What happened at the summer retreat in Bad Ischl? Why was there a scandal? What was celebrated on August 18, 1853? What happened afterwards?
The Viennese court was looking for a suitable bride for the now 23-year-old Emperor Franz Joseph. His mother, Archduchess Sophie, saw the daughters of her sister Maria Ludovika from Bavaria as possible marriage candidates.
The eldest daughter Helene, known as “Néné”, was considered. The arranged meeting of the entire family in Bad Ischl in the summer of 1853 led to a “scandal” . Franz Joseph fell in love with her younger sister Elisabeth, who was only 15 years old at the time, and asked her to marry him.
Franz Joseph only had eyes for Sisi and the young girl did not know what hit her. “I I love the emperor so much! If only he wasn’t an emperor!” Elisabeth is said to have exclaimed when she learned of Franz Joseph’s intention to marry her. (quoted from Brigitte Hamann, Elisabeth – Kaiserin wider Willen, 8th edition p. 32)
The “child” Sisi was completely unprepared for her future role. Within nine months, the pretty princess was prepared for her future role as empress. She had to undergo a “crash course” in marriage and Viennese court ceremonial.
The bridal train – On the beautiful blue Danube on the way to Vienna
Ship “Austria” during a short stopover on the bridal journey in Linz, April 1854
Now 16 years old, Sisi left Possenhofen Palace on April 20, 1854. The journey began by carriage, initially in the direction of Munich. In Straubing, she boarded the paddle steamer to Passau.
There she was received by the Austrian delegation and continued on the ship “Austria” along the Danube to Linz. Here she was greeted by Emperor Franz Joseph for the first time. Crowds cheered her along the Danube.
She traveled on by ship without Franz Joseph and was later officially received by him and her future mother-in-law Sophie in Nußdorf in Vienna. A cheering crowd awaited the beautiful but very shy empress there.
Sisi was not used to being the center of attention, and the stiff Viennese protocol was also new to her. From Nußdorf harbor, the court carriage took her directly to Schönbrunn. The magnificent wedding was celebrated in the Augustinian Church on April 24, 1854.
Married at the age of 16 – Wedding in the Augustinian Church
Wedding ceremony in the Augustinian Church on April 24, 1854
It was the fairytale wedding of the 19th century. The journey from Schönbrunn to the Hofburg to the Augustinian Church was a demonstration of the people’s affection. Everyone admired the graceful but childishly shy bride.
She was beautiful to look at in her dream of white. The dress was made of heavy, pure silk, richly interwoven with silver and gold. Above it was a gold-embroidered drape that ended in a long train.
She breathed her yes very tenderly after walking past the rows of princes, bishops, diplomats and ministers. The young Sisi is said to have wept afterwards from exhaustion and being overwhelmed.
Elisabeth later wrote about the marriage: “Marriage is an absurd institution. As a fifteen-year-old child you are sold and make a vow that you don’t understand and then regret for 30 years or more and can’t break.” quoted from: Hamann, Brigitte: Elisabeth. Kaiserin wider Willen, Munich 1981, p. 85
Tip from Sisi’s Amazing Journey: Visit the elegant Augustinerkirche, Sisi’s wedding church. It is only a few minutes’ walk from Sisi’s Amazing Journey, so you can relive this important moment in Elisabeth’s life.
