Princess Sophie of Bavaria, the mother of Emperor Franz Joseph, was undoubtedly an extraordinary woman. However, she was and still is judged quite contradictorily: even her contemporaries disagreed about her character and political significance. What is certain is that she was highly intelligent, interested in politics, and by no means lacking in ambition. While she was generally regarded as cold and extremely class-conscious, she nevertheless maintained contacts with several women from lower social classes. Those closest to her described her as a warm-hearted woman who personally wished no one harm – except for her daughter-in-law Elisabeth. It is solely based on Elisabeth’s statements that the image of the “wicked mother-in-law” was formed, which has been cemented by various novelists and screenwriters.
These texts are from the book on the cover.