Franz Josef I of Austria Biography

Franz Josef I 

Franz Josef I (also spelled Franz Joseph, born in Vienna, August 18, 1830 - died in Vienna, 21 November 1916 at age 86 years) was Emperor of Austria and King of Bohemia from 1848 to 1916, and Apostolic King of Hungary from 1867 until 1916. It stems from the Habsburg dynasty.

The oldest son of Franz Karl, who is the brother of Emperor Ferdinand I, Franz also is the brother Maximilian I of Mexico. At age 13 he began his career as a colonel in the Austrian army. He became Emperor of Austria when Ferdinand abdicated at the end of the Revolution of 1848, on December 2, 1848. In 1854, Franz Josef married Princess Elizabeth of Bavaria. Their only son, Crown Prince Rudolf, committed suicide in 1889.

When World War I broke out, Austria-Hungary allied with Germany, but their soldiers did not have sufficient preparation and equipment. One reason is the conservative attitude of Franz Josef. He rejected suggestions that the soldiers get new weapons (in this case, tank).
The other three children are Sophie Friederike (1855 - 1858), Gisela (1856 - 1932), and Marie Valerie (1868-1924).