| Princess Sophie of Bavaria | |
|---|---|
| Archduchess of Austria
| |
| |
| Born | 27 January 1805 Nymphenburg Palace, Munich, Electorate of Bavaria |
| Died | 28 May 1872 (aged 67) Vienna, Austria-Hungary |
| Burial | Imperial Crypt |
| Spouse | Archduke Franz Karl of Austria (m. 1824) |
| Issue Detail |
|
| Full name | |
| Sophie Friederike Dorothea Wilhelmine | |
| House | Wittelsbach |
| Father | Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria |
| Mother | Caroline of Baden |
Princess Sophie of Bavaria (Sophie Friederike Dorothea Wilhelmine; 27 January 1805 – 28 May 1872) was the daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and his second wife, Caroline of Baden. The identical twin sister of Queen Maria Anna of Saxony, Sophie became Archduchess of Austria by marriage to Archduke Franz Karl of Austria. Her eldest son, Franz Joseph, reigned as Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary; her second son, Maximilian, reigned as Emperor of Mexico.
Childhood (1805–1824)[]
The fourth child of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and Princess Caroline of Baden, Princess Sophie Friederike Dorothea Wilhelmine was born on 27 January 1805 in Nymphenburg Palace, Munich. She was said to be her father’s favorite daughter although she was more attached to her mother, whom she loved dearly. Sophie adored her twin sister Maria Anna and was very close to all her sisters.
Archduchess of Austria (1824–1872)[]
On 4 November 1824, she married Archduke Franz Karl of Austria. Her paternal half-sister, Caroline Augusta of Bavaria, had married the groom's widowed father, Francis II, in 1816. Sophie and Franz Karl had six children. Sophie had little in common with her husband, but Franz Karl loved and respected her.
Unlike her husband, Sophie was attached to all of her children, especially Franz Joseph, as well as Ferdinand Maximilian, who was her favorite son. She had a reputation for being strong-willed and authoritarian by nature but she was also known as a familiar and sociable person devoted to her family and the Habsburg empire she married into. She enjoyed court life, dance, art and literature as well as horse riding.
Her ambition 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 their son Franz Joseph.
After Franz Joseph's accession, Sophie became the power behind the throne. Historically, Sophie is remembered for her extremely adversarial relationship with Franz Joseph's wife Sisi, who was also her niece. Elisabeth hated Sophie for being strict and demanding to her but there is no evidence that the Archduchess had the same feelings towards her niece since she usually described Elisabeth quite pleasantly in her diary and letters. Nonetheless, she had good relationships with her other daughters-in-law and was a caring mother-in-law to Archduchess Maria Annunziata.
Sophie kept a detailed diary most of her life, which reveals much about Austrian court life. She was deeply affected in 1867 by the execution in Mexico of her second son Maximilian. She never recovered from that shock, and withdrew from public life. She died from pneumonia in 1872.
Extramarital affair[]
Emperor Francis II[]
When she married, at her wedding night, instead of her new husband, it was her new father-in-law waiting for her. Her husband was infertile and in order to produce an heir to continue the bloodline of Habsburg, Francis II, who was very fond of Sophie, decide to do it himself.
Sophie did not fear and instead she kissed Emperor Francis bravely that night, instead of The Archduke, became the mistress of The Emperor was far more better in the view of Sophie.
Sophie had a what she described as “wonderful sex” with The Emperor that night and became his new mistress, Sophie was deeply attracted by The Emperor and very willing to be with him. Sophie found herself expecting three months after The Emperor and her frequently have sex, she gave birth to her first child, Franz Joseph half year later.
When Francis II found out that Maximillian was not his nominal grandson, Sophie willingly have sex with him for not disclose the truth of Maximillian’s birth. Francis II wanted Sophie to give birth to a Spare, so the two frequently have sex and Sophie was expecting very soon and gave birth to another son few months later.
Sophie became the real matriarch of the family after she gave birth to two sons, it was an open secret in Court that Sophie is Francis’ mistress, and the Archdukes were Francis’. the two no longer have to hide their relationship and openly flirting and kissing with each other at the Palace, Sophie moved into Francis’ bedroom. The staff said “We need to change bedsheet for the Emperor almost every night.” This resulting another three illegitimate children.
Napoleon II[]
She had a close relationship with Napoleon II, who lived at the Austrian Court as the Duke of Reichstadt. Sophie developed an extramarital relationship with Napoleon II. There was sexual affair between them as many of her ladies-in-waiting has said that they have seen the two kissed passionately in her bedroom and she would stay in Napoleon II’s room overnight. Maximillian I of Mexico actually Napoleon’s son and Napoleon’s direct bloodline was passed through this.
Sophie had admitted she have sex frequently with Napoleon in her own diary.
It is certain that they were lovers and that his death affected her very much. She is said to have turned into the hard, ambitious woman described in fiction after he died.