Trenches on the Web - Bio: Emperor Franz Josef General Information Family name: Hapsburg (Austrian: Habsburg) Ascent: Franz Josef was crowned Emperor of Austria in 1848 at age 18. By the summer of 1914 he would be in the 66th year of his reign. 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 would last until his death in 1916. Politics: The aging monarch had seen the Habsburg 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. Personal: Emperor and King, still his life was not without its trials and sorrows. Early on as Emperor he lost major wars to France (1848) and Prussia (1866). His brother, Maximilian, was executed in Mexico. His son, Crown Prince Rudolph, committed suicide in 1889 followed by his wife's assassination by an anarchist in Geneva (1897). He had numerous difficulties with his nephew and heir, Archduke Franz Ferdinand , who would be assassinated by Serbian nationalists on 28-Jun-1914 at a place called Sarajevo. See also: Jul-1914: The July Crisis Quotes "Terrible! The Almighty cannot be provoked! A Higher Power has restored that order which unfortunately I was unable to maintain." The Emperor upon hearing of the Archduke's assassination "Now we can no longer hold back. It will be a terrible war." The Emperors response to the German "blank check" "Also Doch!

(It has come after all!)" The Emperor on Serbian mobilization Ferdinand Maximilian | Die Welt der Habsburger Heeresgeschichtliches Museum / Foto: A. E. Koller Habsburg Ferdinand Maximilian As archduke of Austria, Ferdinand Maximilian (non-ruling member of the dynasty); as Emperor of Mexico (1864–1867) Maximilian I Born 6 July 1832 (Vienna) Died 19 June 1867 (Querétaro, Mexico) The younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph, Maximilian was viceroy of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia until 1859. He was commander-in-chief of the Imperial Navy and commissioned a number of buildings, most notably the castle at Miramare, which he never saw completed. Made Emperor of Mexico with the support of Napoleon III, he was taken prisoner in Querétaro by Republican forces and shot.

7615 reads Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico | Monarchus Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico December 31, 2010 vonhohenzollern Mexican Monarch , North American Monarch Leave a comment 19th-Century Painting of Maximilian I, Emperor of Mexico Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico reigned from April 10, 1864 – June 19, 1867. His rule laste 3 years and 21 days. Maximilian was not a Mexican, but instead an Austrian. He was born in Vienna, Austria on July 6, 1832. His mother was Sophie of Bavaria, and his father was Archduke Franz Karl of Austria. As a child, he was sickly and was often ill. However, he was known for his curious nature, cleverness, and sharp mind. His older brother, Franz Joseph, became Emperor of Austria-Hungary in 1848, making Maximilian the Archduke of Austria. In 1853, Maximilian married Charlotte of Belgium. Mexico was recovering from The War of The Reform.

The country had taken loans from Britain, Spain and France to finance the civil war, and was in the process of paying them back when in 1861 President Benito Juarez suspended the payments. His goal was to improve the infrastructure of Mexico before paying off the loans. Napoleon III of France was angered by this, and asked Maximilian if he wanted to rule Mexico. Maximilian said no. In 1864, Napoleon joined forces with Britain and Spain to ship soldiers to Mexico. Eventually, Mexico City was captured and the country was under French “control”. Napoleon approached Maximilian again, asking him the same question, but this time telling him that Mexico was stable and the Mexicans welcomed him into their country. This was, however, a lie. Mexico was still extremely unstable and the Mexican citizens were revolted by the idea of having a European rule their country. The naive Maximilian accepted Napoleon’s offer. He arrived in Mexico in 1864. He was crowned at the Catedral Metropolitana in Mexico City, along with his wife Charlotte. The conservatives and clergy of Mexico supported Maximilian, but they had little power.

Maximilian was aghast when he saw the disparity between the rich and the poor in Mexico. Because of this, he supported the social reforms of Benito Juarez. This angered the conservatives, and the liberals of Mexico were still not pleased. Seeing this increasingly volatile situation, Charlotte travelled to France, Austria, and Rome to ask for aid. She was refused. Maximilian soon realized that he had no allies and his subjects were becoming increasingly disloyal and rebellious. Charlotte fled to Europe, but Maximilian stayed in Mexico, determined to rule the country he had been given. France had long ago withdrawn their forces from Mexico. Now, the liberals of Mexico, led by Benito Juarez, began to take up arms and rebel against Maximilian. In early 1867, Mexico City fell to Juarez’s liberals. Maximilian retreated, but was eventually captured. When it was announced he was going to be executed, dozens of European monarchs appealed to Juarez to spare Maximilian’s life. Juarez, however, would not turn the other cheak. On June 19, 1867, Maximilian was shot to death.

Interesting Fact #1: Avenida Reforma, an important street in Mexico City, was ordered built by Maximilian. Interesting Fact #2: Maximilian’s older brother, Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, reigned for 67 years, longer than any other Austrian monarch, and the third longest reign in the history of Europe. Interesting Fact #3: Maximilian had multiple affairs during his lifetime. His first affair was with a German countess, but she was deemed unworthy of him by his family. His most well-known affair was with a Portuguese noblewoman, Maria Amalia of Braganza. She died before they could be engaged. Emperor Maximilian of Mexico Emperor Maximilian of Mexico By Christopher Minster Updated August 22, 2016. Maximilian of Austria was a European nobleman invited to Mexico in the aftermath of the disastrous wars and conflicts of the mid-nineteenth century. It was thought that the establishment of a monarchy, with a tried and true European bloodline, could bring some much-needed stability to the strife-torn nation. He arrived in 1864 and was accepted by the people as Emperor of Mexico.

His rule did not last very long, however, as liberal forces under the command of Benito Juarez destabilized Maximilian’s rule. Captured by Juarez’ men, he was executed in 1867. Early Years: Maximilian of Austria was born in Vienna in 1832, grandson of Francis II, Emperor of Austria . Maximilian and his elder brother, Franz Joseph, grew up as proper young princes: a classical education, riding, travel. Maximilian distinguished himself as a bright, inquisitive young man, and a good rider, but he was sickly and often unwell. Aimless: In 1848, a series of events in Austria conspired to place Maximilian’s elder brother Franz Joseph on the throne at the young age of eighteen. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance Maximilian spent a lot of time away from court, mostly on Austrian naval vessels. He had money but no responsibilities, so he traveled a great deal, including a visit to Spain, and had affairs with actresses and dancers.

He fell in love twice, once to a German countess who was deemed beneath him by his family, and a second time to a Portuguese noblewoman who was also a distant relation. Although María Amalia of Braganza was considered acceptable, she died before they could get engaged. Admiral and Viceroy: In 1855, Maximilian was named Rear-Admiral of the Austrian navy. In spite of his inexperience, he won over the career naval officers with open-mindedness, honesty and zeal for the job. By 1857, he had modernized and improved the navy greatly, and had founded a hydrographical institute. He was appointed Viceroy of the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia, where he lived with his new wife, Charlotte of Belgium. In 1859, he was dismissed from his post by his brother and the young couple went to live in their castle near Trieste. Overtures from Mexico: Maximilian was first approached in 1859 with an offer to be made Emperor of Mexico: he refused, preferring to travel some more, including a botanical mission to Brazil.

Mexico was still in shambles from the Reform War and had defaulted on their international debts. In 1862, France invaded Mexico, seeking payment for these debts. By 1863, French forces were firmly in command of Mexico and Maximilian was approached again. This time he accepted. Emperor: Maximilian and Charlotte arrived in May of 1864 and set up their official residence at Chapultepec Castle . Maximilian inherited a very unstable nation. The conflict between conservatives and liberals which had caused the Reform War still simmered, and Maximilian was unable to unite the two factions. He angered his conservative supporters by adopting some liberal reforms, and his overtures to liberal leaders were spurned. Benito Juarez and his liberal followers grew in strength, and there was little Maximilian could do about it. Downfall: When France withdrew its forces back to Europe, Maximilian was on his own. His position grew ever more precarious, and Charlotte returned to Europe to ask (in vain) for aid from France, Austria and Rome. Charlotte never returned to Mexico: driven mad by the loss of her husband, she spent the rest of her life in seclusion before passing away in 1927.

By 1866 the writing was on the wall for Maximilian: his armies were in disarray and he had no allies. He stuck it out nevertheless, apparently due to a genuine desire to be a good ruler of his new nation. Execution and Repatriation: Mexico City fell to liberal forces in early 1867, and Maximilian retreated to Querétaro, where he and his men withstood a siege for several weeks before surrendering. Captured, Maximilian was executed along with two of his generals on June 19, 1867. He was 34 years old. His body was returned to Austria the next year, where it currently resides in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna. Maximilian’s Legacy: Today Maximilian is considered somewhat of a Quixotic figure by Mexicans. He had no business being Emperor of Mexico – he apparently didn’t even speak Spanish – but he tried hard anyway, and most modern Mexicans think of him not as a hero or villain so much as a man who tried to unite a country that did not want to be united. The most lasting effect of his brief rule is Avenida Reforma, an important street in Mexico City that he had ordered built.

Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria | Unofficial Royalty Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria by Susan Flantzer Photo Credit – Wikipedia The third longest reigning European monarch (67 years) after King Louis XIV of France (72 years) and Johann II, Prince of Liechtenstein (70 years), Franz Joseph Karl was born on August 18, 1830 at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria. He was the eldest of the four children of Archduke Franz Karl of Austria (son of Emperor Franz I of Austria and his second wife Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily) and Princess Sophia of Bavaria (daughter of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria and and Princess Caroline of Baden) .

Archduke Franz Joseph in 1840; Credit – Wikipedia Franz Joseph had three brothers and one sister: Maximilian (1832 – 1867), Emperor of Mexico, executed by a firing squad, married Charlotte of Belgium , no issue Ludwig Viktor (1842 – 1919), died unmarried Franz Joseph with his three brothers, left to right: Karl Ludwig, Franz Joseph, Maximilian and Ludwig Viktor, circa 1860; Photo Credit – Wikipedia Franz Joseph was born during the reign of his grandfather Emperor Franz I . Franz’s eldest son and successor Ferdinand suffered from epilepsy, hydrocephalus, neurological problems, and a speech impediment and although he married in 1831, the marriage was probably never consummated and therefore no children were expected. Franz Joseph’s father was the third, but the second surviving son of Emperor Franz I, so Franz Joseph was expected to eventually succeed to the throne. Upon the death of his father on March 2, 1835, Ferdinand became Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia and King of Bohemia.

Ferdinand has been depicted as feeble-minded and incapable of ruling, but he kept a coherent and legible diary. His epilepsy caused him to have as many as twenty seizures per day, and this severely restricted his ability to rule with any effectiveness. His father’s will stipulated that Ferdinand’s uncle Archduke Ludwig be consulted on government matters and during Ferdinand’s reign a council called the Secret State Conference controlled the government. Franz Joseph was educated with his brother Maximilian, and they were first taught by their governess Baroness Louise von Sturmfeder. In 1836, Count Heinrich Bombelles became responsible for the education of the young archdukes. Bombelles created a rigorous course of study for Franz Joseph. He was expected to study 18 hours a week when he was six years old. The hours of study per week increased to 36 hours at age eight and 46 hours at age 11. Franz Joseph became seriously ill at the age of 13 due to the stress of his studies. However, his rigorous education continued and he was studying 56 hours a week at the 15.

It was important for Franz Joseph to learn the languages of the Austrian empire, and so he studied not only French, Latin and Greek , but also Hungarian, Czech, Italian, and Polish. His studies mathematics, physics, history, geography, jurisprudence and political science, and physical education. On his 13th birthday, Franz Joseph was appointed Colonel of the Dragoons Regiment, and the focus of his education shifted to military strategies and tactics. The biggest ambition of Franz Joseph’s mother Sophie was to place her oldest son on the Austrian throne. During the Revolution of 1848 , she persuaded her husband to give up his rights to the throne in favor of their son Franz Joseph, and on December 2, 1848, Emperor Ferdinand abdicated the throne in favor of his 18 year old nephew. Franz Joseph was now Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Croatia and King of Bohemia. Emperor Franz Joseph I in 1851; Credit – Wikipedia The feeling in the Imperial Court was that the young emperor should marry and produce heirs as soon as possible.

Franz Joseph’s domineering mother considered several princesses as the future empress including Archduchess Elisabeth Franziska of Austria , Princess Anna of Prussia and Princess Sidonia of Saxony. However, Sophie wanted to forge a relationship with her familial House of Wittlesbach of Bavaria and the House of Habsburg-Lorraine. She arranged for a match between Franz Joseph and Helene, Duchess in Bavaria , the eldest daughter of her sister Ludovika of Bavaria and her husband Duke Maximilian Joseph in Bavaria . In 1853, Helene traveled with her mother and her younger sister Elisabeth, Duchess in Bavaria (Sisi) to the resort of Bad Ischl, Upper Austria to meet her cousin Franz Joseph with the hopes that she would become his bride. Instead, Franz Joseph fell in love with the 15 year old Elisabeth. Franz Joseph told his mother that if he could not marry Elisabeth, he would not marry at all. Five days later their engagement was officially announced.

Franz Joseph and Sisi were married on April 24, 1854 at the Augustinerkirche , the parish church of the imperial court of the Habsburgs, a short walk from Hofburg Palace in Vienna. The ceremony was conducted by Cardinal Joseph Othmar Rauscher, Archbishop of Vienna with 1,000 guests in attendance including 70 bishops. Augustinerkirche in Vienna, Austria; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer Emperor Franz Joseph in 1853; Credit – Wikipedia Empress Elisabeth in 1855; Credit – Wikipedia The couple had four children: Archduchess Sophie (1855 – 1857), died in childhood Empress Elisabeth with her two eldest surviving children, Gisela and Rudolf in 1858; Credit – Wikipedia Franz Joseph’s youngest child, Marie Valerie in 1870; Credit – Wikipedia The marriage was not a happy one for Sisi. Although her husband loved her, Sisi had difficulties adjusting to the Austrian court and did not get along with Imperial family members, especially her mother-in-law.

In 1885, Franz Joseph began an affair with an actress, Katharina Schratt , which would last the rest of his life. His wife tolerated the affair and even seemed to encourage it. Sisi felt emotionally distant from her husband and fled from him as well as her duties of at court, by frequent traveling. Franz Joseph’s brother Maximilian entered into a plan with Napoleon III of France to invade, conquer, and rule Mexico. Napoleon III invited Maximilian to establish a new Mexican monarchy. With the support of the French army, and a group of conservative Mexican monarchists hostile to Mexican President Benito Juárez, Maximilian traveled to Mexico, and declared himself Emperor of Mexico on April 10, 1864. In 1866, the French withdrew their armies from Mexico and the Mexican empire collapsed. The Mexican government captured and executed Maximilian in 1867. Édouard Manet’s famous painting “Execution of Emperor Maximilian;” Credit – Wikipedia Franz Joseph kept Crown Prince Rudolf away from all state affairs. Under pressure from his father, Rudolf married Princess Stephanie of Belgium, daughter of King Leopold II of the Belgians .

The couple had one child, Elisabeth Marie. On January 30, 1889, at Mayerling, a hunting lodge in the Vienna Woods which Rudolf had purchased, in an apparent suicide plot, Rudolf shot his 17 year old mistress Baroness Mary Vetsera and then shot himself. Crown Prince Rudolf had no sons, so the succession would pass to Emperor Franz Joseph’s brother, Archduke Karl Ludwig and his eldest son, Archduke Franz Ferdinand. In a matter of days, Archduke Karl Ludwig renounced his succession rights in favor of his son Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Crown Prince Rudolf; Photo Credit – Wikipedia At the time of Crown Prince Rudolf’s death, the new heir, Archduke Franz Ferdinand was unmarried. In 1894, Franz Ferdinand fell in love with Countess Sophie Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin , the daughter of Count Bohuslaw Chotek von Chotkow und Wognin and Countess Wilhelmine Kinsky von Wchinitz und Tettau. Because Sophie was not a member of a reigning or formerly reigning family, she could not marry a member of the Imperial Family.

Franz Ferdinand refused to give Sophie up and he was helped in his efforts to marry her by Archduchess Maria Theresa (born Infanta Maria Theresa of Portugal), Emperor Franz Joseph’s sister-in-law and Franz Ferdinand’s stepmother. The emperor finally agreed to the marriage, but there were some catches. Franz Ferdinand would keep his place in the succession, but Sophie could never be empress and their children would never have succession rights. Archduke Franz Ferdinand; Photo Credit – Wikipedia In 1898, despite being warned about possible assassination attempts, Sisi traveled incognito to Geneva, Switzerland. On September 10, 1898 while walking to the shore of Lake Geneva to catch a steamship, Sisi was stabbed by a 25 year old Italian anarchist Luigi Lucheni . The 60 year old empress died shortly afterward. Franz Joseph never fully recovered from his wife’s death. Empress Elisabeth was buried in Franz Josephs Gruft (Franz Joseph’s Crypt) in the Imperial Crypt in Vienna where her son had been buried.

Emperor Franz Joseph at Empress Elisabeth’s coffin in the Imperial Crypt In June of 1914, Emperor Franz Joseph sent Archduke Franz Ferdinand to Sarajevo, Bosnia to observe military maneuvers and Sophie accompanied him out of fear for his safety. After the military maneuvers, the couple were to open a state museum in Sarajevo. The Black Hand , a secret military society formed by members of the Serbian Army, conspired to assassinate Archduke Franz Ferdinand on his visit to Sarajevo. Seven conspirators were in the crowds lining the streets of Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, each ready to assassinate the archduke should there be an opportunity. One attempt, a bomb thrown at the archduke’s car, failed. Later, after a reception at the Town Hall, 19 year old Gavrilo Princip saw his chance and fired two shots at the couple as they rode in their car. The first shot hit Sophie in the abdomen and the second shot hit Franz Ferdinand in the neck. Sophie died soon after being shot and Franz Ferdinand died about 10 minutes later. Upon Franz Ferdinand’s death, Archduke Karl became the heir.

Karl’s father was Archduke Otto Franz , the second son of Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria, the younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph. Embed from Getty Images After living through the violent deaths of so many relatives, Emperor Franz Joseph died on November 21, 1916, in the middle of World War I, at the age of 86 in Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna. His great nephew succeeded him as Emperor Karl I of Austria, but only reigned for two years as the monarchy was abolished at the end of World War I. Emperor Franz Joseph was buried in Franz Josephs Gruft (Franz Joseph’s Crypt) in the Imperial Crypt between the tombs of his wife and his son. Mexico 1867 We, the jolly, merry Chicanos Are proud to be the Mexicanos From the Mexican terra Yonder, where we want to lead la Guerra. Of all, the throne of Maximillian Was erected And He, of all, as Rei of Mexico Selected. And now, When his army for our riches flies "God give us strength and longevity!" The Mexican people cries.

A folk song dedicated to the memory of Meksikajnarji With the help of the French army, Maximillian, brother of Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph, was installed as Emperor of Mexico. Maximillian Ferdinand of Habsburg (1832-1867) set out to Mexico to overthrow the Republican government of Benito Juarez and revive the monarchy. The counterrevolution, however, was suppressed. In the wake of their victory, the Mexican Republicans captured Maximillian and shot him. Thus Maximillian's dreams of the Promised Land, which were also harboured by Mexican volunteers nicknamed as MEKSIKAJNARJI, were smothered after three years. Portrait of Benito Juarez The dreams were destroyed by Maximillian's death, insanity of his wife Charlotte as well as disappointed and decimated Meksikajnarji. Among the Mexican volunteers from the Habsburg Monarchy were also a vast number of Slovenians. In 1864, Emperor Franz Joseph finally granted his brother's numerous requests and gave permission to gather 6000 volunteers from throughout the Monarchy to "preserve peace in Mexico".

On 3 June 1864, the Ljubljana city secretariat issued a call-up for men to join the ranks of volunteers. The document stated the Emperor's decision of 1 April 1864 to gather within the Austrian lands 6000 volunteers for the Mexican land forces and another 300 for the Mexican navy. The volunteers were to be Christian, unmarried or widowed and childless. They had to be up to 40 years old and, to join the land forces, measure at least 59 inches in height. They would do a six-year service, which could also be renewable. After the revolution they would be granted land in Mexico or return to their homeland at the government's expenses. Ljubljana Sugar factory - gathering point in Ljubljana (City museum of Ljubljana, cat. nr. 5) Since the summer 1864, the volunteers from Kranj started to gather in Ljubljana. The Meksikajnarji's meeting place was the former sugar factory in Ljubljana. Until February 1865, the list included 433 persons.

The majority of the volunteers were contributed by Ljubljana and its surroundings (118), which were followed by the city of Novo mesto (30) and the own of Kamnik (25), and then Kranj, Vrhnika and Idrija, each contributing 20 soldiers. The volunteers from other places were fewer. Their average age was 32 years. The Meksikajnarji were then transferred by train to Trieste, where they set off to Mexico. The voyage lasted for 36 days and the very first soldiers were awaited at the Vera Cruz port by the Emperor himself. Among the volunteers for Mexico, there were 140 officers from Ljubljana. Portrait of Maksimilian, Emperor of Mexico (brother of Austrian Cesar Franz Josef) As all other groups, this one as well was bidden farewell at the train station by the mayor of Ljubljana and three committeemen. For these and similar merits, Dr Costa was later decorated with the Mexican order of Guadalupe. In Ljubljana, there still remained 400 volunteers.

While living in the city, 40 cadets did their physical exercises at the Southern Falcon Gymnasium. The French ship with the volunteers arrived at the Gibraltar port on 21 December 1864. It carried 24 officers and 968 soldiers to the Emperor in Mexico. The officers received a hearty welcome and feast by the British army. When the voyage continued, the ship was caught in the middle of a storm. Gripped by fear, the soldiers began saying their prayers, while the first lieutenant Kastelic reproached them for losing all the courage they had been boasting about while cruising the Ljubljana taverns. There was even a Carniolan sausage hanging from the ship's Christmas tree. Execution of Maximilian, Mexican republicans shot him on 9th of June 1867 The ship reached the Vera Cruz port on 17 January 1865. Its arrival was awaited by generals and officers and followed by a great festivity, while the local population completely ignored the foreign soldiers. The Austrian soldiers first clashed with the Mexicans at the town of Tezuitlan. Under fire were the second and sixth rifle companies.

In an engagement on 17 February, the Kastelic's company lost three men; one of the wounded and captured was also the company leader ďż˝eljan from the outskirts of Postojna. As early as after the first month of fighting, first lieutenant Kastelic began to raise doubts about the victory. He wrote home stating that he did not know how it would be possible to appease this miserable country. Perhaps 50.000 soldiers and 100.000 settlers would suffice. Maximillian grew anxious. Portrait of Cesar Maksimilian and French medal for expedition corpus v Mexico. First lieutenant Kastelic was promoted into captain and constantly engaged in major and minor clashes. He fought in the area of Sierra del Norte. In March he was decorated with a bronze medal for war merits, while in July 1865 the Emperor decorated him with the Knight Cross of the Order of Guadalupe. As the leader of the Order, Kastelic was appointed a position in the Emperor's Guard and ate with at the same table the Emperor. He wrote home about the Slovenians that had shown utmost bravery in the fighting.

Kastelic's 10th company was attacked by the Mexicans at the town of Zacapoaxtl. The Austrians went into the counterattack. They took control over several houses; in one of them they were met with fierce resistance by the Mexicans. The house was being besieged by 15 soldiers and five of them fell. The rifle man Hebina from the town of Kranjska Gora was the first to climb to the roof of the house, remove the bricks and open fire on the defenders above. On 14 March, the rifle man Lekďż˝e from the town of Zaborďż˝t at Novo mesto received three wounds, while his coat received 10 bullets. One of his arms became permanently stiff and a bullet remained in his stomach. On 17 July, Koďż˝abe from the Inner Carniola region and a rifle man Povďż˝e from the vicinity of the town of Mokronog fought with 17 fellowmen against approximately 100 Mexicans. Povďż˝e's right arm was twice shot through above the elbow.

Hebina, Lekďż˝e, Koďż˝abe and Povďż˝e were awarded a silver medal for war merits. Cesar Maksimilian and his wife Charlotte. In March 1865, Jurij Jenko from the town of Loka received heavy blows on his head leaving him lying on the battlefield unconscious. The Mexicans took his rifle, knapsack, coat and cartridges, and let him go. When it started raining, he came to and followed his fellowmen. He wandered the unknown land and forests, hid from the enemy and for 30 days lived off roots and grasses. When the soldiers finally found him, he looked like a living corpse. In August 1865, first Lieutenant Kastelic escaped death by a whisker. When the soldiers were resting, one man's rifle went off - the bullet killed another soldier, while only peeling away a bit of Kastelic's scalp. In September 1865, our officer was growing more and more pessimistic about the victory, thinking, if the Americans were coming to join forces with the Mexicans, "we will most probably have to pack up our bits and pieces".

About his fellow officers and soldiers he wrote that not all of them were happy in Mexico. Some missed home beers and wines, others could not do without the festivities and comfortable pace of life in Austria, and the list of laments could go on and on. "How peculiar it is that man cannot be comfortable with the choices he has made on a voluntary basis," the officer wrote back to his distant homeland in his last letter. In 1866, Emperor Franz Joseph renewed the authorisation for the call-up of volunteers to be sent to Mexico. By the end of March 1866, the Novice (News) newspaper announced that Ljubljana would once again be hosting the Meksikajnarji. By spring, around 1000 men would be gathered and by autumn, further deployments were envisaged. Cesar Maksimilian Between 9 and 10 May 1866, about 1000 Meksikajnarji were transported by train to Trieste. Sunday, 6 May, saw a festive banquet in their honour. However, due to harsh objections by the North American government, the volunteers bound for Mexico were not permitted to set out to the sea.

The question now was what to do with 1000 soldiers. 400 were admitted into the Austrian army and 700 were sent back to Ljubljana, from where they returned to their homes disappointedly. After the Civil War, the US directed its attention to the developments in Mexico and decided to thwart the invasion of the European influence into this country. Under the US pressure French Emperor Napoleon called off his soldiers in March 1867. Strongly determined not to make a shameful escape from Mexico Maximillian sought refuge in the Queretaro fortress accompanied by a small number of loyal supporters. He was caught by the Mexicans and shot on 9 June 1867. His wife Charlotte had been driven mad from grief as early as in autumn 1866, but she did not die until 1925. For a long time she had lived in the Miramare Castle near Trieste. Out of all Austrian volunteers to engage in the Mexican war, only 1511 men returned home in April 1867.

Upon their arrival, Janez Bleiweis cried out: "But what wretched faith hath befallen these poor souls!" Miramare Castle near Trieste - last home of Charlotte It is known that after the war a number of Slovenians remained in Mexico. Among them was Andrej Farďż˝nik. He served Emperor Maximillian's attendant and also witnessed his execution in 1867. Another man, soldier Miha Ape, came home to visit his family for the first time only after 14 years. Upon their return from the Mexican war, the soldiers were regarded as unique. As one inhabitant of Kamnik reported, there were a considerable number of Meksikajnarji. But they were tanned, sombre, black-bearded men. They also inspired a fashion cry - spurred Mexican-style boots, also nicknamed "meksikanarce".

Franz Joseph | emperor of Austria-Hungary | Britannica.com emperor of Austria-Hungary Maximilian I Franz Joseph, also called Francis Joseph (born August 18, 1830, Schloss Schönbrunn , near Vienna, Austria —died November 21, 1916, Schloss Schönbrunn), emperor of Austria (1848–1916) and king of Hungary (1867–1916), who divided his empire into the Dual Monarchy , in which Austria and Hungary coexisted as equal partners. In 1879 he formed an alliance with Prussian-led Germany, and in 1914 his ultimatum to Serbia led Austria and Germany into World War I . Franz Joseph. From Kings and Queens I Have Known, by Hélène Vacaresco, 29014 Early years Franz Joseph was the eldest son of Archduke Francis Charles and Sophia, daughter of King Maximilian I of Bavaria. As his uncle Emperor Ferdinand (I) was childless, Franz Joseph was educated as his heir-presumptive.

In the spring of 1848 he served with the Austrian forces in Italy, where Lombardy-Venetia, supported by King Charles Albert of Sardinia, had rebelled against Austrian rule. When revolution spread to the capitals of the Austrian Empire, Franz Joseph was proclaimed emperor at Olmütz (Olomouc) on December 2, 1848, after the abdication of Ferdinand—the rights of his father, the archduke, to the throne having been passed over. Hopes of a revival of monarchist sentiments were raised by his radiant, youthful appearance. Franz Joseph. Photos.com/Thinkstock Of all his mentors, the old chancellor Klemens, Fürst (prince) von Metternich , probably exerted the most lasting influence on Franz Joseph. A more profound influence, however, was that of his wife, the duchess Elizabeth of Bavaria. He married her in 1854 and remained deeply attached to her throughout a stormy marriage.

Neo-absolutism, 1841–59 During the first 10 years of his reign, the era of so-called neo-absolutism, the emperor—aided by such outstanding advisers as Felix, prince zu Schwarzenberg (until 1852), Leo, Graf (count) von Thun und Hohenstein , and Alexander, Freiherr (baron) von Bach—inaugurated a very personal regime by taking a hand both in the formulation of foreign policy and in the strategic decisions of the time. Together with Schwarzenberg, who had become prime minister and foreign minister in 1848, Franz Joseph set out to set his empire in order. In external affairs Schwarzenberg achieved a powerful position for Austria; in particular, with the Punctation of Olmütz (November 1850), in which Prussia acknowledged Austria’s predominance in Germany. In home affairs, however, Schwarzenberg’s harsh rule and the formation of an intolerant police apparatus evoked a latent mood of rebellion.

This mood became more threatening after 1851, when the government withdrew the promise of a constitution, given in 1849 under the pressure of the revolutionary troubles. That retraction had long aftereffects and led to the liberals’ permanent distrust of Franz Joseph’s rule. In 1853 there was an attempt on the emperor’s life in Vienna and in a riot in Milan. Britannica Stories Ringling Bros. Folds Its Tent After Schwarzenberg’s death (1852), Franz Joseph decided not to replace him as prime minister and took a greater part in politics himself. Austria’s mistaken policy during the Crimean War originated largely with the emperor, torn between gratitude to Russia for its help in quelling a rebellion in Hungary in 1849 and the advantage the monarchy might derive from siding with Great Britain and France. The mobilization of a part of the Austrian Army in Galicia on the borders of Russia in retrospect turned out to have been a grave error. It gained no friends for Austria among the Western powers but lost considerable goodwill that Tsar Nicholas I had earlier harboured for Franz Joseph.

At home, neo-absolutism resulted in a civil service staffed by highly competent experts who tried to meet the emperor’s high standards but whose limitations nevertheless became increasingly obvious in 1859–60 as they attempted to deal with the empire’s complex financial problems. Army expenditures had to be curtailed in 1859, when a series of ill-fated wars began that seriously shook Austria’s military reputation. Moreover, the police regime proved to be impracticable in the long run. Thus the government made critical military decisions against a background of many unresolved problems in finances and home affairs. For many of these decisions, especially the unfortunate outcome of the war of 1859 against the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Empire of France, the emperor was responsible. After provoking Austria into war, Camillo Benso, conte di Cavour , the prime minister of Sardinia, planned to use the French Army to oust Austria from Italy. When the imperial commander in chief proved incapable, Franz Joseph himself took over the supreme command, but he could not prevent the defeat of Solferino (June 24, 1859).

Dismayed by Prussia’s demand that, as a condition of its intervention on the emperor’s side, the Austrian Army be placed under Prussian command, Franz Joseph hastily concluded the Peace of Villafranca in July 1859, under which Lombardy was ceded to Sardinia. Unreconciled to this settlement, Franz Joseph adopted a foreign policy that prepared the way for a passage at arms with Italy and Prussia, by which he hoped to regain for Austria its former position in Germany and Italy, as it had been established by Metternich in 1814–15. The years of decision, 1859–70 Britannica Lists & Quizzes Editor Picks: Exploring 10 Types of Basketball Movies The mood of crisis after the defeat of 1859 caused Franz Joseph to pay renewed attention to the constitutional question. A period of experiments—alternating between federalistic and centralistic charters—kept the country in a permanent state of crisis until 1867.

The congress of princes at Frankfurt in 1863, for which the reigning heads of all German states assembled with the sole exception of the king of Prussia, was a high point in Franz Joseph’s life. Yet the absence of the Prussian king demonstrated that Prussia no longer regarded Austria as the leading German power. Franz Joseph, portrait by Franz Xaver Winterhalter, 1865. Pictorial Press Ltd./Alamy World Wars Franz Joseph had vainly tried to postpone the decision for predominance in Germany by entering into a comradeship-in-arms with Prussia in a war against Denmark in 1864. After their victory, squabbles arose between them, and war with Prussia became inevitable. The conclusion of an alliance between Italy and Prussia pointed up the dangerous possibility that both foreign-policy problems might have to be faced at the same time, yet Franz Joseph failed in his attempt to avoid an armed conflict at least with Italy. In June 1866 Austria concluded a possibly unique agreement with Napoleon III of France that stipulated that Austrian-held Venetia was to be given to the Kingdom of Sardinia regardless of the outcome of the impending war with Prussia.

As the emperor considered it incompatible with the army’s honour to cede a province without fighting, war with Italy broke out despite the agreement. In later years, Franz Joseph characterized his policy of yielding territory with one hand while fighting for it with the other as honest but stupid, whereas the chancellor Friedrich Ferdinand, Graf (count) von Beust , called the agreement the most shocking document that he had ever seen. Although its defeat in the war with Prussia that the Prussian prime minister Otto von Bismarck had forced on the unprepared monarchy caused Austria no territorial loss in the north, it nevertheless sealed Austria’s expulsion from Germany. The victories gained by the Austrian Army in the south, moreover, could not prevent the loss of Venetia, so that Austria found itself expelled from Italy as well. Connect with Britannica Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest The appointment of the Saxon premier, Beust, as Austrian prime minister in 1867 shows that initially Franz Joseph was once again unwilling to accept the decision.

Beust’s cherished project of an Austrian-French-Italian alliance against Prussia did not materialize, however, and in 1870 the attitude of the Hungarian prime minister, Gyula, Gróf (count) Andrássy , coupled with the rapid military successes of Prussia, prevented Austria from joining in the Franco-German War at the side of France. Andrássy, appointed imperial foreign minister after Beust’s dismissal in 1871, inaugurated the policy of close collaboration with Germany that later became the cornerstone of Franz Joseph’s foreign policy. The Hungarian compromise and the dual monarchy The failure to achieve a federalist solution satisfactory to all nationalities had exacerbated relations among them. In 1867 it had become obvious that a compromise had to be made with the restive Hungarians. The newly appointed prime minister Beust was, however, insufficiently informed about conditions in the various parts of the Austrian Empire. The result was the kaiserliche und königliche Doppelmonarchie, the “imperial and royal Dual Monarchy” in which an Austrian and a Hungarian half coexisted in equal partnership. The compromise, however, gave the Hungarians considerable leverage to extend their influence.

The losers were the Slav peoples, for the Bohemians (Czechs) and Poles did not share in the privileged position of the German Austrians in the Austrian, or western, half of the empire, while the Croats, Slovaks, and South Slavs had none of the prerogatives enjoyed by the Hungarians in the Hungarian, or eastern, half. With this preferred treatment, which Franz Joseph recognized as such, the multinational state had violated its inner law of the basic equality of all national groups. The individual crownland’s relationship to the emperor, which in each case had been the result of a long historical evolution, was now replaced by the submission of the various nationalities to German-Austrian or Hungarian overlordship. Internal restlessness thus continued unabated. A final attempt at reform by which the Slavic languages were to be given equal status with Hungarian and German was vetoed by Franz Joseph under pressure from the German-Austrian nationalists. But, under the influence of the Viennese sociologist Albert Schäffle , the emperor, who on the whole had little use for party politicians and their influence on public life, seems to have followed the continuing process of democratization in his empire with some sympathy.

Franz Joseph, 1908. Eyjafjallajökull volcano The question of recognition and restoration of ancient Czech rights hobbled Austro-Hungarian foreign policy and poisoned domestic politics. Even more of a handicap was the problem of the South Slavs. From 1867 on, the Hungarian-ruled Croatians found themselves subjected to a continuing process of Magyarization. Hungarian domination eventually turned Serbia , inhabited by fellow Slavs, into the Dual Monarchy’s mortal enemy. Franz Joseph, who wholeheartedly supported the Ausgleich (the Hungarian Compromise) as the constitution of the Dual Monarchy, failed to grasp the negative aspects of that highly complex document. Interested primarily in questions of foreign policy and military leadership, he paid too little attention to domestic affairs to understand the nationalities problem in all its gravity. In particular, he failed to see the connection between Austro-Hungarian internal affairs and their effect on the monarchy’s relationship with Russia and on the political situation in the Balkans .

The emperor’s peace policy Although Franz Joseph always considered foreign policy his own specialty, he was in effect guided by the ablest among his foreign ministers: Andrássy, Gusztav Siegmund, Graf (count) Kálnoky von Köröspatak , and Alois, Graf (count) Lexa von Aehrenthal . Andrássy not only launched the alliance with Germany in 1879, but, by carrying out the occupation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, which Franz Joseph had advocated and the Congress of Berlin (1878) had sanctioned, he also gained the first great foreign-policy success of the empire in the Balkans. Franz Joseph defended the German alliance against all opposition. He was considerably more reserved toward Italy, which had joined Germany and Austria in the Triple Alliance in 1882, and Romania, with which Austria-Hungary had concluded a secret treaty in 1883; in fact, his reticence contributed to the eventual alienation of both of those allies. The style of Franz Joseph’s foreign policy was dynastic and personal.

Just as he had contributed decisively to the creation of the League of the Three Emperors ( Dreikaiserbund ) by appearing in Berlin in 1873 by the side of Tsar Alexander II , he endeavoured also on later occasions to forestall potential conflicts with Russia through personal contacts, without realizing the fundamental nature of the antagonism between the two countries. On a visit to St. Petersburg in 1897 and again after Tsar Nicholas II’s visit in 1903, he tried to delimit Austrian and Russian interests in the Balkans—a policy that was rashly jeopardized by Aehrenthal during the crisis leading to the annexation of occupied Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1908. By then, however, the days were long past when foreign policy was a matter of friendships between sovereigns; conflicts of interest, or for that matter pan-Slav propaganda , could no longer be neutralized on the dynastic level. Also, the emperor found it increasingly difficult to get along with his fellow sovereigns , many of them relatives, of the younger generation. Yet he seems to have appreciated the energetic, dashing, and optimistic manner of William II of Germany.

In the period 1908–14 Franz Joseph held fast to his peace policy in the face of warnings by the chief of the general staff, Franz, Graf (count) Conrad von Hötzendorf , who repeatedly advocated a preventive war against Serbia or Italy. Yet, without having fully thought out the consequences, he let himself in July 1914 be persuaded by Leopold, Graf (count) von Berchtold , the foreign minister, to issue the intransigent ultimatum to Serbia that led to World War I. Franz Joseph, 1914. The Print Collector/Heritage-Images/age fotostock Assessment Although he had been raised to be a soldier and wore a uniform all his life, Franz Joseph was no more a strategist than he was a statesman. He made up for this deficiency by the careful study of documents, by an extraordinarily retentive memory, and by being a shrewd judge of character. Invariably well informed and familiar with the reports of his envoys, he was to his civil servants an unequaled model of exactitude, devotion to duty, and justice .

In his time Austria-Hungary was credited with having a civil administration that was as efficient as any in Europe. Having reserved for himself the control of foreign policy and of all matters bearing on the army, he stated repeatedly that this foreign policy was his own and that any criticism of it was in reality directed at himself. While loyal to his ministers, he refused to grant them any influence beyond the limits of their respective offices; once dismissed, a minister was no longer consulted on official business. This attitude, which many considered to be both ungrateful and ungracious, sprang in part from a punctiliousness that was hard to penetrate and rendered him incapable of true friendship. In the early decades of his reign, his correct but unapproachable bearing caused Franz Joseph to be respected but not really popular. Toward the end of his life, however, he became a universally revered man, a personality that for all its defects and insufficiencies held together the rotting structure of the multinational state. Franz Joseph, oil on canvas from the Vienna Nedomansky Studio, 1916.

DeAgostoni Picture Library/age fotostock Although a gentleman of irresistible charm in personal contact, Franz Joseph was greatly feared as the head of his house. His attitude toward his family was determined primarily by dynastic considerations. His own marriage had been a love match, and he remained devoted to his wife even after the marriage had been wrecked by her eccentricities. Her assassination, in Geneva on September 10, 1898, saddened him profoundly. The tragedy of the heir apparent, the archduke Rudolf, who dramatically shot himself in a suicide love pact with a 17-year-old baroness at Mayerling on January 30, 1889, was assuredly rooted in Rudolf’s unstable character. Yet the emperor had contributed to his only son Rudolf’s instability by giving him an unsuitable education, forcing him to marry Princess Stephanie of Belgium, and dealing with him in an altogether cold and uncomprehending manner. He treated his daughter-in-law with unforgiving harshness after her second, morganatic marriage , believing that family members who married beneath their station had committed a crime against the dynasty .

Furthermore, Franz Joseph never became reconciled to the morganatic union of the next heir presumptive, Archduke Franz Ferdinand . His statements on receiving the report of the archducal couple’s murder at Sarajevo , on June 28, 1914, show that he looked upon their fate as a token of divine retribution . These tragedies, which became public knowledge, were underlined by an unending series of sometimes heated family disputes in the course of which Franz Joseph forced the members of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine to conform to his own notion of an archduke’s dignity and position. Yet this man who became ever lonelier as time went on could be a generous and amiable family father to his daughters and those members of the house who bowed to his wishes. The only member of the immediate family with whom he had a closer relationship was his youngest brother, the archduke Louis Victor. While he was no more than correct in his attitude toward his brother, the talented and ambitious archduke Maximilian, he bears no blame for the tragedy that ended Maximilian’s brief interlude as emperor of Mexico .

Having overcome the threat to its survival in 1848–49, Austria passed through a long metamorphosis with many ups and downs in the 68 years that Franz Joseph occupied the throne. His many mistakes were balanced by splendid achievements. The social legislation enacted by the prime minister Eduard, Graf (count) von Taaffe , during the 1880s, the new penal code of 1852, the trade regulations of 1859, and the commercial code of 1862 are all examples of a civil administration that was highly regarded throughout Europe. Those achievements bore the stamp of the emperor’s own silent devotion to duty. Maximilian I of Mexico (Emperor) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Maximilian I of Mexico Male Born Jul 6, 1832 Maximilian I was the only monarch of the Second Mexican Empire. After a distinguished career in the Austrian Navy, he was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico on 10 April 1864, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists who sought to revive the Mexican monarchy.

Many foreign governments, including that of the United States, refused to recognize his administration.… Read More related links Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Maximilian I of Mexico. CHILDHOOD 1832 Birth Maximilian was born on 6 July 1832 in the SchÃ¶nbrunn Palace in Vienna, capital of the Austrian Empire. … Read More He was baptized the following day as Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph. The first name honored his godfather and paternal uncle, The King of Hungary and the second honored his maternal grandfather, The King of Bavaria.<br /><br /> His father was Archduke Franz Karl, the second surviving son of The Emperor of Austria, during whose reign he was born. Maximilian was thus a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine, a female-line cadet branch of the House of Habsburg. His mother was Princess Sophie of Bavaria, a member of the House of Wittelsbach.

Intelligent, ambitious and strong-willed, Sophie had little in common with her husband, whom historian Richard O'Conner characterized as "an amiably dim fellow whose main interest in life was consuming bowls of dumplings drenched in gravy." Despite their different personalities, the marriage was fruitful, and after four miscarriages, four sonsâincluding Maximilianâwould reach adulthood. Read Less TWENTIES Show Less He was made a lieutenant in the navy at the age of eighteen. In 1854, he sailed as commander in the corvette Minerva, on an exploring expedition along the coast of Albania and Dalmatia. … Read More Maximilian was especially interested in the maritime and undertook many long-distance journeys (for Brazil) on the frigate Elisabeth. Read Less In 1854, he was only 22 yearsâas a younger brother of the Emperor, and thus a member of the ruling familyâhe was appointed as commander in chief of the Austrian Navy (1854â1861), which he reorganized in the following years.

… Read More Like Archduke Friedrich (1821â1847) before him, Maximilian had a keen private interest in the fleet, and with him the Austrian naval force gained an influential supporter from the ranks of the Imperial Family. This was crucial as sea power was never a priority of Austrian foreign policy and the navy itself was relatively little known or supported by the public. It was only able to draw significant public attention and funds when it was actively supported by an imperial prince. As Commander-in-Chief, Maximilian carried out many reforms to modernise the naval forces, and was instrumental in creating the naval port at Trieste and Pola (now Pula) as well as the battle fleet with which admiral Wilhelm von Tegetthoff would later secure his victories. He also initiated a large-scale scientific expedition (1857â1859) during which the frigate SMS Novara became the first Austrian warship to circumnavigate the globe. Read Less Show Less In his political views, Archduke Maximilian was very much influenced by the progressive ideas in vogue at the time.

He had a reputation as a liberal, and this led, in February 1857, to his appointment as viceroy of the Kingdom of LombardyâVenetia. On 27 July 1857, in Brussels, Archduke Maximilian married his second cousin Princess Charlotte of Belgium (later known as Empress Carlota of Mexico), the daughter of Leopold I, King of the Belgians and Louise-Marie of France. … Read More She was first cousin to both Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Maximilian and Charlotte had no children together. Read Less They lived as the Austrian regents in Milan or Viceroys of Lombardy-Venetia from 1857 until 1859, when Emperor Francis Joseph, angered by his brother's liberal policies, dismissed him. … Read More Shortly after, Austria lost control of most of its Italian possessions. Maximilian then retired to Trieste, near which he built the castle Miramare.

Read Less 1859 27 Years Old In 1859, Ferdinand Maximilian was first approached by Mexican monarchistsâmembers of the Mexican aristocracy, led by local nobleman JosÃ© Pablo MartÃ­nez del RÃ­oâwith a proposal to become the Emperor of Mexico. … Read More The Habsburg family had ruled the Viceroyalty of New Spain from its establishment until the Spanish throne was inherited by Bourbons, so Maximilian was considered to have more potential legitimacy than other royalty, but Maximilian was unlikely to ever rule in Europe due to his elder brother. Read Less 1861 29 Years Old In Paris, 20 October 1861, Maximilian received a letter from Gutierrez de Estrada asking him to take the Mexican throne. … Read More He did not accept at first, but sought to satisfy his restless desire for adventure with a botanical expedition to the tropical forests of Brazil. However, Maximilian changed his mind after the French intervention in Mexico. At the invitation from Napoleon III.

Read Less THIRTIES 1863 31 Years Old After General Ãlie-FrÃ©dÃ©ric Forey's capture of Mexico City and a French-staged plebiscite that confirmed his proclamation of the empire, Maximilian consented to accept the crown in October 1863. … Read More His decision involved the loss of all his nobility rights in Austria, though he was not informed of this until just before he left. Archduchess Charlotte was thereafter known as "Her Imperial Majesty Empress Carlota". Read Less 1864 32 Years Old In April 1864, Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian stepped down from his duties as Chief of Naval Section of the Austrian Navy. … Read More He traveled from Trieste aboard SMS Novara, escorted by the frigates (Austrian) and Themis (French), and the Imperial yacht Phantasie led the warship procession from his palace at Miramare out to sea.

They received a blessing from Pope Pius IX, and Queen Victoria ordered the Gibraltar garrison to fire a salute for Maximilian's passing ship.<br /><br /> The new emperor of Mexico landed at Veracruz on 21 May 1864, and received a cold reception from the townspeople. Veracruz was a liberal town, and the liberal voters were opposed to having Maximilian on the throne. He had the backing of Mexican conservatives and Napoleon III, but from the very outset he found himself involved in serious difficulties since the Liberal forces led by President Benito JuÃ¡rez refused to recognize his rule. There was continuous warfare between his French troops and the Republicans. The Imperial couple chose as their seat Mexico City. The Emperor and Empress set up their residence at Chapultepec Castle, located on the top of a hill formerly at the outskirts of Mexico City that had been a retreat of Aztec emperors. Maximilian ordered a wide avenue cut through the city from Chapultepec to the city center; originally named Paseo de la Emperatriz, it is today Mexico City's famous boulevard, Paseo de la Reforma. He also acquired a country retreat at Cuernavaca.

The royal couple made plans to be crowned at the Catedral Metropolitana but, due to the constant instability of the regime, the coronation was never carried out. Read Less 1865 33 Years Old Maximilian issued his Black Decree on October 3, 1865. … Read More Its first article stated that: "All individuals forming a part of armed bands or bodies existing without legal authority, whether or not proclaiming a political pretext, whatever the number of those forming such band, or its organization, character, and denomination, shall be judged militarily by the courts martial. If found guilty, even though only of the fact of belonging to an armed band, they shall be condemned to capital punishment, and the sentence shall be executed within twenty-four hours". It is calculated that more than eleven thousand of Juarez's supporters were executed as a result of the Black Decree, but at the end it only inflamed the Mexican Resistance. Read Less 1866 34 Years Old Nevertheless, by 1866, the imminence of Maximilian's abdication seemed apparent to almost everyone outside Mexico.

… Read More That year, Napoleon III withdrew his troops in the face of Mexican resistance and U.S. opposition under the Monroe Doctrine, as well as increasing his military contingent at home to face the ever growing Prussian military and Bismarck. Carlota travelled to Europe, seeking assistance for her husband's regime in Paris and Vienna and, finally, in Rome from Pope Pius IX. Her efforts failed, and she suffered a deep emotional collapse and never went back to Mexico. After her husband was executed by Republicans the following year, she spent the rest of her life in seclusion, never admitting her husband's death, first at Miramare Castle in Trieste, Italy, and then at Bouchout Castle in Meise, Belgium, where she died on 19 January 1927.<br /><br /> Though urged to abandon Mexico by Napoleon III himself, whose troop withdrawal from Mexico was a great blow to the Mexican Imperial cause, Maximilian refused to desert his followers. Maximilian allowed his followers to determine whether or not he abdicated.

Faithful generals such as Miguel MiramÃ³n, Leonardo MÃ¡rquez, and TomÃ¡s MejÃ­a vowed to raise an army that would challenge the invading Republicans. Maximilian fought on with his army of 8,000 Mexican loyalists. Read Less

Question: Which Austrian, the brother of Franz Joseph, was crowned Emperor of Mexico in 1864, and shot in 1867?
Answer: Maximillian