Archduchess Gisela of Austria
Encyclopedia
Gisela Louise Marie, Princess Imperial and Archduchess of Austria, Princess of Hungary and Bohemia, Princess of Bavaria (12 July 1856 – 27 July 1932) was the second daughter and eldest surviving child of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
and Empress Elisabeth
. Her German title was Gisela Louise Marie, Erzherzogin von Österreich, Prinzessin von Bayern.
Her father collected some the family's personal items, such as the first pair of shoes worn by each of his children. Among these keepsakes was a poem written for him by a young Gisela one Christmas - the poem was said to be the most treasured item among this collection. Archduchess Gisela was also known to paint in her later years.
in Vienna
, a son of Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria
and Auguste Ferdinande of Austria and second cousin to Gisela.
According to a letter to his mother written in 1872, Emperor Franz Josef wanted the match between his daughter and Prince Leopold as there were so few Catholics princes available at that time and they had to secure the only one to whom they could give Gisela (whom he called "our darling girl" during the wedding rites) with confidence. A year later she gave a birth to her first child Elisabeth Marie
and had four children in total. She was made welcome in Munich by her husband's family and lived in the Palais Leopold in Schwabing
where the street opposite the Palais was named Giselastraße in her honour in 1873.
had four children:
During World War I
she ran a military hospital
in her Palais while her husband was a field marshal
on the eastern front. When the Revolution broke out in 1918, all of her family fled the city, but Gisela remained and took part in the 1919 elections for the Weimar National Assembly
where women above the age of 20 were allowed to vote for the first time.
Such was the esteem in which she was held that she was commonly known as the Good Angel from Vienna and unsurprisingly, she became patron
for a number of institutions, such as the Giselabahn (a train running from Salzburg
to Tirol
), the still active paddle steamer Gisela on the Traunsee
and the Gisela Gymnasium
in Munich.
Among her notable relatives was her uncle, Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico
, who was her father's brother.
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
and Empress Elisabeth
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...
. Her German title was Gisela Louise Marie, Erzherzogin von Österreich, Prinzessin von Bayern.
Life
Although christened Gisella (with a double L) she only ever wrote her name with one L. She was named after a 10th century Habsburg ancestress. Just like her older sister and her brother, Gisela was raised by her paternal grandmother, Archduchess Sophie of Austria. She had a very close relationship with her younger brother, Crown Prince Rudolf, whose apparent suicide hit her hard.Her father collected some the family's personal items, such as the first pair of shoes worn by each of his children. Among these keepsakes was a poem written for him by a young Gisela one Christmas - the poem was said to be the most treasured item among this collection. Archduchess Gisela was also known to paint in her later years.
Marriage and family
On 20 April 1873 she was married to Prince Leopold of BavariaPrince Leopold of Bavaria
Leopold Maximilian Joseph Maria Arnulf, Prinz von Bayern was born in Munich, the son of Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria and his wife Archduchess Augusta of Austria...
in Vienna
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...
, a son of Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria
Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria
Luitpold, Prince Regent of Bavaria , was the de facto ruler of Bavaria from 1886 to 1912, due to the incapacity of his nephews, King Ludwig II and King Otto.-Early life:...
and Auguste Ferdinande of Austria and second cousin to Gisela.
According to a letter to his mother written in 1872, Emperor Franz Josef wanted the match between his daughter and Prince Leopold as there were so few Catholics princes available at that time and they had to secure the only one to whom they could give Gisela (whom he called "our darling girl" during the wedding rites) with confidence. A year later she gave a birth to her first child Elisabeth Marie
Princess Elisabeth Marie of Bavaria
Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria was a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach. She was known as Princess of Bavaria till 1918.-Birth and family:...
and had four children in total. She was made welcome in Munich by her husband's family and lived in the Palais Leopold in Schwabing
Schwabing
Schwabing is a borough in the northern part of Munich, the capital of the German state of Bavaria. It is divided into the city borough 4 and the city borough 12...
where the street opposite the Palais was named Giselastraße in her honour in 1873.
Issue
Gisela and Prince Leopold of BavariaPrince Leopold of Bavaria
Leopold Maximilian Joseph Maria Arnulf, Prinz von Bayern was born in Munich, the son of Prince Regent Luitpold of Bavaria and his wife Archduchess Augusta of Austria...
had four children:
- Princess Elisabeth Marie of BavariaPrincess Elisabeth Marie of BavariaPrincess Elisabeth of Bavaria was a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach. She was known as Princess of Bavaria till 1918.-Birth and family:...
(1874–1957), who married Otto Ludwig Philipp Graf von Seefried auf Buttenheim - Princess Auguste Maria of Bavaria (1875–1964), who married Joseph August, Archduke of AustriaArchduke Joseph August of AustriaArchduke Joseph August Viktor Klemens Maria of Austria, Prince of Hungary and Bohemia was for a short period head of state of Hungary, a member of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine and the eldest son of Archduke Joseph Karl of Austria and his wife Princess Clotilde of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
- Prince Georg of BavariaPrince Georg of BavariaPrince Georg of Bavaria was a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach and a Catholic priest.- Birth and family :...
(1880–1943), who married Archduchess Isabella of AustriaArchduchess Isabella of AustriaArchduchess Isabella Maria Theresia Christine Eugenie of Austria-Teschen was a daughter of Archduke Friedrich, Duke of Teschen and his wife Princess Isabella of Croÿ... - Prince Konrad of BavariaPrince Konrad of BavariaPrince Konrad of Bavaria was a member of the Bavarian Royal House of Wittelsbach.-Early life:Konrad was born in Munich, Bavaria...
(1883–1969), who married Princess Bona Margherita of Savoy-Genoa
Charity works and World War I
She was deeply involved in a variety of social and political issues and founded charities to support the poor, blind and deaf people where she took an active role herself.During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
she ran a military hospital
Military hospital
Military hospital is a hospital, which is generally located on a military base and is reserved for the use of military personnel, their dependents or other authorized users....
in her Palais while her husband was a field marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
on the eastern front. When the Revolution broke out in 1918, all of her family fled the city, but Gisela remained and took part in the 1919 elections for the Weimar National Assembly
Weimar National Assembly
The Weimar National Assembly governed Germany from February 6, 1919 to June 6, 1920 and drew up the new constitution which governed Germany from 1919 to 1933, technically remaining in effect even until the end of Nazi rule in 1945...
where women above the age of 20 were allowed to vote for the first time.
Such was the esteem in which she was held that she was commonly known as the Good Angel from Vienna and unsurprisingly, she became patron
Patrón
Patrón is a luxury brand of tequila produced in Mexico and sold in hand-blown, individually numbered bottles.Made entirely from Blue Agave "piñas" , Patrón comes in five varieties: Silver, Añejo, Reposado, Gran Patrón Platinum and Gran Patrón Burdeos. Patrón also sells a tequila-coffee blend known...
for a number of institutions, such as the Giselabahn (a train running from Salzburg
Salzburg
-Population development:In 1935, the population significantly increased when Salzburg absorbed adjacent municipalities. After World War II, numerous refugees found a new home in the city. New residential space was created for American soldiers of the postwar Occupation, and could be used for...
to Tirol
Tyrol (state)
Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
), the still active paddle steamer Gisela on the Traunsee
Traunsee
Traunsee is a lake in the Salzkammergut, Austria, located at . Its surface is approximately 24.5 km² and its maximum depth is 191 metres. It is a popular tourist destination, and its attractions include Schloss Ort, a medieval castle....
and the Gisela Gymnasium
Gisela Gymnasium
The Gisela-Gymnasium München is a secondary school in Munich, Germany and belongs to the mathematical-scientific category of gymnasia but also has a modern languages branch...
in Munich.
Widowhood & Death
Gisela and her husband celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1923. Her husband died in 1930 and Gisela only survived him by two years and died aged 76 in Munich on 27 July 1932 and is buried next to Prince Leopold at the Colombarium in the St.Michaelskirche, Munich.Among her notable relatives was her uncle, Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico
Maximilian I of Mexico
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 April 10, 1864, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists who sought to revive the Mexican monarchy...
, who was her father's brother.