Married at 16 to the emperor of austria, elisabethâ€nicknamed sisiâ€was a reluctant empress, struggling with royal life and sympathetic to the democratic struggles of the people in her new nation. The german-born elisabeth, empress of austria (1837-1898), was the beloved “sisi,” one of the most famous royal celebrities of her day. You might consider sisi (as she is commonly known) the most famous female in habsburg history.

On april 25, 1854, a shy and melancholy bride married into a major european royal house. Trembling and overcome with emotion, 16-year-old elisabeth, known by her childhood nickname sisi, was wed