House of Hapsburg in growing

In June in 1854 the imperial couple visited Bohemia and Moravia. In Prague, the former Emperor Ferdinand and the Empress Anna Maria treated to Elisabeth very lovely and friendly. Enthusiastic Elizabeth began to perform her duties with great Empress tireless care, she toured all churches, monasteries and the poorhouse, where she left generous donations. After returning from a trip Franz Josef I went on maneuvers in Galicia. Empress stayed in Laxenburg, there's a court doctor Johan Seeburger find that she was pregnant. Interest around the new mother meant an even greater loss of privacy. On the 5th of March in 1855, the imperial couple's daughter was bornand with great pomp was baptized Sophia. Archduchess Sophie, she has chosen for her granddaughter all the nurse educator, children's room at the Hofburg was placed next to her, Elisabeth had to go over the long stairs and corridors when she wanted to visit her daugter. Empress soon discovered thaqt she was pregnant again. On the 15th of July in 1856 gave birth to second daughter Gisela. On this occasion forced Elisabeth to stay into room sided with her children.

After a quite successful imperial visit in Italy, they decided to send the ruling couple in Hungary, against the great indignation of the Archduchess Sophie, and with them went a little Gisela and Sophie. Budapest had enthusiastically welcomed them. At the tour of the Hungarian Kingdom falled Gisela and Sophie ill. Gisela was a strong kid and she soon recovered, but her older sister was far more fragile. During her illness she began to vomit blood and bile, it was probably whooping cough, typhoid or measles. Elizabeth's firstborn daughter walked away in front of her eyes. Sophie died on the 28th of May in 1857. The emperor sent a telegram in which he announced to parents: "Our little daughter is an angel in heaven and Sissi is reconciled with God's will".

The telegram, however, posed only a half truth. Empress Elisabeth falled into a total despair, blaming herself that her daughter took to Hungary and exposed her to danger. She was also very afraid of returning to Vienna, from reaction of her mother-in-law, but WSophia showed great sympathy and young empress did not want to do even harder. Princess Sophie was buried in the Capuchin church in the Habsburg family tomb.

In late summer, Franz Joseph I went to Hungary to finish his journey. Elizabeth stayed home and continued in mourning, refusing to eat and sometimes she talked about the fact that she takes her life. Emperor was very upset from her mental state so he asked the mother to invite Elizabeth's mother and sister to Vienna. Thanks to that, Empress recovered and decided to give sone to the throne of Austria. At the beginning of the year she again discovered the third pregnancy. On the 21st of August in 1858 gave birth to a son before midnight. He was baptized on behalf of the Crown Prince Rudolf.

After a ten-year pause, the Empress Elizabeth gave birth to their fourth child of Princess Marie Valerie on the 22nd of April in 1868. She became her mother's darling. Elizabeth gave birth to her three children in Laxenburk, but for the last birth she had chosen Hungary, Budín. Empress Marie Valerie often said "my one and only" or "Hungarian child".