Empress Sisi: The Beautiful Free-Spirited Monarch of Austria, Part 1 of 2

Empress Elisabeth of Austria, or Empress Sisi, as she was fondly known, is revered as ultimate fairytale royalty - beautiful, spirited and enigmatic. Along with her husband, Franz Josef, she wore the crown of the Danube Monarchy from 1854 to 1898, governing a vast pluralistic state in central and southeast Europe. Though the life of Empress Sisi is still a mystery shrouded in myths, her poetry reflects Her Majesty’s true spirit. They portray a deeply sensitive and spiritual woman who carried out only good works and longed for higher realms, a being who mastered the art of perceiving the essence of things, going beyond appearances and courtly pageantry.