Product Description

The murder/suicide of Crown Prince Rudolph Habsburg, the son of Emperor Franz Joseph and Empress Elisabeth of Austria, and the beautiful young Baroness Mary Vetsera on January 30, 1889, at the royal hunting lodge in Mayerling, was a mystery then and, to a large degree, has remained a mystery to this day. It has provoked endless speculation and countless dramatic reconstructions. In this biography, Richard Barkeley argues that it is impossible fully to understand Rudolph's death without understanding his life. Rudolph was the most talented of the Habsburgs. He saw the need for urgent reform of the empire and frequently clashed with his conservative father, Franz Joseph. As Barkeley comments, 'The road the Mayerling started in the Imperial Palace in Vienna.'

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #771219 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02-13
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

From the Back Cover
The body of Crown Prince Rudolph, son of the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph and "The Lonely Empress", Elisabeth of Austria, was discovered on January 30, 1889 in the royal hunting lodge at Mayerling next to that of the beautiful young Baroness Mary Vetsera. The death of Rudolph - officially claimed to be the result of a heart attack, followed by accusations of poisoning and later confirmation that it was a murder/suicide pact with his young mistress - is the stuff of myth. The extraordinary scene when, accompanied by her two uncles, Mary Vetsera's fully clothed and veiled body - with a broomstick attached to her back to keep her upright - was secretly removed by coach from Mayerling to avoid detection, being part of the Court's elaborate plan to deny her existence. The life of Rudolph, the only son and last hope of the Habsburgs, was no less colourful and controversial than his death. Richard Barkeley's superbly factual account reads like a fast paced thriller. Phoenix Press NON-FICTION/HISTORY UK 9.99 USA $14.95 CAN $22.95 ISBN 1 84212 673 3

Customer Reviews

Europe's lost hope?
Crown Prince Rudolph was the liberal ruler of Austria-Hungary that never was. Highly intelligent and far more politically astute than his father or any of his peers he could have lead the Habsburg monarchy along an altogether more successful path had he not given in to despair, thus saving Austria, and Central Europe from the 50 years of barbarism that was to follow his death.

This is a great account of Crown Prince Rudolph's life and offers a very reasoned view of the many details which cannot be drawn from historical documents. Certain things, such as the author's views regarding (King Ludwig's) homosexuality are dated but otherwise it is a fine read and I would highly reccommend it.