Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria
Encyclopedia
Archduchess Marie Valerie of Austria (22 April 1868 – 6 September 1924) was the fourth and last child of Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria and Elisabeth of Bavaria
("Sisi"). Her given name was Marie Valerie Mathilde Amalie, but she was usually called Valerie.
) in Hungary
. The Empress Elisabeth was especially attached to Valerie, who was born ten years after the imperial couple's third child, and whom she was allowed to raise herself in contrast to her first three children who were taken from her in infancy and raised by the Emperor's mother, Archduchess Sophie. Sophie herself wrote to Elisabeth's mother Ludovika, "Sisi is completely absorbed by her love and care for this irresistible little angel."
She was Elisabeth's favorite child by far, and was acidly referred to by some courtiers as "Die Einzige" ("The Only Child") because Elisabeth paid so much more attention to her than her siblings. Valerie loved her mother, but according to her diaries, often felt embarrassed and overwhelmed by Elisabeth's concentration on her, particularly as she herself was of a modest and practical nature.
Another of Valerie's nicknames was "The Hungarian Child" because her birth had been a concession by Elisabeth, who disliked physical intimacy and pregnancy, in exchange for Franz Joseph's conciliation with Hungary
, her most favored part of the Empire. This process culminated in their joint coronation in Budapest
on 8 June 1867, as King and Queen of Hungary. Valerie was born just over nine months later.
Elisabeth deliberately chose Hungary as her child's birthplace; no royal child had been born in Hungary for centuries. Had Valerie been a boy, she would have been named Stephan after Hungary's canonized king and patron saint. According to historian Brigitte Hamann, a boy born to the Queen of Hungary in the castle at Budapest would have raised the possibility of his someday becoming its king, separating Hungary from the Austrian empire, and there was universal relief at the Viennese court that Valerie was a girl.
Malicious rumors intimated that Valerie was actually the daughter of Elisabeth's friend and admirer Gyula Andrassy
, the Hungarian prime minister. These persisted into Valerie's childhood, hurting her deeply. However, she physically resembled Franz Joseph more than any of her siblings, even more so as she grew older, and eventually the rumors died away. Due to the atmosphere they created, however, Valerie developed a lifelong antipathy toward anything to do with Hungary, exacerbated by Elisabeth's insistence on speaking to her only in Hungarian. She was joyful when she was given permission to speak German with her father, whom she worshiped. In addition, she spoke English, French, and Italian fluently, loved to write plays and poems, and was a talented amateur artist who particularly enjoyed painting flowers. She was a great supporter of the Burgtheater
in Vienna, and attended its productions as often as possible.
In Ischl on 31 July 1890, Valerie married her close cousin Archduke Franz Salvator
. They had met in 1886 at a ball, but Valerie waited several years to be sure that her feelings toward Franz Salvator were strong enough to make a successful marriage. It was hoped by many at court that she would marry someone like the Crown Prince of Saxony
or the Duke of Braganza
, and she was also courted by Prince Alfons of Bavaria
. Elisabeth, however, declared that Valerie would be allowed to marry even a chimney sweep if her heart were set on it (in contrast to her other children, who had both had to make dynastic marriages). Valerie chose for love Franz-Salvator, a relatively minor prince from the Tuscan branch of the Austrian imperial family who had no great wealth to offer, and Elisabeth, as promised, supported her favorite daughter. This caused a deep rift between Valerie and her sister and brother Crown Prince Rudolf
for a time, but eventually Rudolf became reconciled to the marriage when Valerie and Franz became engaged at Christmas 1888.
Valerie's solemn renunciation of her rights to the Austrian throne, which was necessary for the marriage to proceed, took place on 16 July 1890 at the Hermesvilla
. The young couple's festive wedding followed in the parish church of Bad Ischl
on 31 July. The ceremony was conducted by the Bishop of Linz, Franz Maria Doppelbauer
. Afterwards, Valerie and Franz honeymooned in Italy, Switzerland, and Bavaria.
She was known and loved for her generous involvement in local charitable endeavors. In 1900, she became a patron of the Red Cross, for which she founded hospitals and raised considerable sums of money; she was also patron of seven other charities. During World War I, she created a hospital barracks in the castle itself and helped care for the wounded. She was a devout Catholic who also spent much time supporting religious charities and was known to the people as the "Angel of Waldsee". She was also a Dame
of the Star Cross Order.
Valerie was greatly affected by the suicide of her brother Rudolf on 30 January 1889, and the assassination of her mother Elisabeth in September 1898. She and her sister Gisela were a great support to their father in the aftermath of these tragedies.
While the marriage of Valerie and Franz was harmonious at first, it became less so with time. Franz had many affairs, including one with Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe
(1891–1972), who was later known as "Hitler's Spy Princess" for her espionage activities before and during World War II
. In 1914, she gave birth to a son by him, Franz Joseph, whom he acknowledged as his while Valerie was still alive. Valerie faced these blows stoically, confiding only in her journal.
After the end of World War I, Valerie officially recognized the end of the Habsburg monarchy and signed documents renouncing all rights toward the same for herself and her descendants. The renunciation allowed her to keep her home and possessions.
. Shortly before her death, her sister Gisela wrote in a letter, "I must add that I have seen Valerie - fully conscious, completely aware of her condition, and so devoutly accepting, even joyfully anticipating her impending departure, that I believe an unexpected recovery would actually disappoint her." She is buried in a crypt behind the high altar at the parish church in Sindelburg
, Austria. Several thousand people followed her coffin to its resting place.
On 28 April 1934, ten years after Valerie's death, Franz married a second time, to Freiin (a title corresponding to "Baroness") Melanie von Riesenfels (20 September 1898 – 10 November 1984). This was a morganatic marriage; the wedding took place in Vienna. The pair had met after Valerie's death at Melanie's home, Seisenegg Palace , where she lived with her sisters Maria Anna and Johanna. After their wedding, the couple lived at Seisenegg.
Franz Salvator died on 20 April 1939 in Vienna
.
The Mária Valéria bridge
joining Esztergom
in Hungary
and Štúrovo
in Slovakia
, across the River Danube
opened in 1895 is named after Marie Valerie.
Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Austria was the spouse of Franz Joseph I, and therefore both Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She also held the titles of Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, among others...
("Sisi"). Her given name was Marie Valerie Mathilde Amalie, but she was usually called Valerie.
Early life
Princess Marie Valerie was born at Ofen (BudaBuda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
) in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. The Empress Elisabeth was especially attached to Valerie, who was born ten years after the imperial couple's third child, and whom she was allowed to raise herself in contrast to her first three children who were taken from her in infancy and raised by the Emperor's mother, Archduchess Sophie. Sophie herself wrote to Elisabeth's mother Ludovika, "Sisi is completely absorbed by her love and care for this irresistible little angel."
She was Elisabeth's favorite child by far, and was acidly referred to by some courtiers as "Die Einzige" ("The Only Child") because Elisabeth paid so much more attention to her than her siblings. Valerie loved her mother, but according to her diaries, often felt embarrassed and overwhelmed by Elisabeth's concentration on her, particularly as she herself was of a modest and practical nature.
Another of Valerie's nicknames was "The Hungarian Child" because her birth had been a concession by Elisabeth, who disliked physical intimacy and pregnancy, in exchange for Franz Joseph's conciliation with Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, her most favored part of the Empire. This process culminated in their joint coronation in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
on 8 June 1867, as King and Queen of Hungary. Valerie was born just over nine months later.
Elisabeth deliberately chose Hungary as her child's birthplace; no royal child had been born in Hungary for centuries. Had Valerie been a boy, she would have been named Stephan after Hungary's canonized king and patron saint. According to historian Brigitte Hamann, a boy born to the Queen of Hungary in the castle at Budapest would have raised the possibility of his someday becoming its king, separating Hungary from the Austrian empire, and there was universal relief at the Viennese court that Valerie was a girl.
Malicious rumors intimated that Valerie was actually the daughter of Elisabeth's friend and admirer Gyula Andrassy
Gyula Andrássy
Gyula Count Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka was a Hungarian statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Hungary and subsequently as Foreign Minister of Austria-Hungary...
, the Hungarian prime minister. These persisted into Valerie's childhood, hurting her deeply. However, she physically resembled Franz Joseph more than any of her siblings, even more so as she grew older, and eventually the rumors died away. Due to the atmosphere they created, however, Valerie developed a lifelong antipathy toward anything to do with Hungary, exacerbated by Elisabeth's insistence on speaking to her only in Hungarian. She was joyful when she was given permission to speak German with her father, whom she worshiped. In addition, she spoke English, French, and Italian fluently, loved to write plays and poems, and was a talented amateur artist who particularly enjoyed painting flowers. She was a great supporter of the Burgtheater
Burgtheater
The Burgtheater , originally known as K.K. Theater an der Burg, then until 1918 as the K.K. Hofburgtheater, is the Austrian National Theatre in Vienna and one of the most important German language theatres in the world.The Burgtheater was created in 1741 and has become known as "die Burg" by the...
in Vienna, and attended its productions as often as possible.
Marriage
Archduke Franz Salvator of Austria
Archduke Franz Salvator of Austria, in Italian Francesco Salvatore Maria Giuseppe Ferdinando Carlo Leopoldo Antonio di Padova Giovanni Battista Gennaro Lodovico Gonzaga Raniero Benedetto Bernardo, in German Franz Salvator Maria Joseph Ferdinand Karl Leopold Anton von Padua Johann Baptist Januarius...
. They had met in 1886 at a ball, but Valerie waited several years to be sure that her feelings toward Franz Salvator were strong enough to make a successful marriage. It was hoped by many at court that she would marry someone like the Crown Prince of Saxony
Frederick Augustus III of Saxony
This article is about King Frederick Augustus III of Saxony. For the elector Frederick Augustus III, see Frederick Augustus I of Saxony.Frederick Augustus III was the last King of Saxony and a member of the House of Wettin.Born in Dresden, Frederick Augustus was the son of King George of Saxony...
or the Duke of Braganza
Carlos I of Portugal
-Assassination:On 1 February 1908 the royal family returned from the palace of Vila Viçosa to Lisbon. They travelled by train to Barreiro and, from there, they took a steamer to cross the Tagus River and disembarked at Cais do Sodré in central Lisbon. On their way to the royal palace, the open...
, and she was also courted by Prince Alfons of Bavaria
Prince Alfons of Bavaria
Prince Alfons of Bavaria was a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach and a General of Cavalry.-Early life:Alfons was born in Munich, Bavaria...
. Elisabeth, however, declared that Valerie would be allowed to marry even a chimney sweep if her heart were set on it (in contrast to her other children, who had both had to make dynastic marriages). Valerie chose for love Franz-Salvator, a relatively minor prince from the Tuscan branch of the Austrian imperial family who had no great wealth to offer, and Elisabeth, as promised, supported her favorite daughter. This caused a deep rift between Valerie and her sister and brother Crown Prince Rudolf
Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria
Rudolf , archduke of Austria and crown prince of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, was the son and heir of Franz Joseph I, emperor of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia, and his wife and empress, Elisabeth...
for a time, but eventually Rudolf became reconciled to the marriage when Valerie and Franz became engaged at Christmas 1888.
Valerie's solemn renunciation of her rights to the Austrian throne, which was necessary for the marriage to proceed, took place on 16 July 1890 at the Hermesvilla
Hermesvilla
The Hermesvilla is a palace in the Lainzer Tiergarten, in Vienna, a former hunting area for the Habsburg nobility. Emperor Franz Joseph I gave it to his wife Empress Elisabeth , and he called it the "castle of dreams.“ The name of the villa refers to a statue of Hermes made of white marble that is...
. The young couple's festive wedding followed in the parish church of Bad Ischl
Bad Ischl
Bad Ischl is a spa town in Austria. It lies in the southern part of Upper Austria, at the Traun River in the centre of the Salzkammergut region. The town consists of the Katastralgemeinden Ahorn, Bad Ischl, Haiden, Jainzen, Kaltenbach, Lauffen, Lindau, Pfandl, Perneck, Reiterndorf and Rettenbach...
on 31 July. The ceremony was conducted by the Bishop of Linz, Franz Maria Doppelbauer
Franz Maria Doppelbauer
Franz Maria Doppelbauer was the bishop of Linz from 1889 to 1908.He was a patron and promoter of Catholic interests in Austria. He gave encouragement to Catholic associations and the Catholic press, establishing personally a newspaper....
. Afterwards, Valerie and Franz honeymooned in Italy, Switzerland, and Bavaria.
Children
Marie Valerie and Franz Salvator had 10 children:| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elisabeth Franziska "Ella" | 27 January 1892 | 29 January 1930 | married Count Georg of Waldburg-Zeil-Trauchburg, had issue. |
| Franz Karl Salvator | 17 February 1893 | 12 December 1918 | died unmarried of the Spanish Flu Spanish flu The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin... . |
| Hubert Salvator Archduke Hubert Salvator of Austria Archduke Hubert Salvator of Austria was a member of the Tuscan line of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and Archduke and Prince of Austria, Prince of Hungary, Bohemia, and Tuscany by birth.-Family:Hubert Salvator was the... |
30 April 1894 | 24 March 1971 | married Princess Rosemary of Salm-Salm Princess Rosemary of Salm-Salm Princess Rosemary of Salm-Salm, Wildgravine and Rhinegravine of Salm-Salm was a member of the Princely House of Salm-Salm and a Princess, Wildgravine, and Rhinegravine of Salm-Salm by birth... , had issue. |
| Hedwig | 24 September 1896 | 1 November 1970 | married Count Bernard of Stolberg-Stolberg, had issue. |
| Theodor Salvator | 9 October 1899 | 8 April 1978 | married Countess Maria Theresa of Waldburg-Zeil-Trauchburg, had issue. |
| Gertrud | 19 November 1900 | 20 December 1962 | married Count Georg of Waldburg-Zeil-Trauchburg, widower of her sister Elisabeth, had issue. |
| Maria Elisabeth | 19 November 1901 | 29 December 1936 | died unmarried. |
| Clemens Salvator | 6 October 1904 | 20 August 1974 | married Countess Elisabeth Rességuier de Miremont, took the title Prince of Altenburg, had issue. |
| Mathilde | 9 August 1906 | 18 October 1991 | married Ernst Hefel, no issue. |
| Agnes | 26 June 1911 | 26 June 1911 | died at the age of eight hours. |
Later life
At first, Valerie and Franz lived at Schloss Lichtenegg (Lichtenegg Palace). On 11 June 1895, the couple purchased Schloss Wallsee (Wallsee Palace) on the Danube River from its then owner, Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and completely renovated it. When the renovation was finished, a ceremony marking their moving into the new palace was held on 4 September 1897. There was great celebration of the event in Wallsee due to Valerie's popularity.She was known and loved for her generous involvement in local charitable endeavors. In 1900, she became a patron of the Red Cross, for which she founded hospitals and raised considerable sums of money; she was also patron of seven other charities. During World War I, she created a hospital barracks in the castle itself and helped care for the wounded. She was a devout Catholic who also spent much time supporting religious charities and was known to the people as the "Angel of Waldsee". She was also a Dame
Dame (title)
The title of Dame is the female equivalent of the honour of knighthood in the British honours system . It is also the equivalent form address to 'Sir' for a knight...
of the Star Cross Order.
Valerie was greatly affected by the suicide of her brother Rudolf on 30 January 1889, and the assassination of her mother Elisabeth in September 1898. She and her sister Gisela were a great support to their father in the aftermath of these tragedies.
While the marriage of Valerie and Franz was harmonious at first, it became less so with time. Franz had many affairs, including one with Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe
Stephanie von Hohenlohe
Princess Stephanie Julianne von Hohenlohe was a member of a German princely family by marriage and a close friend of Adolf Hitler who spied for Nazi Germany.-Early life:...
(1891–1972), who was later known as "Hitler's Spy Princess" for her espionage activities before and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1914, she gave birth to a son by him, Franz Joseph, whom he acknowledged as his while Valerie was still alive. Valerie faced these blows stoically, confiding only in her journal.
After the end of World War I, Valerie officially recognized the end of the Habsburg monarchy and signed documents renouncing all rights toward the same for herself and her descendants. The renunciation allowed her to keep her home and possessions.
Death
Valerie died in Schloss Wallsee on 6 September 1924 of lymphomaLymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
. Shortly before her death, her sister Gisela wrote in a letter, "I must add that I have seen Valerie - fully conscious, completely aware of her condition, and so devoutly accepting, even joyfully anticipating her impending departure, that I believe an unexpected recovery would actually disappoint her." She is buried in a crypt behind the high altar at the parish church in Sindelburg
Wallsee-Sindelburg
Wallsee-Sindelburg is a town in the district of Amstetten in Lower Austria in Austria.-References:...
, Austria. Several thousand people followed her coffin to its resting place.
On 28 April 1934, ten years after Valerie's death, Franz married a second time, to Freiin (a title corresponding to "Baroness") Melanie von Riesenfels (20 September 1898 – 10 November 1984). This was a morganatic marriage; the wedding took place in Vienna. The pair had met after Valerie's death at Melanie's home, Seisenegg Palace , where she lived with her sisters Maria Anna and Johanna. After their wedding, the couple lived at Seisenegg.
Franz Salvator died on 20 April 1939 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
.
The Mária Valéria bridge
Mária Valéria bridge
The Mária Valéria bridge joins Esztergom in Hungary and Štúrovo in Slovakia, across the River Danube. The bridge is some 500 metres in length...
joining Esztergom
Esztergom
Esztergom , is a city in northern Hungary, 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there....
in Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Štúrovo
Štúrovo
Štúrovo is a town in Slovakia, situated on the River Danube. Its population in 2005 was 11,172.The town is situated opposite the Hungarian city of Esztergom. The Mária Valéria bridge connects the settlements. The bridge was destroyed in 1944 during World War II, but reconstructed in...
in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, across the River Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
opened in 1895 is named after Marie Valerie.
Titles and styles
- 22 April 1868 – 31 July 1890: Her Imperial and Royal Highness Archduchess and Princess Imperial Marie Valerie of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia
- 31 July 1890 – 6 September 1924: Her Imperial and Royal Highness Archduchess and Princess Imperial Marie Valerie of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia, Princess of Tuscany