 244th anniversary of their marriage.

To read about the tragedy that befell a public firework display in honour of the marriage, click here.

Life in the Georgian Court, true tales of 18th century royalty, is available at the links below.

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The Death of Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor

Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (Vienna, Austria, 26th July 1678 - Vienna, Austria, 17th April 1711)

Not so long ago we heard the tragic tale of the death Louis, Dauphin of France, Duke of Burgundy. Louis's family was decimated by a measles epidemic that left the Bourbon succession in crisis.  In fact, it was not the first time European royalty had been laid waste by illness and four members of Louis's own dynasty died in a a smallpox epidemic that also killed our guest today, Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor.

In early 1711, smallpox swept through Europe, leaving a trail of death in its wake. Social standing, privilege and wealth were no protection against the virulent infection. As thousands died across the continent, the ailing Joseph took to his bed in the Hoffburg Palace under the watchful eye of his physicians. The doctors immediately embarked on their standard round of treatments, bleeding their patient in an effort to lessen his suffering.

As he neared death, Joseph called his wife, Wilhelmine Amalia of Brunswick-Lüneburg, to his bedside. Their twelve year marriage had not been a happy one and was blighted by Joseph's numerous affairs and liaisons with all manner of women. In fact, Joseph contracted syphilis in 1704 and passed the infection on to Wilhelmina Amalia, an incident that apparently rendered his wife infertile and resulted in the Emperor leaving no male heir at his death. Aware that he was dangerously ill, Joseph promised his wife that, should he survive this illness, he would become a faithful and dutiful husband.

The couple were never to learn whether Joseph's promise was in earnest. He was not fated to survive the smallpox infection and died on 17th April, aged 32. Three days later he was buried with much ceremony in the Imperial Crypt of the Capuchin Church. His body lies in a tomb designed by Johann Lukas von Hildebrandt; it is decorated with scenes of Joseph's victories in the War of Spanish Succession, a suitably grand final resting place for a Holy Roman Emperor.

Life in the Georgian Court, true tales of 18th century royalty, is available at the links below.

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The Philanthropic Life of Caroline Augusta of Bavaria

Caroline Augusta of Bavaria (Karoline Charlotte Auguste von Bayern; Mannheim, Germany, 8th February 1792 – Vienna, Austria, 9th February 1873)

Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, 1816

Another noble lady visits the salon today today with the story of Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, a shrewd and charitable sort!

Caroline Augusta was the daughter of Maximilian I Joseph, King of Bavaria and his wife, Augusta Wilhelmine of Hesse-Darmstadt. As a striking and vibrant young woman of an influential house, she was in demand as a dynastic match but was not willing to be a pawn to marriage.

The Imperial Family (l. to r., Caroline Augusta, ; Francis I, Napoleon II, Princess Sophie, Duchess Marie-Louise, Ferdinand I, Archduke Franz Karl) by Leopold Fertbauer, 1826

On 8th June 1808 she married Crown Prince William of Württemberg; the marriage was not one of love but was an arrangement of convenience to ensure that she could not be subjected to a marriage brokered by Napoleon. The couple lived apart and were never husband and wife in anything but law, eventually divorcing on 31st August 1814. Caroline Augusta ensured that the marriage was dissolved by Pope Pius VII, ensuring that she would be able to marry again should she wish.

Caroline Augusta of Bavaria photographed in 1873

In fact, Caroline Augusta remarried just two years later, when she became the wife of Francis I, Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia, having had the choice of the Emperor and his brother, Ferdinand. A well-liked and unassuming  woman with a love of philanthropy, she retired to Salzburg when widowed and indulged her charitable interests until her death.

Life in the Georgian Court, true tales of 18th century royalty, is available at the links below.

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