emperor franz joseph of austria household guards

Ferdinand IV of the Romans (1633 – 1654), son of Holy Emperor Ferdinand III, had a strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and requested that his heart be interred in the Loreto Chapel at the Augustinekirche in Vienna. Separate burials of the heart, viscera (the intestines), and the body were common in the House of Habsburg starting with the death of Ferdinand IV, King of the Romans in 1654 until the death of Archduke Franz Karl in 1878. ******************** What is Separate Burial?Ī separate burial is a form of partial burial in which internal organs are buried separately from the rest of the body. The Austro-Hungarian Empire constituted present-day Austria, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, large parts of Serbia and Romania, and small parts of Italy, Montenegro, Poland, and Ukraine. In 1918, following World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire was dissolved and broken into separate countries. The Austrian Empire lasted from 1804 until 1867 when the Austro-Hungarian Empire was proclaimed. Two years later, after Napoleon’s victory at the Battle of Austerlitz, the Holy Roman Empire was dissolved and lands that had been held by the Holy Roman Emperor were given to Napoleon’s allies creating the Kingdom of Bavaria, the Kingdom of Württemberg, and the Grand Duchy of Baden.

Holy Roman Emperor Franz II feared that Napoleon could take over his personal lands within the Holy Roman Empire, so in 1804 he proclaimed himself Emperor Franz I of Austria. Hofburg Palace allows visitors a window into Austria’s Imperial past, giving guests the opportunity to understand the Habsburgs as people and rulers.The Habsburgs had been elected Holy Roman Emperors since 1438, with the exception of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VII, who was from the German House of Wittelsbach. Guests can see the remarkably preserved silver chamber, which dates back to the 15 th century, to better understand the culture of courtly dining.

One aspect of this was the elaborate dinners made possible by Hofburg Palace’s massive silver collections.

Walking through these rooms gives guests an intimate look into the luxurious daily lives of the Habsburgs. The Imperial apartments also show the more personal side of the Habsburgs, including their bedrooms, salons, and even Sisi’s exercise room. From Emperor Franz Joseph’s grand staircase to his study, audience chamber, and conference room, visitors can see for themselves where Habsburg history happened. This room has been carefully preserved, along with the other apartments that served the Habsburgs for 600 years. Today, visitors to the Imperial Apartments can see her dressing room for themselves, where Sisi sat every morning at 6 a.m. Featuring over 300 hundred objects, this museum gives guests an insight into her eventful life and death while dismantling the myth in order to reveal the woman underneath.Ī lover of fashion, horseback riding, and travel, Sisi was known for her seemingly eccentric habits as well as her remarkable beauty it’s said that it took two hours just to comb her ankle-length hair. During her life, she was the object of fascination, rumour, and admiration, and after her tragic death by assassination in 1898, the myth of Sisi only grew. The wife of Emperor Franz Joseph, Elisabeth (called Sisi), was an unconventional and spirited woman who never quite fit into the courtly society in the capital. However, visitors can still catch a glimpse of Hofburg Palace’s Imperial past the richly decorated Imperial apartments, the Sisi Museum, and the lavish silver collections are all open to guests who want to understand the palace’s rich history.įounded in 2004, the Sisi Museum is dedicated to the enigmatic Empress Elisabeth. Once the Habsburg’s winter residence, this massive palace complex now serves as the workplace and home of the President of Austria. Hofburg Palace has been the heart of power in Vienna since 1279, so naturally, it is rich with history that can’t be experienced anywhere else.

The Vignette – Austria’s Motorway Toll Sticker.

Emperor franz joseph of austria household guards