Category: History Publisher: Alan Sutton
ISBN-10: 0862993385
Type: Non-Fiction
Pages: 172
Copyright: Sep 1 1987
A study of relations between Britain and Austria as seen through personal connections between their royal and imperial families
This is a study of relations between Britain and Austria as seen through personal and political connections between the families of Queen Victoria and Emperor Francis Joseph, from the year of revolutions in 1848 (when the latter ascended the throne as a youth of 18), to the post-Great War era and death of Francis Joseph's great-nephew Emperor Charles.
Though this relationship was never cemented by family ties (the Habsburgs were Catholics), both empires were on friendly terms throughout the 19th century, surviving such obstacles as Lord Palmerston's unashamed support of anti-Austrian rebellion in Italy and Hungary, and Empress Elizabeth's ill-timed hunting expeditions in Ireland during the Home Rule controversy. Queen Victoria was a first cousin of Princess Charlotte of the Belgians, destined to become the wife of Archduke Maximilian, Emperor of Mexico, and to spend most of her long life as a sadly deranged widow. The Prince of Wales was a close friend of the ill-fated Crown Prince Rudolf, but his friendship survived the latter's tragic death at Mayerling in 1889 and lasted for most of the Prince's reign as King Edward VII.
Though Britain and Austria were theoretically enemies during the Great War, after his abdication in 1918 ex-Emperor Charles owed much of his safety in exile, if not his life, to the intervention of King George V.
Excerpt
'The absurdities believed abroad, but principally at Vienna, are such, that one can hardly credit them. Amongst others is the following: on the knife with which the Emperor (Francis Joseph) was stabbed, and on those used in Milan, which were of Birmingham manufacture, it was found that they were stamped "Palmer And Son", upon which people declared it was "Palmerston", and that Lord Palmerston had had them made on purpose!'
Queen Victoria's journal, 17 March 1853, after an ateempt on the Emperor's life
