Emperor's wedding

  In autumn of 1852 the Court discussed about another possible marriage with Anna, niece of King Frederick William IV. This volume would be considered as a step towards the release of the Austro-Prussian relations, but Anne was already betrothed to Frederick William, Landgrave Hesenský. Only little time was also talked about Princess Sidonie, sister of Albert of Saxony.

  On the 18th of February in 1853 was the Emperor attacked by Janos Libényi's, twentyone years old journeyman tailor. Stab wound to the neck was deep and bled profusely. Franz Joseph  cursed the attack and said that he wasn't in more danger than the brave soldiers in Italy. The Emperor escaped serious consequences only by chance due to strong gold brocaded collar and also because the knife slid after the cranial bones. He lost much blood and was blinded for a while. The attacker was executed on the 20th of February 1853. He belonged to the Hungarian regiment, which fought five years ago in the uprising.

  After this serious attack on the emperor, but the question of additional lines of the Habsburg dynasty came to a different perspective. Attempted murder of Archduchess Sophie convinced that her eldest son marry quickly. Therefore, she invited her sister Ludovika, Bavarian duchess, and her two daughters for a few days to Ischl. Nineteen years old Helena (Nene) got nervous when she saw her cousin and her future husband coming in and although she was   was perfectly prepared for marriage, she could not make a coherent sentence. Her fifteen years old sister Elizabeth (Sissi), oblivious to any restrictions, was very friendly to the emperor. No wonder that the emperor fell in love with young and very lively Bavarian princess.

   Dr. William Krejza, Life and reign of Franz Joseph I: Regent and human destinies of His Majesty's words and pictures, the betrothal of the Emperor, wrote:

   "... The wedding should take place until next spring. In winter, the Franz Josef frequently visited Munich or Possenhofen to see his bride. More and more deeply charmed his naive charm and beauty of the charming young girl, so he could not wait when she will come to the throne ... On the morning on the 20th of April in 1854 Princess Elizabeth left for Vienna, the city was awake and said farewell to. Bourgeois and the people called the departing their deepest desires. Her festive entrance into the next town celebrated its residential Princess Elizabeth on the waves of the Danube. Big flat boat was waiting ready to accommodate her with all his company: with parents and with all the servants. Yellow and purple draperies, which welcomed lovely monarch brought the nation. And in this beautiful booty spring, white and fresh in his heavy silk toile, with its flush of happiness with a quizzical eyes flames looked like the most beautiful symbol of youth, as a fairy innocence and beauty of spring. Wreaths of white and red roses covered her ceremonial robe of silver brocade and braiding with heavy braids of her beautiful, golden - red flashing dark brown hair, raising, dreamily disappointed by this tribute to all the hundreds of thousands, was a beautiful bride on the bow of the ship and looked fiercely at the massive city in the early evening twilight. Here she got a crown, which bet on her head warmly loved and loving hand. Behold, near here, at the dock, stands the young Austrian Emperor, surrounded by all his high family and all the dignitaries of his court. Shaking with excitement and impatience, they can not wait all the prescribed rites and perhaps even see, what danger is issued in the chance of waiting until the supply of a bridge to the boat, slowly approaching. Waiting for - a flexible step juveniles throwing himself into the arms of his bride fainting ...

... Own famous and important act, the nobles were engaged to merge before the altar in the holy life-long union of souls and bodies, sanctified, was on Monday on the 24th of April. Behold, how he recorded his impressions of former chronicler:

... Act of marriage was done a 7 o'clock at night in St. Augusta, made by a former teacher of the Emperor, then Prince Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Josef Otmar of Rauscher, assistance for many of the clergy. Already about three hours in the afternoon was a rush of people around the castle and church. Augusta is so powerful that arrivals had concluded. Not only from all parts of the empire, but also from the outermost cities in Europe and other guests came zemědílů and tribute missions, after all, have come from Thessaloniki, Smyrna and Alexandria resident Austrian delegation to attend the wedding of their emperor. "

   After the ceremony the newlyweds two hours take hold of the noble guests. Among them was Marshal Radetzky, or Windischgrätz Count Jelacic. After ten o'clock in the evening the family sat down for dinner, but the new empress not to even think about food. He was shocked by her discomfort from lack of privacy even on their wedding night, breakfast, or that the honeymoon after the wedding will follow. Perhaps because the marriage has filled up to two days longer, as he had written in her diary Archduchess Sophie, when the 27th of April young emperor came to breakfast and her mother make sure that the Empress Sissi "filled with his love."

   In a few days of Elizabeth's family returned home from Vienna to Bavaria, were all exhausted from the strict observance of court etiquette and Nene were visibly happy to escape this fate.