Sophie of Austria

Sophie Friederike Dorothee Wilhelmine, Princess of Bavaria (27 January 1805 – 28 May 1872) was born to King Maximilian I of Bavaria and his second wife, Karoline of Baden. January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1805 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... Maximilian I Joseph, King of Bavaria. ...

On 4 November 1824, she married Franz Karl, Archduke of Austria. They had four sons and a daughter, Francis Joseph (later Emperor of Austria), Maximilian (later Emperor of Mexico), Charles Louis, Marie Anna Caroline Pia and Louis Victor. November 4 is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 57 days remaining. ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Archduke Franz Karl Joseph of Austria (7 December 1802 - 8 March 1878) was father of two emperors and the grandfather of Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria, whose shooting was the occasion of the start of World War I. He was born in Vienna, the second son of Emperor Franz I... Franz Joseph I Franz Joseph (in English also Francis Joseph) (August 18, 1830 - November 21, 1916) of the Habsburg Dynasty was Emperor of Austria and King of Bohemia from 1848 until 1916 and King of Hungary from 1867 until 1916. ... Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico, (July 6, 1832 - June 19, 1867) was a member of Austrias Imperial Habsburg family. ... Karl Ludwig, Archduke of Austria (30 July 1833 - 19 May 1896) was the father of Franz Ferdinand of Austria, whose shooting occasioned the start of World War I. He was born at Schönbrunn in Vienna, the son of Franz Karl Josef of Austria (1802-1878) and his wife Sophie...

Her ambitions to place her oldest son on the Austrian throne was a constant theme in Austrian politics. At the time she was called "the only man at court". During the Revolution of 1848 she persuaded her somewhat feeble-minded husband to give up his rights to the throne in favour of Francis Joseph. After his accession to the throne Sophie became the power behind the throne. Sophie is also remembered for her bad relationship with her daughter-in-law, Elisabeth of Bavaria which has been a theme in long running musical about Elisabeth's life. —Alexis de Tocqueville, Recollections The European Revolutions of 1848, in some countries known as the Spring of Nations, were the bloody consequences of a variety of changes that had been taking place in Europe in the first half of the 19th century. ... Empress Elisabeth Elisabeth Amalie Eugenie, Duchess in Bavaria and Princess of Bavaria (December 24, 1837 – September 10, 1898), of the House of Wittelsbach, was the Empress consort of Austria and Queen consort of Hungary due to her marriage to Emperor Franz Joseph. ...

Sophie kept a detailed diary most of her life which reveals much about Austrian court life. She withdrew from public life after the execution of the Mexican emperor, from which she never recovered. She died of a brain tumor in 1872.

External links

• Historical Boys' Royal Costume: King Maximilian I Joseph: Second Family
• Genealogy.eu: Royal and Noble Family Trees