Archduchess Sophie of Austria
Encyclopedia
Archduchess Sophie of Austria (birth name: Sophie Friederike Dorothea Marie Josepha von Habsburg-Lothringen) (March 5, 1855 in Vienna
– May 29, 1857 in Budapest
) was born to Empress Elisabeth of Austria
(Sisi) and Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. She was their first child, and was named after her paternal grandmother, Sophie, Princess of Bavaria.
In 1857, the Imperial couple visited Hungary
, taking with them Sophie and her younger sister Archduchess Gisela of Austria
. During this trip, both children fell ill with diarrhea
. While Gisela recovered quickly, Sophie became steadily weaker until she finally succumbed and died. She was two years old. Later it was theorized that she died not of diarrhea and fever, but of typhus
.
The death of her firstborn child threw Empress Elisabeth into bouts of heavy depression
, which would haunt her for the rest of her life.
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
– May 29, 1857 in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
) was born to Empress Elisabeth of Austria
Elisabeth of Bavaria
Elisabeth of Austria was the spouse of Franz Joseph I, and therefore both Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. She also held the titles of Queen of Bohemia and Croatia, among others...
(Sisi) and Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. She was their first child, and was named after her paternal grandmother, Sophie, Princess of Bavaria.
In 1857, the Imperial couple visited Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, taking with them Sophie and her younger sister Archduchess Gisela of Austria
Archduchess Gisela of Austria
Gisela Louise Marie, Princess Imperial and Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia, Princess of Bavaria was the second daughter and eldest surviving child of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and Empress Elisabeth...
. During this trip, both children fell ill with diarrhea
Diarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
. While Gisela recovered quickly, Sophie became steadily weaker until she finally succumbed and died. She was two years old. Later it was theorized that she died not of diarrhea and fever, but of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
.
The death of her firstborn child threw Empress Elisabeth into bouts of heavy depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
, which would haunt her for the rest of her life.