"It began like a fairy tale and ended as a tragedy. The story of Bavarian Princess Elisabeth in the bloom of her youth, who hoped in vain to find her happiness in the Viennese court, who captivated her contemporaries, and who continues to fascinate the public even today. The Habsburg Empire had their aspirations for the radiant fairy tale couple 'Sissi' and Fraz Joseph, and the beauty and charm of the young empress captured the hearts of her subjects. Her marriage to the dutiful monarch, however, did not give Sissi much happiness. Following the birth of her children, Elisabeth preferred to spend her life far away from her husband and to live in accordance with her own personal interests. This is the profound portrait of two extraordinary people, whose fate shaped the image of an epoch."--p. [4] of cover.