The Habsburg Monarchy and Dynasty

[Avalon]

Originally Posted by Smilla

I just read Martha Schad's published edition of Marie Valerie's diary. Marie Valerie was the youngest daughter of Empress Elisabeth (and apparently the only child she was really interested in).
There is a picture in it that shows two elderly women in the Imperial Rooms in the Hofburg. One is sitting in a big chair, the other one is writing. The woman in the chair has white hair, the other one grey/black hair. The caption says that the picture shows Ida von Ferency and Empress Elisabeth. Does anyone know or remember this picture? If you do, can you tell me who of the women is Sisi? And do you know about any other pictures that show Elisabeth as a middle-aged or elderly woman?

Ida Ferenzcy was Introduced to Empress Elisabeth by Count Julius Andrassy. She became one of the Empress' closestfriend and served her until hse was too old to.
Here is a picture of Countess Ida (she is 3rd from left).
And this article can tell a great deal about her but unfortunately it's in German and my German is not nearly good enough to translate whole of it.

[Smilla]

Originally Posted by Avalon

Ida Ferenzcy was Introduced to Empress Elisabeth by Count Julius Andrassy. She became one of the Empress' closestfriend and served her until hse was too old to.
Here is a picture of Countess Ida (she is 3rd from left).
And this article can tell a great deal about her but unfortunately it's in German and my German is not nearly good enough to translate whole of it.

Thank you! So now I know who of the ladies in the picture I've referred to was Ida F., so the other must be Sisi as an old lady. Incredible, normally you only see the pictures that show her as a young beauty. I will scan the picture as soon as possible, I'm sure you will be as surprised as I was at Elisabeth's looks as an elderly woman.

[GrandDuchess]

After the night's thrilling counting of the votes in the Swedish general election on Sunday, it stands clear that Walburga von Habsburg Douglas, Swedish Countess via marriage and daughter of Archduke Otto, will take place in the Swedish Parliament for the Moderaterna party (Conservatives).

She was the second name on Moderaterna's Parliamentary list in the Sörmland County.

[Benjamin]

Ein Hauch von K.u.K. im Rathaus
Dr. Otto von Habsburg zu Besuch in Graz

Graz fühlt er sich freundschaftlich verbunden, schätzt die Vitalität hier und die Kombination aus Historie und Zukunftsorientierung: Dr. Otto von Habsburg, Sohn des letzten Kaisers von Österreich, Karl I., und Urgroßneffe von Kaiser Franz Joseph I., war heute Mittag zu Gast im Rathaus und trug sich - wie übrigens der Kaiser anno 1895 auch - ins Goldene Buch der Stadt ein.
http://www.graz.at/cms/beitrag/10060636/858929/
==================================================
Article about a recent visit of Archduke Otto to Graz. Includes pictures (1, 2, and 3)

[Benjamin]

Kaiser-Enkelin zieht ins schwedische Parlament

Stockholm, 18. September 2006
Die jüngste Tochter von Otto Habsburg, Walburga Habsburg Douglas, wird in den kommenden vier Jahren aller Voraussicht nach als Abgeordnete der konservativen "Moderaterna" im Schwedischen Reichstag sitzen.
http://www.oe24.at/zeitung/welt/welt...ticle37185.ece
=============================================
Article about Archduchess Walburga's election to the Swedish Parliament. In 2002 she had ran on the conservative ticket, but was unsuccessful. In 1999 and 2004 she had ran for the European Parliament.

[Benjamin]

Here are some sites with pictures & info on various Habsburgs:
Archduchess Elisabeth
Archduke Felix
Archduchesses Maria Annunziata and Maria Immaculata
Archduchess Isabella
Archduchess Regina
Archduchess Maria-Josefa
Archduchess Marie Valerie
Daughters of Archduke Karl Ludwig
The Habsburgs
Sophie von Hohenberg

[fanletizia]

Walburga and Otto von Habsburg in the aperture of the Parliament in Sweden

from seeger

[Benjamin]

Princess brings a touch of Europe to Stockholm
As a member of the Swedish parliament she might still be wet behind the ears, but Walburga Habsburg Douglas is no stranger to politics...
http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?I...d32ab8a4590171

[PrincessKoreen]

Originally Posted by Smilla

I just read Martha Schad's published edition of Marie Valerie's diary. Marie Valerie was the youngest daughter of Empress Elisabeth (and apparently the only child she was really interested in).
There is a picture in it that shows two elderly women in the Imperial Rooms in the Hofburg. One is sitting in a big chair, the other one is writing. The woman in the chair has white hair, the other one grey/black hair. The caption says that the picture shows Ida von Ferency and Empress Elisabeth. Does anyone know or remember this picture? If you do, can you tell me who of the women is Sisi? And do you know about any other pictures that show Elisabeth as a middle-aged or elderly woman?

The Empress looks relatively young here, but I haven't seen this picture yet....

http://www.eiwc.org/gallery/Miscella...cel-05_jpg.jpg

[gogm]

There's a great German site at:

http://www.zi.fotothek.org/obj/obj19051617/Galerie .

Some of the pictures are of Maria Antonia (Marie Antoinette).

[Kova]

I am trying to find some info regarding regulations on Maria Theresia court, but all I could find was political facts. I am more interested in people working on court and their tasks (including counts and countess, etc), how to behave properly, their social status, every day habits,... Can anyone tell me where I can find this kind of information? I would appreciate it.

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by Kova

I am trying to find some info regarding regulations on Maria Theresia court, but all I could find was political facts. I am more interested in people working on court and their tasks (including counts and countess, etc), how to behave properly, their social status, every day habits,... Can anyone tell me where I can find this kind of information? I would appreciate it.

In which language do you require this information? English or German, too?

I found this scientific journal, maybe you can try inter-library loan at your town's university if you can read German:

Schimmer, Karl August (Herausgeber)
Bilder aus der Heimath. Oesterreichische Volksschrift zur Belehrung und Unterhaltung, mit besonderer Rücksicht auf vaterländische Geschichte, Topographie und Statistik. Unter Mitwirkung ausgezeichneter Fachmänner ..
Wien, A. Pichler"s Witwe & Sohn, 1853

It has an article about the court of Karl VI. and his daughter Maria Theresia.

Here are two articles published in scientific journals about the "Hofstaat" (court) of the Habsburg emperors from Maria-Theresia. The first article includes the rules of the "Spanish ceremonials" (right word?):

Ottillinger, Eva B. – Hanzl, Lieselotte: Kaiserliche Interieurs. Die Wohnkultur des Wiener Hofes im 19. Jahrhundert und die Wiener Kunstgewerbereform. Wien-Köln-Weimar 1997.
Zolger, Ivan: Der Hofstaat des Hauses Österreich. Wien-Leipzig 1917 (Wiener Staatswissenschaftliche Studien 14).


And here's an English book about this topic:
State and Society in Early Modern Austria
by Charles W. Ingrao
Purdue University Press, 1994 - try inter-library loan!

[Kova]

Thank you for your reply! I need it in English language because I don't understand German that well. I tried getting those books from the library and any other possible material on that subject but the closest thing I got were autobiographs on their private lives. I think it's a disgrace that we have limited sources on the subject because we were a part of the dynasty once. Anyway, thank you again for all your help!

[britti]

Originally Posted by Benjamin

Ein Hauch von K.u.K. im Rathaus
Dr. Otto von Habsburg zu Besuch in Graz

Graz fühlt er sich freundschaftlich verbunden, schätzt die Vitalität hier und die Kombination aus Historie und Zukunftsorientierung: Dr. Otto von Habsburg, Sohn des letzten Kaisers von Österreich, Karl I., und Urgroßneffe von Kaiser Franz Joseph I., war heute Mittag zu Gast im Rathaus und trug sich - wie übrigens der Kaiser anno 1895 auch - ins Goldene Buch der Stadt ein.
http://www.graz.at/cms/beitrag/10060636/858929/
==================================================
Article about a recent visit of Archduke Otto to Graz. Includes pictures (1, 2, and 3)

Thanks , Benjamin, for mentioning this article. I was always interested in Otto, somewhere I admire him, he is still so lively and so much travelling and does so many activities, even if he is so old. This is rare in my opinion, in the interview , which I posted on the Alexanderpalace, he mentiones more than fifteen or twenty destinations to travel only in two months.
I would be interested to meet him once, before he once will die, but this will be impossible; I suppose. He has written many books and two on them I have, especially the one about his ansistor Karl V must be interesting (but I could not read it yet)
But as one can imagine, among left people his political views are discussed and he once have an interview to the "Junge Freiheit" foe example, who is considered a conservative - right positioned journal. But one must always consider that this is a person, which survived and managed all the difficulties from the fall of the Empire and the two wars (he was also, as you may know hunted by Hitler) and so on. For me is on eof the most interested Habsburg members of today, many others do not have to do with family traditions and interests anymore and have completey other tasks like every person of today. There is an interestingt biography on Otto in my library, I will that I will have the possibility to read it.

[flcty]

I'm not quite sure whether someone already has posted about this birth but...
I found something on another board which lead me to the following website...
http://www.angelfire.com/in3/theodor...urobirths.html
...According to the link Ps. Lorenz's brother, Archduke Martin and wife, Princess Katharina, welcomed one Archduke Bartholomäus Karl Robert of Austria-Este into the world on July 27, 2006.
...I know it's a bit late but I, myself just recently found out . I hope I contributed something intresting to this thread.
...According to wikipedia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_of...ngarian_throne
...Archduke Bartholomäus Karl Robert of Austria-Este is 10th in line to the abolished Austria-Hungary throne.

[tancarville]

Hi there, I am curious to as much data and connections if possible.
My research site is www.maltagenealogy.com

Take care

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by SavannahFaith

Ok. I need your expertise.

There is a family legend on my father's side of the family and I am trying to prove/disprove it.

It goes like this:

My father's great-grandmother was the Grand Niece of the Archduke Ferdinand. Before WWI, she ran away with the Captain of the Guard and came to the United States.

In the 1950's there was a royal visit from the family and they came to Detroit to see my dad's grandparents.

There were several archdukes called Ferdinand around in a timespan that could suit your interesting story. I think you should first ask about them on the Ellis island records -maybe you get an information about the maiden name of your ancestor.

The way the story is told is strange: why the niece of an archduke? If she was an Habsburg, she would be a descendent of an empress or emperor. Wouldn't the legend refer to that noble and direct ancestry instead? Thus I guess she is from the archduke's wife's side, only related through the wife to the archducal family. But most archdukes married princesses, so your ancestor would not be prominent through her marriage-relation to the Habsburgs, but through her own Royal blood. Thus you should look for an archduke with a commoner or lower nobility wife. Only this scenario makes sense to me when connected to your legend.

When I count back on taking 25 years for a generation, your ancestor probably was born around 1885. Then the archduke must have a birthdate of 1870 to 1830 (depends on if he is the greatuncle or direct uncle of your ancestor).

During this period there were two archdukes called Ferdinand who married a commoner or lady of the lower nobility. Both were brothers and nephews of emperor Franz Joseph.

Franz Ferdinand was born in 1863 and married Sophie Countess Chotek, his younger brother Ferdinand Karl was born in 1868 and married Berta Czuber, a commoner.

Because they had both married morganatically, the line of sucession passed them and went to their brother Otto's son Karl (I.). If "your" Ferdinand is one of these two, then the niece would be at least a step-cousin of Dr. Otto von Habsburg - maybe he was that Royal relation who visited. As Otto von Habsburg is still alive and can be reached by phone or mail, it think it could be worth while contacting him. But before that I'd try to trace the maiden name of your ancestor and find out a bit more on the geneology pages on the net.

Hope that helps.

[SavannahFaith]

Hey, Jo, thank you very much. I am working on the genelogy sites as well as tracing the family from my father backwards.

I also think the legend focuses on the Archduke Ferdinand because he was the name people might know -- regardless that it may have been the WRONG Ferdinand.

I'm not ready for that step yet, but when I am: How does one contact Dr. von Habsburg?

And lastly, can I ask a really stupid question?

Why is it sometimes Hapsburg and sometimes Habsburg?

Thanks again.

Bless,
Savannah

[Jo of Palatine]

Originally Posted by SavannahFaith

I'm not ready for that step yet, but when I am: How does one contact Dr. von Habsburg?

And lastly, can I ask a really stupid question?

Why is it sometimes Hapsburg and sometimes Habsburg?

Thanks again.

Bless,
Savannah

Habsburg is the Austrian/German version, while Hapsburg seems to be the anglizised one. In times before spelling rules were agreed upon, you could find Hapsburg on documents. But for the last two hundred years it's Habsburg. As the Habsburg is in the German part of Switzerland and is called that today, it makes sense.

As for Otto von Habsburg, here's the adress from the German phonebook:

Habsburg, Otto von
Hindenburgstr. 15
D-82343 Pöcking
Telefon: +49-8157-7015


Telefax: +49-8157-70 87

Greetings from Germany, Jo

[Danielane]

Originally Posted by SavannahFaith

Ok. I need your expertise.
There is a family legend on my father's side of the family and I am trying to prove/disprove it...

Maybe you will be interested in this particular thread.