Sophie duchess of hohenberg biography of barack
Chotek, Sophie (1868–1914)
German-born Austrian aristo whose assassination in Sarajevo be smitten by husband Archduke Franz Ferdinand pressing the chain of events rove hurled the world into rectitude first total war in history. Name variations: Sophia, countess forfeiture Chotek; Sophie of Hohenberg; Sophie von Hohenberg; duchess of Hohenberg, Hohenburg or Hohenbourg.
Born resource Stuttgart, Germany, on March 1, 1868; assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28, 1914; lassie of Count Bohuslav Chotek leverage Chotkova and Wognin and Noble Wilhelmine Chotek; had four sisters and three brothers; married Francis Ferdinand also known as Franz Ferdinand (1863–1914), archduke of Oesterreich (r.
1896–1914); children: Sofie (b. 1901); Max (b. 1902); Painter (b. 1904).
Sophie Chotek was whelped into one of the chief distinguished families of the Slavonic nobility. Her ancestors had antiquated barons of Bohemia since 1556, counts of Bohemia since 1723, and counts of the Consecrated Roman Empire (Reichsgrafenstand) since 1745.
Her father, Count Bohuslav, was a successful diplomat of illustriousness Austro-Hungarian Empire, ending his occupation with posts in Brussels become more intense Dresden. Sophie's mother, Countess Wilhelmine Chotek , could point confront pride to her own stock tree, that of the distinguished Kinskys, who had long served many Habsburg rulers over representation centuries.
Despite this illustrious descent, the Choteks were not alleged eligible to enter the become aware of highest circles of the Austrian-Hungarian aristocracy through marriage. Jealously safeguard their status, in 1825 righteousness ruling houses of Austria, Baden, Bavaria, Hanover, Hesse, Prussia famous Württemberg published a schedule glimpse those noble families that would henceforth be eligible for matrimony into their august circle.
In the face their excellent record of dwell in to the Austrian crown, neither the Chotek nor Kinsky families—and, indeed, others at least although illustrious—were included on the European list of 14 "princely cover domiciled in the Monarchy" weather six families headed by counts who were included for joint historical or genealogical reasons.
As integrity fourth of the five Chotek daughters, Sophie had by pretty up late teens blossomed into toggle attractive and intelligent young bride.
Given the fact that junk father was not wealthy, she followed the path taken inured to several of her sisters, specifically looked for suitable employment. Interpretation opportunity soon presented itself as Sophie was hired by character Belgian-born Archduchess Isabella of Croy-Dulmen , whose husband Archduke Friedrich was one of the most suitable members of the Habsburg dignified family.
In 1894, Sophie decrease Archduke Franz Ferdinand, who esoteric been heir to the chairman of Austria-Hungary since the passing away of the intellectually mediocre at an earlier time politically inept Archduke Karl Ludwig (Charles Louis) in May 1896. When Archduchess Isabella discovered wind Franz Ferdinand had come hitch her estate to see Sophie rather than one of rebuff own eligible daughters, she laid-off Sophie on the spot.
Nevertheless once ignited, Franz Ferdinand's enjoy for Sophie did not steady off. Although he had antediluvian involved in several passionate connections, Franz Ferdinand now found actually hopelessly in love with rendering charming, "wholesome, womanly yet uniquely dignified" Sophie Chotek. The act that her family tree sincere not make her "of alike high birth" (ebenbürtig) to excellence Habsburg clan was contemptuously pinkslipped by the archduke as regular matter of "some triviality inferior the family tree."
Once he knew about his strong-willed nephew's alignment to marry Fräulein Chotek, Saturniid Franz Joseph made it compelling that he did not acceptance of the match.
But Franz Ferdinand was equally determined apply to marry his beloved "Sopherl." Geting the reality that the Chotek family could never qualify because a members of the further highest nobility, on June 28, 1900, Franz Ferdinand swore measurement a Bible and signed place Act of Renunciation that took away all rights to transfer to the throne for dick children that he and Sophie might have, thus making theirs a morganatic marriage.
This staid declaration was not only deadly into the Habsburg family papers, but raised to the distinction of a legally binding pact by the parliaments of both Austria and Hungary, and authentic by a law of Dec 4, 1900.
On July 1, 1900, Franz Ferdinand married Sophie. Narrow her marriage, she automatically was raised to the rank carry a princess—a very minor designation in the scheme of European nobility.
Happily, the couple update raised a family: in 1901, daughter Sofie was born, followed in 1902 and 1904 mass sons Max and Ernst. Notwithstanding Sophie had agreed to honourableness morganatic union, it soon became evident that she was happy with the consequences. Type inflexible tradition of imperial Dynasty court etiquette and protocol held in reserve Sophie from riding in excellence same coach in public critical of her husband.
At the basics of official ceremonies and word, she had to wait in a holding pattern higher-ranking women had made their entrances before she could bodily enter and rejoin Franz Ferdinand.
Never ceasing to look upon these restrictions as deeply hurtful live slights, Sophie felt totally due in asserting her full insist on as the wife of righteousness heir to one of Europe's great powers.
In 1905, distinction emperor Franz Joseph relented relatively by elevating her to influence title of duchess of Hohenberg, thus allowing her to tweak addressed as "Your Serene Highness." In 1909, the emperor besides increased the status of rectitude duchess by permitting her add up be addressed as "Highness" ad personam, thus making her consequence in public somewhat less socially awkward than before.
Both Franz Ferdinand and Sophie were devout Romanist Catholics.
In his case, scheduled was largely a matter be required of sticking to socially prescribed cosmetic rituals, but where Sophie was concerned religion was an surpass part of her daily schedule. She rarely neglected either discovery or Holy Communion, and both she and her spouse were
active in Vienna's Roman Catholic flake down.
This included the political have a fight of the church, the Christianly Social Party of Dr. Karl Lueger (1844–1910), who as sovereign mayor of Vienna governed vary a demagogic anti-Semitic and anti-Socialist platform. Commenting on Austrian civics, Pope Pius X noted rove "the Archduke sees through blue blood the gentry eyes of his wife." Sophie not only agreed with Franz Ferdinand, who regarded Jews restructuring a threat to the community order because they were ordinarily too liberal and sympathetic detection Marxism, but gave him justness confidence to pursue a orbit of action that soon diverged significantly from those of excellence emperor.
At times, the duchess entity Hohenberg was able to rivet in the kind of regular actions that her husband would never dare be involved manner.
In April 1901, she took part in a militantly Wide street demonstration in Vienna become absent-minded her husband doubtless approved reproduce. As reported in London's Daily Mail, the Viennese public was astonished to see Sophie megastar "a procession of 200 lower the temperature and aristocratic ladies" who marched to several churches where they were addressed by a Religious priest who gave "an inflaming sermon." Again asserting her blunt as the wife of say publicly heir to the throne, knock over 1913 Sophia, accompanied by jettison children, ostentatiously went with Franz Ferdinand to the military maneuvers then taking place in Bohemia.
Her presence on this occurrence served to unleash a tell of protest in Parliament, neighbourhood some deputies accused her a variety of meddling to the extent past it determining how the troops sine qua non march during the exercises.
One have a high regard for the most astute observers loosen the Viennese court scene, Businessman Albert von Margutti, described probity duchess as "a woman emulate high intelligence, extraordinarily ambitious, thought-provoking and yet vain, and deprived of the slightest intention of cooperative herself to the position obvious a morganatic wife kept gingerly in the background.
On nobility contrary, she strained every delusion, with a zeal that was not always coupled with glory necessary tact—especially after she challenging presented her husband with spick daughter and two sons—to state her full rights as character wife of the heir run the throne."
Having settled down put over his marriage and content sound out his private life, starting emergence 1906 Franz Ferdinand devoted greatness bulk of his energy class political affairs.
His military contact office in Vienna's Belvedere Castle, where he and his kith and kin lived, developed into a degrade of shadow government of class aging Franz Joseph. Above go to the bottom, Franz Ferdinand feared that in the springtime of li nationality tensions would inevitably objective in the self-destruction of class venerable Habsburg state he hoped to one day rule.
Only of his concepts was give out bring the Czechs into filled partnership in the monarchy work to rule the Austro-Germans and Hungarians ramble already dominated it. His alien policy was predicated on upper-class the threats from Italy impressive Serbia, and he was benevolent to the idea of antitoxin war against these two states.
By 1914, it was clear walk "something had to be done" in the Balkans to promise the continued existence of Austria-Hungary.
Serbian self-confidence had grown down two regional wars, and Serbian-backed nationalist agitation had begun able destabilize Bosnia-Herzegovina, seized by Austria-Hungary from Turkey in 1878 dispatch officially annexed to the Royalty state as recently as 1908. In 1913, the governor disturb Bosnia-Herzegovina, General Oskar Potiorek, responded to the nationalist activities fulfil his province by cracking oust with more police repression, thrust censorship and a temporary exclusion of the regional assembly.
Avid to show how well justness situation was now in adjacent, he invited Franz Ferdinand, who was inspector-general of the European armed forces, to visit leadership capital city of Sarajevo. Decency date chosen by Potiorek, June 28, 1914, St. Vitus' Give to, was particularly provocative to Slav nationalist elements because it was also a day sacred come near South Slav nationalists, being interpretation anniversary of the fateful arms of Kosovo, June 28, 1389, when Serbia surrendered its announcement to the Ottoman Empire.
General Potiorek may have innocently chosen illustriousness date, but some have not compulsory that it was done acquiescent deliberately provoke already incensed Bosnian Serbs.
Personally, Potiorek had hypothesis to resent Franz Ferdinand, acceptance been twice denied promotion outdo him. More ominous was say publicly fact that a newspaper interconnect in mid-March 1914 of contract for the visit was question by diehard enemies of justness Habsburg state, including a leafy Bosnian Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip (1894–1918).
Son of a deliverer and in fragile health, ant Princip was a militant Serb nationalist who had since 1912 been an active member win the Black Hand (Ujedinjenje ili Smrt—"Union or Death"), a go red nationalist organization determined to copy by any means possible tidy Greater Serbian state, clearly submit the expense of a Hapsburg monarchy that was both topic and increasingly vulnerable.
In the Slav capital of Belgrade, the management of the Black Hand, which had recruited its leaders differ within the higher echelons get the picture the government and military, unambiguous to plot the assassination care the archduke, heir-apparent to the
throne of hated Austria-Hungary.
Besides Princip, two other Bosnian Serbs, Nedjelko Vaso Cabrinovic and Trifko Grabez, were trained to kill Franz Ferdinand on his official send back to Sarajevo. In an cause to divert attention from Serbia's own deep involvement in Begrimed Hand activities, the Serbian see to to Vienna, Jovan Jovanovic, contract a vague warning about boss possible assassination attempt on June 5, 1914, to the European minister of finance, Dr.
City von Bilinski. Bilinski unfortunately blunt not understand the diplomatic hint and completely missed the cautioning. By early June, Princip ahead his colleagues were already make Sarajevo, where over the press on days they would recruit connect additional young men as chapters of the conspiracy.
Franz Ferdinand was determined to take Sophie in front with him on his cruise to Sarajevo, particularly in impression of the fact that disagreement from the Viennese Court spruce up number of social taboos story to her subordinate status could be ignored.
For one item, she would be able be ride next to him meet an automobile, something that remained verboten (forbidden) to them bolster Vienna. Scheduled as it was for the last days remind you of June, the trip would permit with their 14th wedding outing. Franz Ferdinand was indifferent respect his own security, intensely disliking the presence of personal guards when in public.
Raised weigh down a medieval intellectual environment, dirt was extremely superstitious, once luential Count Ottokar Czernin how dialect trig fortuneteller had predicted "that elegance would let loose a cosmos war." When Franz Ferdinand unacceptable Sophie departed from the affluence at Chlumetz on June 23, their private rail car difficult to understand to be left behind being of axle problems.
He rumbling Sophie: "Well, our journey piecemeal with an extremely promising portent. Here our car burns add-on down there they will predicament bombs at us." When excellence electricity in another rail motor failed and candles were delegated for light bulbs, Franz Ferdinand said to his secretary: "Is it not like a grave?"
In Sarajevo, June 28, 1914, was a hot and sunny weekend away.
After reviewing troops at unmixed nearby army camp, the archduke and Sophie headed for Acquaintance Hall for a reception hosted by the mayor. Franz Ferdinand and Sophie rode in glory second of a six-car parade. The driver and the car's owner, Count Franz Harrach, sat in the front seat time Franz Ferdinand and Sophie were in back.
With friendly comforting crowds on the sidewalks, character motorcade traveled along the exercise avenue called Appel Quay, which followed the north bank go in for the River Miljacka. Amid rectitude crowd were the seven Reeky Hand assassins. While the final lost his nerve, the subordinate, Cabrinovic, withdrew a bomb distance from his coat pocket, striking academic percussion cap against a lighter post, and hurled it mockery Franz Ferdinand's vehicle.
The alert utility stepped on the accelerator extensively at the same time Franz Ferdinand caught a brief looking of the object and strenuous his arm to deflect migration away from Sophie.
Glancing telltale sign the archduke's arm, the pod exploded with great ferocity, injuring members of the crowd dispatch passengers in the third passenger car, including General Potiorek's chief peaceable, Lieutenant Colonel Merizzi, who acceptable a deep flesh wound progress to the back of his imagination. Fortunately, Sophie only received keen barely noticeable graze wound in effect her shoulder blade.
Several pod fragments had become embedded advance the car, but the one injuries sustained by Franz Ferdinand's group were Sophie's negligible scratches. In his determination to entrust suicide, would-be assassin Cabrinovic swallowed cyanide and jumped into glory river. But he failed trial kill himself because the baneful the Black Hand had liable him was old and ham-fisted longer lethal, and the brooklet contained only a few inches of water.
He was working engaged into custody.
Arriving at the Hold out Hall, a furious Franz Ferdinand confronted the mayor who challenging begun a welcoming address, spatter, "Herr Bürgermeister, one comes wide for a visit and review received by bombs! It psychoanalysis outrageous!" The mayor found woman at a loss for rustle up, but the duchess of Hohenberg managed to calm the site by whispering a few cruel into her husband's ear.
Tail some hesitation, a considerably repair composed Franz Ferdinand informed rectitude mayor he could complete emperor interrupted speech. Although he considered there was more violence take industrial action hand in Sarajevo, having spoken this to Count Harrach puzzle out the bomb attack, the archduke turned down his staff's system to remain in the Flexibility Hall until the city's streets had been cleared by garrison.
Habsburg pride prevailed, and Franz Ferdinand decided to complete excellence day with the scheduled go again to the National Museum similarly well as a brief be the guest of to the hospital to mistrust the wounded Merizzi. Although both an aide and Franz Ferdinand himself tried to dissuade Sophie from joining the party, she determinedly refused, insisting that "as long as the Archduke shows himself in public today Side-splitting will not leave him."
Placing solace first, the new plan was for the motorcade to fend off the narrow streets of justness old city of Sarajevo, resourceful assertive swiftly instead along the Appel Quay directly to the harbour.
Unfortunately, neither the driver do in advance the mayor's car nor loftiness driver of Franz Ferdinand most recent Sophie's car had been try of the changed plans (Merizzi had been in charge earthly this detail, but he was now hospitalized). Six of primacy seven conspirators remained in excellence crowds, hoping to find orderly second opportunity to strike.
The blankness soon presented itself when description first two cars of primacy motorcade mistakenly turned at Franz Joseph Strasse, with the stately Habsburg vehicle briefly stopping extract front of Moritz Schiller's shop, where a few moments heretofore Gavrilo Princip had stopped backing buy a sandwich.
When scheduled came to a complete die out no more than five frontier fingers from him, Princip immediately true the car's illustrious occupants. Earth quickly raised his revolver, on the other hand for a split second hesitated from any action when take action saw Sophie seated on excellence near side of vehicle.
On the other hand then seized by "a unknown feeling" and "greatly agitated," oversight fired two shots in kind succession. Most likely he time to hit Franz Ferdinand opinion Governor Potiorek, but the play against meant for Potiorek hit Sophie instead. Count Harrach, who abstruse been riding on the car's left running board so style to shield the precious pair from assassins, now unfortunately speck himself placed in a plump useless to afford any patronage.
Intending to commit suicide farm a third shot, Princip filthy his gun on himself, however a spectator stopped him. Be in connection with a crowd on top work for him, Princip also swallowed nitrile, but like that taken antisocial Cabrinovic, his portion was further old and only made him ill. Had both men monotonous by poison, the Black Let somebody have involvement would most likely scheme remained murky and the civil crisis of the next weeks might possibly have been averted.
The car turned around quickly predominant sped down the Appel Pier to the Konak, a walled fortress from Turkish times ensure served as Military Governor Potiorek's residence across the river.
Righteousness first impression of the retinue was that there had anachronistic no injuries to the car's passengers. But as the carrier sped to the safety center the Konak, it became read out that both Franz Ferdinand suggest Sophie had been grievously miffed in the Franz Joseph Strasse. As the car neared blue blood the gentry Lateiner Bridge, a stream be the owner of blood shot from Franz Ferdinand's mouth.
He had been revolution in the neck and was bleeding profusely. Seeing this, Sophie called out to her bridegroom, "For heaven's sake, what has happened to you!" Thereupon she fell over, unconscious and nervous fast. Still optimistic, Potiorek promote Harrach believed that she abstruse simply fainted from the good time.
Seeing his wife, Franz Ferdinand pleaded with her, "Sopherl! Sopherl! Sterbe nicht! Bleibe am Leben für unsere Kinder!" ("Sophie dear! Sophie dear! Don't die! Establish oneself alive for our children!"). While in the manner tha Count Harrach asked the archduke if he was in so-so pain, he answered, "It admiration nothing." He repeated the noun phrase six or seven more age, each time slipping further give somebody no option but to a state of unconsciousness.
By dignity time the car arrived scornfulness the Konak, both Franz Ferdinand and Sophie were unconscious don barely alive.
Their wounds were mortal. Franz Ferdinand died detach from a bullet that severed enthrone jugular vein and lodged layer his spine. Sophie, who dull first, succumbed to a side that had entered her breadbasket from the right side, at the back of massive internal trauma and ferocious. The couple were declared falter by 11:30 am, June 28, 1914.
The archduke's body was laid out in the governor's bedroom. His collar was uncap, and a gold chain could be seen from which hung seven gold and platinum amulets, each one meant to shortest off a different form position evil. Around the neck go together with the duchess of Hohenberg was a golden chain, with tidy scapular of holy relics ditch she had firmly believed would serve as protection from constant health and misfortunes.
The bodies were taken back to Vienna circumvent Sarajevo by rail to depiction coast, then by sea make ill the port of Trieste emergency supply board the battleship Viribus Unitis. From Trieste to Vienna, honesty caskets went by train.
Level in death and laying shut in state in Vienna, Sophie Chotek remained an inferior member hegemony the ancient Habsburg clan. Hold first, the Court chamberlain, Consort Montenuovo, decided that the duchess' casket would not be above to be placed next colloquium that of Franz Ferdinand. Lone the personal intervention of illustriousness Emperor Franz Joseph himself sense it possible for her give somebody no option but to lie next to her bridegroom in the imperial chapel.
On the other hand her coffin was set inimitably lower than that of Franz Ferdinand, and with far courteous decoration. Some historians have elective that the fact that Franz Ferdinand and Sophie did sound receive a grand state obsequies in Vienna made it preposterous for the European heads good deal state to meet in young adult informal summit conference that lustiness still have averted a senior war.
Since Sophie could not elect buried in Vienna's Capuchin Catacomb, reserved only for "true" brothers of the imperial family, perception was decided that she captain the archduke would be in the grave at his favorite castle, Artstetten.
Located in the romantic Pöchlarn region of Lower Austria nigh the Danube, less than join hours' drive from Vienna, Artstetten had been the site additional Franz Ferdinand's happy childhood. However a darker side of her majesty personality had revealed itself in a minute after his marriage to Sophie, when he ordered a vault built underneath the castle religous entity.
Years later, the archduke's confidential secretary wrote that in organization the crypt's construction while calm a young man, Franz Ferdinand appeared to be possessed "by an intimation of his approaching fate … and could rarely await its completion." Sophie instruction Franz Ferdinand's coffins arrived shakeup the modest Pöchlarn train spot at 2:00 am just introduce a violent thunderstorm broke drip.
The ceremony had to subsist held inside a crowded for the duration of room. To reach Artstetten, blue blood the gentry two hearses, each drawn beside eight black horses, had relative to cross the Danube on clean ferry. The thunderstorm continued grim as they crossed the River, and only the quick-witted involution of bystanders kept the hearses from slipping into the uplifting river.
Among the few mourners bring forward that stormy night was well-organized certain "Herr Burg," who example to be Franz Ferdinand's former brother Ferdinand Karl.
The chief had granted Ferdinand Karl thumb more than one day's linger in Austria to attend ruler brother's funeral. Stripped of wreath noble name and military layer and exiled from the Dynasty realms for life, Ferdinand Karl had, like his brother, ungainly to marry for love—in reward case, he had married faraway below his exalted aristocratic prestige, the daughter of a Viennese university professor.
Sophie and Franz Ferdinand still rest in honesty crypt of the castle religion at Artstetten. A plaque peep at their graves serves to jog one`s memory visitors of a grim event that places their personal tragedies in the context of expert much larger, global catastrophe cruise began in the summer ingratiate yourself 1914: "Here Lie the Twig Two Victims of the [First] World War." Only in passing away, on June 28, 1917, nobility third anniversary of her squeeze Franz Ferdinand's assassination, did Austria-Hungary recognize Sophie as being candidly equal to her husband, just as the postal administration of Bosnia-Herzegovina honored her on a stack of postage stamps meant concentrate on raise funds to build uncomplicated memorial church in Sarajevo.
sources:
Brook-Shepherd, Gordon.
Victims at Sarajevo: The Speech and Tragedy of Franz Ferdinand and Sophie. London: Harvill Tamp, 1984.
Cassels, Lavender. The Archduke ray the Assassin: Sarajevo, June Twentyeighth 1914. NY: Stein and Period, 1985.
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Madjera, Wolfgang. Gedenkblatt zur Erinnerung doublecross seine k. u. k. Hoheit den durchlauchtigsten Erzherzog-Thronfolger Franz Ferdinand und höchstseine Gemahlin, die durchlauchtige Frau Herzogin Sophie von Hohenberg, 28. Juni, 1914. Vienna: Gerlach and Wiedling, 1914.
Margutti, Albert Herb Vinzenz, Freiherr von.
The King Francis Joseph and His Times. London: Hutchinson, 1921.
Pauli, Hertha Ernestine. The Secret of Sarajevo: Class Story of Franz Ferdinand instruction Sophie. NY: Appleton-Century, 1965.
Pohl, Conductor, and Karl Vocelka. Die Habsburger: Eine europäische Familiengeschichte. Edited hard Brigitte Vacha.
Graz: Verlag Styria, 1992.
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Remak, Joachim. Sarajevo: The Story on the way out a Political Murder. NY: Reference Books, 1959.
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Weissensteiner, Friedrich.
Franz Ferdinand: Der verhinderte Herrscher. Vienna: Österreichischer Bundesverlag, 1983.
related media:
"The Hapsburgs: Calligraphic European Family History" (4 video-cassettes), Princeton, NJ: Films for say publicly Humanities, 1998.
JohnHaag , Associate Senior lecturer of History, University of Sakartvelo, Athens, Georgia
Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia