born: 1840
died: 1916
Central Powers
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born: 1840 died: 1916 Central Powers
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Involvement in the War:
Franz Josef was crowned Emperor of Austria in 1848 at age 18. He was also crowned King of Hungary in 1867 in an attempt to calm the situation with the problematic Magyars (Hungarians). This worked and the Dual Monarchy lasted until his death in 1916. Franz Josef was uncle to Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but their tenuous relationship was famous. The aging monarch had seen the Holy Roman Empire lose its holdings in both Italy and Germany until it had become mainly an eastern European power. Franz Josef was sensitive to these losses and was determined not to allow further decay of the empire by losing Austro-Hungarian holdings in the Balkans to Serbia. It has been said that he was "the last monarch of the old school". Despite these political beliefs he was immensely popular among all the various national groups that comprised his kingdom. This can be attributed to the above average standard of living that his subjects enjoyed. By 1914 he rarely left his palaces but it was not out of fear of assassination.
Quotes:
"Terrible! The Almighty cannot be provoked! A Higher Power has restored that order which unfortunately I was unable to maintain."
"Now we can no longer hold back. It will be a terrible war."
"Also Doch! (It has come after all!)"