Sisters: Auguste and Elisabeth of Bavaria

Princess Elisabeth Maria Auguste (1874-1957) and Princess Auguste Maria Luise (1875-1964) were the first two children of Prince Leopold of Bavaria and Archduchess Gisela of Austria, eldest daughter of Franz Joseph. 

The two sisters were the eldest in the family.  They had two younger brothers,  Prince Georg Franz Josef Leopold Maria and Prince Konrad Luitpold Franz Joseph Maria.

The two princesses were named after their grandmothers.  The elder princess was named for her maternal grandmother, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, born Duchess Elisabeth in Bavaria, while the younger princess was named for her paternal grandmother, Princess Luitpold of Bavaria, born Archduchess Auguste of Austria, Princess of Tuscany.

The marital ties between Bavaria and Austria were numerous, so it is not a surprise that Princess Leopold would look to her own family to find husbands for her daughters.   She was certainly successful in arranging a marriage between Auguste and Archduke Joseph August of Austria, the third child of Archduke Karl.  The groom was twenty-one years old at the time of the wedding, and his bride was eighteen.

The marriage took place in the court church of All Saints in Munich on November 15, 1893. and "was solemnized "with all the splendor of Court Ceremony.  A civil ceremony took place in the palace's throne room, and this was followed by the Roman Catholic service.  Emperor Franz Joseph attended both services.   According to the New York Times, Munich was illuminated at night,  and music filled the public squares.   The streets were crowded with people, "cheering for the young couple.

Both Vienna and Munich newspapers commented "warmly" on this marriage, as new evidence of "the bond of union between Austria and Bavaria which has endured a hundred years," and would continue to remain strong in the future.

There was much comment in the Munich and Viennese newspapers about Auguste, the second daughter, getting married before her older sister, Elisabeth.  There were plans for her to marry an Austrian prince and then her mother considered Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but nothing came of it.  At the time of Auguste's marriage, there were rumors that Elisabeth had fallen in love with a Lieutenant in the Bavarian army.  Despite her parents' wishes, Elisabeth "declared that she would rather die than marry another."

Princess Leopold refused to give into Elisabeth's threats, and would not delay Auguste's marriage.  Elisabeth has been told that after Christmas she will be allowed to " marry the young man of her choice."

Princess Elisabeth decided to take matters into her own hands.  It was reported on December 29, 1893, by Cable and the Associated Press that Elisabeth had eloped to Genoa with the man she loved,  a Lieutenant in the Bavarian army.  The young man was Baron Otto Ludwig von Seefried auf Buttenheim,  a German count who was not only of a much lower rank than Princess Elisabeth, he was also Lutheran. 

It was "love at first sight" for the couple, who met at a Court Ball in Munich.  Elisabeth's family tried everything to break off the love affair. but Elisabeth refused to budge.

After the wedding had taken place,  Otto wrote to Prince and Princess Leopold,  stating that he and Elisabeth did not want to be parted, and they had only two options: suicide or elopement.  They chose the latter.    Prince Leopold and his father, Prince Leopold, were furious at the news of Elisabeth's marriage.  Eventually,  Elisabeth and her father were reconciled through the efforts of her mother and her grandfather, Franz Joseph.  It was said that consent for the marriage was obtained only after Elisabeth "had compromised her reputation by eloping with her love and remaining with him without the sanctification of the ecclesiastical marriage."   On January 9, it was announced that "there was no question regarding the legality" of Princess Elisabeth's marriage.

Although he was not pleased with his granddaughter's marriage, Franz Joseph thought she showed great strength and courage.   He presented the newlyweds with a palace in Vienna.  In 1904, he raised Otto to the rank of Count.

The couple had five children: Countess Gisela (1895-1895), who died as an infant; Countess Elisabeth (1897-1975); Countess Auguste (1899-1978); Countess Marie Valerie (1901-1970) and Count Franz-Joseph (1904-1969).   Auguste married Prince Adalbert of Bavaria.

Auguste and her husband were the parents of six children:  Josef Franz (1895-1957), Archduchess Gisela (1897-1901); Archduchess Sophie (1899-1978); Archduke Ladislaus (1901-1946); Archduke Matthias (1905-1905); and Archduchess Magdalena (1909-2000).

On June 17, 1895, the Chicago Daily Tribune reported that Franz Joseph had become a great-grandfather for the first time with the birth of a son to Archduke Josef August and Archduchess Auguste.  (Princess Elisabeth's daughter, Gisela, was actually the first great-grandchild.) 

The "young mother is fast recovering her strength, and it is a pretty picture to see her fondling her bonny boy."   In honor of her son's birth, Auguste received a new tiara, the design based on her favorite flower, the lily of the valley.  The tiara, "executed in pearls and diamonds," was sent to the new mother, "concealed in a hamper of silver straw, full to the brim with fragrant lilies of the valley and of white violets."

Josef August and his wife, Auguste, lived for many years in Hungary.  Their son, Josef Franz, was happily married to Princess Anna of Saxony.   The family largely adjusted to life after the empire, and "adopted their habits to it."  Auguste's "only passion" was going to the movies, and sometimes, she would go to the cinema twice a day.  Her "trend of thought is democratic," and she accepted that times changed and the "old glory will never return."

[As you can see, I have added new postcards to my collection.]

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