When, in 1854, the 16-year-old Bavarian princess Elisabeth, known as Sisi, married the 24-year-old Emperor of Austria, Franz Joseph I, it seemed her life would be nothing but sunshine and roses. Yet she soon faced a harsh reality at the Viennese court, where strict protocol governed every aspect of a Habsburg empress’s life. Driven by a deep desire for freedom, Sisi chose to live on her own terms, defying expectations at every turn. She became an accomplished athlete – an exceptional horsewoman and dedicated power walker – as well as a poet, an admirer of Greek antiquity, and an avid traveler, making her a modern woman far ahead of her time. Her extraordinary beauty and captivating charisma enchanted all who met her. These qualities, combined with her tragic and fateful death, have turned her into an immortal legend.
Available:
- In Vienna: at the museum shops of the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Schönbrunn Palace, and the Imperial Treasury, as well as at the bookstores Shakespeare & Company (Sterngasse 2), Frick (Graben 27), and Tyrolia (Stephansplatz 5). In Innsbruck: at Tyrolia (Maria-Theresien-Straße 15).
- As an e-book or paperback from Amazon