Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg

Sophie was born in Stuttgart as the daughter of a Bohemian count. She became a lady-in-waiting to Archduchess Isabella, the wife of Archduke Friedrich of Austria, in 1894. There she met Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir presumptive to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and fell in love with him. Their relationship was opposed by Emperor Franz Joseph I and the court, because Sophie was not of equal rank and did not belong to a reigning or formerly reigning dynasty. Despite the objections, Franz Ferdinand and Sophie were married in 1900, but she was denied the title of "Archduchess" and had to use the lower title of "Duchess of Hohenberg". She was also excluded from most official ceremonies and events, and had to defer to the other members of the imperial family. Sophie and Franz Ferdinand had three children: Princess Sophie von Hohenberg (1901–1990), Prince Maximilian von Hohenberg (1902–1962), and Prince Ernst von Hohenberg (1904–1954). They lived a relatively happy and simple family life, away from the pomp and protocol of the court. They traveled frequently and visited various countries, including India, Australia, and the United States. On June 28, 1914, Sophie and Franz Ferdinand were on an official visit to Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which had been annexed by Austria-Hungary in 1908. As they were riding in an open car through the city, they were attacked by a group of Serbian nationalists who wanted to end Austro-Hungarian rule in Bosnia. The first attempt failed when a bomb thrown at their car bounced off and exploded behind them, injuring some of their entourage. The couple decided to continue their visit and go to the hospital to see the wounded. On their way there, their driver took a wrong turn and stopped near a café where one of the assassins, Gavrilo Princip, was waiting. Princip seized the opportunity and shot Sophie in the abdomen and Franz Ferdinand in the neck. They both died within minutes. Their deaths triggered a series of events that led to the outbreak of World War I, as Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia with the backing of Germany, while Serbia was supported by Russia, France, and Britain. The war lasted until 1918 and resulted in millions of casualties and the collapse of several empires, including Austria-Hungary. Sophie's body was taken back to Vienna along with her husband's, but she was not allowed to lie in state next to him in the imperial crypt. Instead, she was buried with him at their castle in Artstetten in Lower Austria. Their children were stripped of their titles and properties by the new republic of Austria and had to leave the country. They later regained some of their possessions and became active in various charitable and cultural causes. Sophie is remembered as a devoted wife and mother who defied the conventions of her time and faced discrimination and hostility for her love. She is also seen as a tragic figure whose death had far-reaching consequences for the world.