|
|
| Plot Summary of Emperor Francis Joseph |
|---|
"Emperor Francis Joseph: Life, death and the fall of the Habsburg Empire
John Van der Kiste
Sutton Publishing, Stroud, Glos. (UK), 2005
ISBN: 0750937874
Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria-Hungary, ascended the throne in December 1848 at the age of 18. He was a natural autocrat, but tempered absolutism with reform. During his reign of almost 68 years, the longest in modern European history, he presided over the introduction of general suffrage and an often fractious Reichsrat, the forerunner to a constitutional parliament.
Politically, his reign was a disaster. Austrian defeats in war led to the loss of states in Italy, and to her expulsion from the German Confederation by her smaller but more powerful rival Prussia. The decline of empire was mirrored by the horrific events in his own family. His brother Maximilian, chosen as Emperor of Mexico in 1864, reigned over a country torn apart by civil war and was executed by firing squad three years later. Francis Joseph's wayward wife Elizabeth was assassinated in Geneva in 1898. Two of his heirs met violent deaths - his only son Rudolf killed his mistress Marie Vetsera and then committed suicide at his hunting lodge at Mayerling in 1889, while his nephew Francis Ferdinand was assassinated with his wife at Sarajevo in 1914, a killing which precipitated the Great War.
This biography examines the personal relationships of the Emperor with his family, against the turbulent background of 19th-century Europe. It looks at the life and times of the man who, despite the disasters of his reign, was the last major Emperor of the Austro-Hungarian empire."
John Van der Kiste, Resident Scholar
|
|
Get your copy of the book
| Review Analysis of Emperor Francis Joseph |
|---|
|
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
|
|
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Job/profession/poverty story
Yes
Politician story?
- rightist dictator
Royalty bio
Yes
Period of greatest activity?
- 1800's
Subject of Biography
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- Prince/Nobleman/King
Age:
- long lived adults
Biography of famous person?
Yes
Ethnicity
- White
Nationality
- Eastern European
How sensitive is this person?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 7 ()
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Eastern Europe
Misc setting
- Fancy Mansion
Century:
- 19th century
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- moderately detailed references to deaths
Book makes you feel?
- thoughtful
Writer's slant towards subject:
- favorable
Story of entire life, or part?
- story of nearly entire life
Pictures/Illustrations?
- A ton 16-20 B&W
How much dialogue in bio?
- little dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life?
- 76%-100% of book
|
|
|
Click here for more information about this book
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback
Most recent discussions:
General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Norah Lofts
6:49:46 PM
Suzanne Weyn
10:35:23 PM
George W. Bush
5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt
12:58:29 AM
Anonymous
12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun
10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino
10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer
10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett
10:03:31 PM
David Williams
10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield
10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls
10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan
9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi
9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine
9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington
9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody
9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden
9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn
9:55:48 PM
Iris Johansen
9:55:24 PM
More message boards
|
