The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand led to the First World War, and he will forever go down in history. Less well known, however, is the tragic love story of Franz Ferdinand, and a great tragedy that has been forever overshadowed by the global conflict it has caused.
In 1895, Archduke Franz Ferdinand had just arrived in Presburg, the residence of his relatives Archduke Friedrich and Grand Duchess Isabella. Over the past few months, he has often traveled long distances to this country estate. The Grand Duchess was ecstatic because she was convinced that Franz Ferdinand was in love with her eldest daughter, Marie Christine.
One day, Franz Ferdinand went hunting, and Isabella found a gold pocket watch he had left behind. She quickly opened it, expecting to see a picture of her daughter. Instead, she found a picture of her maid, Sophie Jotek. Sophie Jotek had no dynastic blood. She was only the fourth daughter of a small aristocratic family in the Czech Republic, and her family's poor financial situation forced her to become a low-ranking servant. In the eyes of the royal family, her status was only higher than that of a commoner, and it was difficult to become a suitable candidate for the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne.
With Isabella's discovery, news of the relationship spread throughout the empire. The entire Habsburg dynasty united against the couple, and many members showed blatant contempt and hostility towards Franz Ferdinand and Sophie. Some, like Grand Duchess Isabella, even tried to sabotage their relationship.
Franz Ferdinand, known for his strong will, announced that he would marry Sophie. His equally determined uncle, Emperor Franz Joseph, refused to allow him to do so. Emperor Franz Joseph had seen that his son, Crown Prince Rudolf, would rather be martyred with his mistress than return to his unhappy marriage, so he had little sympathy for Franz Ferdinand and Sophie.
The situation was further exacerbated by the death of Franz Ferdinand's father in 1896, and Franz Ferdinand became the heir to the throne of Austria and Hungary. This continued until 1899, when Emperor Franz Joseph finally gave in. He made only one condition: their marriage had to be monastic. His family will be considered commensurate with his inferior status. Franz Ferdinand was not allowed to sit next to his wife during official ceremonies, carriage trips, and social events.
When Franz Ferdinand stood at the front of the royal procession, Sophie would always stand at the back, next to the other servants. Neither Sophie nor any of his children would receive any royal title or privilege. Nor will his descendants ascend to the throne of Austria-Hungary. Franz Ferdinand accepted. Only two members of the Habsburg family attended their wedding, Franz Ferdinand's stepmother, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, and her daughter.
Despite their poor circumstances, they were happily married for 14 years and had three children. In 1914, Franz Ferdinand decided to visit The Austrian territory of Bosnia with his wife. Because this was not an official state visit, Franz Ferdinand was allowed to ride in a car with his wife.
On June 28, while driving through the streets of Sarajevo, a Serbian nationalist group called The Black Hand attempted to assassinate the couple. The first attempt failed, with only a handful of Bosnian civilians and Austrian soldiers killed or wounded, but on the way to visit them in the hospital, Franz Ferdinand's driver made the wrong turn. The car stopped in front of Mafia member Gavrillo Principe, who shot and killed him. Franz Ferdinand grabbed his dying wife and said one last word: Dear Sophie, don't die! To live for the children.
The couple was buried on 3 July. Although lying side by side, Sophie's body was 20 inches lower than Franz Ferdinand's. The military is forbidden to salute the funeral car. The couple's three children were barred from attending the wedding, and no foreign dignitaries attended the funeral. Three weeks later, on July 29, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and World War I began.