Empress Elisabeth is another tragic beauty of the 19th century. In keeping with Wittelsbach and Habsburg family traditions, Elisabeth's parents hoped to marry off her older sister Helene (Nene) to Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria. The Wittelsbachs met with Franz Joseph and they brought Elisabeth as well as Helene. He fell for Elisabeth. Her carefree childhood ended at the age of sixteen with marriage into the stifling Austrian court and a hostile mother-in-law (who was a Wittelsbach). Her beauty was legendary and she was very fashion-conscious. She makes an excellent study in fashion history beginning with the Victorian/crinoline era all the way through the bustle era into the Belle Epoque. She was assassinated in 1898 by an anarchist. Her Wikipedia article is here.
There were once several good Internet sites about her, but they seem to be gone so this collection may now be a major site, populated largely, but not exclusively, with images posted on the Alexander Palace Time Machine Discussion Forum and Foro Dinastias, about Empress Elisabeth.
