Francis Joseph I

Francis Joseph I (b. 18 Aug. 1830, d. 21 Nov. 1916). Emperor of Austria 1848–1916, King of Hungary 1867–1916 He succeeded to the throne of Austria amid the revolutions of 1848, which shaped his conservative and anti-democratic outlook. In 1867, with the formation of the Dual Monarchy, he became also King of Hungary. He subsequently opposed all nationalist demands from the multitude of peoples in his Empire. He was suspicious of parliamentary institutions, trusting instead in the virtues of a (fictitiously) efficient, centralized bureaucracy. Ironically, this contributed greatly to the further articulation of nationalism and the various peoples' identities, which weakened the Empire the more they were ignored. Despite this, there is no doubt that in his stoic belief in the institution and dignity of the monarchy, he remained the Empire's strongest (and perhaps only effective) symbol of unity. He suffered many personal tragedies: his brother Maximilian was shot in Mexico; his son committed suicide; his wife was assassinated in 1898; and his nephew was assassinated at Sarajevo. He was succeeded by his great-nephew Charles I.