I've been watching the German-language musical "Elisabeth" (about the life of Empress Sisi of Austria-Hungary). While it does provide a refreshingly dark view of the Hapsburg dynasty's final days (as opposed to the fairy tale romance constructed by the "Sissi" trilogy), there are some elements that confuse me that I'd like to learn more about.
As I understand, Kaiser Franz Joseph I was not actually the first in succession for the throne of Austria. He got into that position through the political maneuvering of his mother, Sophie of Bavaria. But how was this possible? What did she do in order to get him there? Why was her husband so easily persuaded to give up his claim to the throne so that it would pass to Franz Joseph?
I understand that Franz Joseph's predecessor, Ferdinand I, was feebleminded and seen as unfit to rule. But I'm still not entirely sure how a noblewoman managed to unseat an emperor. Or did Sophie simply take advantage of a power vacuum after Ferdinand's forced abdication after the 1848 revolution? Who backed her? And who was her opposition? What was the alternative?
Is it possible that the play took some liberties with history? It was my understanding that Franz Joseph came to power in political crisis in 1848 as part of a strategy to bring a strong leader back onto the throne. His mother may have been involved in that somehow, but I think it was mostly political/military maneuvering. Franz Joseph's father wasn't interested in the throne and was willing to step aside from the succession,and his uncle both wasn't capable of ruling and didn't have any heirs. That left Franz Joseph as the next heir to the throne.
Franz Karl ( Sophie's husband and Franz Joseph's father ) was not very well suited to be Kaiser. After all, he was not really born with the prospect to rule ( if Ferdinand had manage to have children, they would have inherited and not his brother ) and he did not expressed the desire to. Franz Karl was not a brilliant man, not stupid or anything of the sort but simply not brilliant.
It was not hard for Sophie ( who had experience in court intrigue and even political matters ) to persuade her husband to give up his rights to the crown. I do not know how she did it exactly but her husband was a dull man without much skill in anything, without ambition and who would most likely have been quickly bored of being in charge ( he was part of a council which name I can't remember but this was under Metternich so Franz Karl did not have much to do ).
Franz Karl may also have not needed much persuasion to renounce his rights to inherit so Sophie's part may have been exaggerated.
Keep in mind that it was also his right to renounce it. Ferdinand was childless so the succession went to Franz Karl who refused it in which case it went to his son ( if Franz Karl had ruled, Francis Joseph would still have inherited ).
As to why Sophie would be involved in her husband's refusal to inherit there could be many reasons. Many historians are not completely sure about her motivations in general. Was she seeking personal power ( she had a lot of influence over Francis Joseph when he was young, and she was very influential at court ) ? Was she helping her family ? Was she doing her best in the interests of Austria ? In any case the best choice was to let the crown go on Francis Joseph's head as she had influence on him ( her husband was under the influence of others ) , he was a thousand time more clever, educated and fit for the charge than his father was.
Source : Sisi, Empress of Austria ( original title : Sissi, Impératrice d'Autriche ) by Jean des Cars.