The Shocking True Story Behind Netflix's The Empress

This is the true story behind Netflix's "The Empress." For this video, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the incredible life of Elisabeth, Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. Our video includes she loved Hungary, she had a mosnter in-law, she was assassinated, and more! Have YOU been watching "The Empress?" Let us know in the comments!

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[madman]

Empress Sissy was such an icon during that time. She was literally Lady Di of her generation. Though Romy Schneider did an excellent job portraying her, I'm really interested on watching this show.

[Ms.VeronicaMarie]

One flaw. Sissi and Franz did in fact love each other and they remained faithful throughout their marriage. However, because of his mother and the strictness of court, Sissi disliked marriage. She was noted saying on more than one occasion “If only Franz weren’t the emperor.” In fact several historians have said that Sissi and Franz slept in the same bed throughout their marriage, they took trips together, ate together and spent all of their free time in each others company, this was unheard of in royal marriages at the time.

[annamo]

The problem being with this show is that the biggest part of viewers will see it as historical fact (kind of like "The Crown") whereas it is highly fictionalised. I urge everyone to see it as such. First of all, their parents' marriage was deeply unhappy. Her father was mostly absent, her mother mostly pregnant. When Franz Josef proposed to her, she was 15 years old. Her mother strongly advised her against the marriage, but she said "Einem Kaiser gibt man keinen Korb" (one does not jilt a Kaiser). Her mother-in-law was not a dragon, and taking children away from their mothers was absolutely usual back then (Queen Victoria couldn't get rid of hers quickly enough). Yes, the Spanish Court Ceremonial was very VERY strict, but Elisabeth was also raised too lenient. It is also said that she suffered from Endometriosis, so having sexual relations with her husband must've been very painful and she avoided it as much as possible. Subsequently he had various mistresses and at one time infected Elisabeth with an STD. She hated Vienna, and tried to stay away as much as she could, sometimes for years. In later years she even arranged for Franz Josefs mistress, an actress named Katharina Schratt (who she labelled "fat and ugly" in letters). The austrian people also didn't worship her, she was more disliked because she was absent so much. Her beauty regime was not healthy, it speaks strongly of anorexia and OCD (not surprising with the fact that she had no say over her life whatsoever). She hated being surrounded by "ugly" people or women who were married. Her ladies-in-waiting were more often than not exchanged for these reasons. Yes, her life was not easy by all means, but it was a life which was usual for european high royalty. Don't make her out like some tragic heroine.

[catherineconner]

I loved the first season and thought it was a great mix of fact and fiction! Of course the costumes are great fun to see and each actor does an absolutely terrific job in the part they were cast. Each character is so we'll developed and feels so human. I am anxiously waiting for season 2!

[lostgirlcosplay]

Sissi's wardrobe is iconic, the wedding dress hurts my historian heart. Will I watch it??...probably

[Courtneybenson]

I’ve been interested in her since I read the Royal Diaries book when I was a kid. Glad more people are learning more about her.

[AliAngelpie]

I read the book, Sisi, that this show was partly based on and I loved it so much. It shocked me the changes they made but it still worked with setting the tense emotions in the characters and the connection to the issues happening outside the palace

[nelsonmcduff]

It's interesting to have 2 similar series about Elisabeth (The Empress and Sisi). Both highly fictionalised and featuring costumes that are nothing like those of the era. It's like the costume designers of both series decided it was enough to feature massive skirts and forgot about all the other aspects of the fashions of the times.

[chheinrich]

Greetings From germany, the 50s movies with romy Schneider is one of our most beloved movies here

[Schlachthof]

As a child I learned my grandmothers, both born in Austro Hungarian Galicia, adored The Empress. my mom was named Elizabeth.

[yolandacroes]

I have watched this series. I don’t know a lot about Sissi so I’m not able to judge on historical accuracy. From my knowledge of royal history in general, some thinga felt implausible (Sissi going into a really grubby factory). And some felt soapy. I still enjoyed the series. I especially liked the actress playing Sissi. She doesn’t look too modern for the role. She also felt real, like she captured Sissi’s wildness and unconventionality but also her conflict, sadness and vulnarability. Excellent acting, excellent casting.

[juniagrey]

There are a few mistakes. It's house Wittelsbach, Elisabeth's sister was called Helene and Franz' mother Sophie was an Archduchess (Erzherzogin). And Sophie wasn't the dragon in law. The conflict with Sisi was not only her fault but Sisi's, too.

[hevog]

I am particularly impressed by the German actress Melika Foroutan who played the mother empress Sophie. Melika Foroutan was born in Teheran, Iran and fled with her parents to Germany after the Ayatollah regime took over. Today Foroutan is an accredited German actress who is often seen in German movies and TV productions. You should also keep an eye on Svenja Jung who played the role of countess Louise. I am pretty sure she has a big acting career ahead of her, as well. Bur also the rest of the cast is brilliant, absolutely worthwhile watching. Great acting, great costumes and production design reaching to the level of "The Crown" which is the benchmark for this genre.

[karlalara]

I love that you included a portion of Lindsay’s video 😂 for a split second I was like Wait did I just see this?

[cbgonzalez]

Love, love, love this series. So well done. Beautiful setting, costumes, and actors. Bravo!

[citrinedragonfly]

Thank you for the reminder that "The Empress" exists and I need to watch. I'm a huge fan of the Kunze/Levay musical "Elisabeth", and went to Vienna a few years ago to visit the palaces and the Sisi Museum, and the Habsburg crypt. And I found that through the Takarazuka Revue fandom. It's one of Japan's biggest musicals, and the Takarazuka Revue have done it about a dozen times since the late 1990s. Sisi's life is fascinating, and often overly romanticized (as is Rudolf's - there are a few musicals about him/the Mayerling tragedy as well.), and I'm excited to see what the new series brings to the table.

[LucienSabre]

My grandmother was the one who first introduced me to the 1950s Sissi movies wtih Romy Schneider….and since then I’ve loved them. Me and my grandparents used to watch the movies together every time they were on tv, and to this day they’re still the best *for me.*

[drod]

I love the show, and I was a fan of the Empress Sisi from an Italian Series. Hope we can have a second season.

[Rosedawn]

The amazing “Elisabeth the Musical” needs to be produced in America!

[AB-gkcs]

I read that the whole 'monster-in-law' was at least a little bit overblown.