8 Biggest Historical Inaccuracies In The Empress Season 2 (2024)

This article contains spoilers for The Empress season 2.

While Netflix's The Empress season 2 does a good job of telling Empress Elisabeth of Austria's story, the show does include a few historical inaccuracies. The Empress, based on the real history of Elisabeth von Wittelsbach, chronicles her early adulthood years, mainly centering on her marriage to Franz Joseph I and her struggles at the Viennese Court. The Empress is one of the best non-English language shows on Netflix and is popular with both critics and audiences.

Given that The Empress and many of its cast of characters are based on real people, there's an expectation that the show runners will have to get every historical detail right. However, the changes that were made to Elisabeth's story helped the show become more entertaining because it perfectly combined fact and fiction. It is worth noting that overall, The Empress depicted Elisabeth’s life according to how she was described in historical records.

8 There Was No Countess Leontine Apafi In Empress Elisabeth's Court

Leontine's Legend: A Fictional Figure

Countess Leontine Apafi, one of the most intriguing characters in The Empress, wasn't based on a real person. In the series, Ava, a member of the rebellion, kills the real Countess Apafi and takes her place in order to infiltrate Elisabeth's court. However, there are no historical records showing that Countess Apafi was one of Empress Elisabeth’s ladies-in-waiting. While there was no one by the name of Leontine, there was a Prince of Transylvania, Mihaly Apafi, but the real Apafi’s aren't mentioned in the series (via Rubicon).

Countess Apafi was useful in the series because she helped shed light on the rebellion and the plight of the Austrian people. She also served as Elisabeth's closest confidant, who helped her through her most difficult moments. Despite not being based on a real person, Countess Apafi’s storyline in The Empress season 2 was essential because it created tension and contributed to Alexander von Bach’s character arc.

7 Maximilian And Princess Charlotte Did Not Meet On A Train

Royal Romance: A Different Beginning

The Empress season 2 sees Maximilian fall in love with Princess Charlotte of Belgium. While on his way to meet Napoleon in Paris, Maximilian met Princess Charlotte, who traveled with him to France after her train broke down. During their brief train ride, Maximilian and Charlotte fell for each other, and ended up spending some time together in Paris. The couple got engaged shortly after, and got married following Franz Joseph I’s blessing.

While The Empress has Maximilian and Princess Charlotte meeting on a train that was heading to France, historical accounts report that they met in Brussels. After Max met Napoleon III in Paris, his older brother asked him to return to Vienna. On his journey back to Austria, Maximilian stopped in Brussels and visited King Leopold I. He met Princess Charlotte at a court ball and fell for her. He later proposed, and they got married at the Royal Palace of Brussels (via Museo Storico E Il Parco Del Castello Di Miramae).

6 Princess Charlotte Didn't Choose Maximilian Over King Pedro V

A Heart Divided: A Historical Misconception

When Princess Charlotte met Maximilian, she fell for his charm, wit, and humor. Despite how she felt about Maximilian, she was hesitant to marry him because she had been promised to the king of Portugal, King Pedro V, but she hadn't yet accepted his proposal. After weighing which suitor would be best for her, Charlotte decided to marry Maximilian.

When Princess Charlotte was 16, two suitors wanted to marry her: Prince George of Saxony and King Pedro V of Portugal, but she refused both of their proposals. Historical accounts say that she had already decided not to marry King Pedro V when she met Maximilian because she felt that she wouldn't fit in at the Portuguese Court (via Unofficial Royalty).

5 Maximilian Didn't Instantly Fall For Princess Charlotte

A Slower Burn: A More Realistic Love Story

Maximilian had been unlucky in love until he met Princess Charlotte. The couple were evenly matched and had the same beliefs about reform and liberation. After they met, Charlotte and Maximilian had a whirlwind romance, with both parties seeming like they were equally in love with each other. Although they faced a few issues in their marriage, mainly because they couldn't have children, Maximilian and Charlotte were happy.

While in The Empress, Maximilian is shown to have fallen in love with Charlotte the moment he laid eyes on her, historical reports tell a different story. Whereas Charlotte knew that Maximilian was the one she would marry, he took a bit of time to warm to her. In a letter he wrote to Franz, Maximilian expressed that he was worried Charlotte was too clever. He seemed to have gotten over his initial reservation about her as the two went on to have a somewhat happy marriage (via National Geographic).

4 Napoleon Had Another Reason For Helping General Cavour

Napoleon's Motive: A Strategic Alliance

Napoleon III played a huge role in the Second Italian War of Independence. The growing tension in the Italian-speaking territories meant that Austria had to find an ally in case war broke out. Franz Joseph I sent his brother to France, hoping that Napoleon would come to their aid. Little did he know that General Cavour was also asking Napoleon to join his cause. For Napoleon, helping Cavour defeat Austria would mean that he would have more control over Europe as his enemy would be vanquished.

When Napoleon asked what he would get if he helped General Cavour, he was told he would have Italy as an ally. However, that was not their agreement. Napoleon was willing to help the Kingdom of Piedmont if the Pope remained the leader in Rome. Defeating Austria wasn't enough for Napoleon, he also wanted the dukedoms of Nice and Savoy if they succeeded. Cavour and Napoleon came to an agreement and a treaty of defensive alliance was signed (via Napoleon.org).

Mimi's Journey: A Delayed Departure

The newest addition to The Empress’ cast, Maria Sophie Amalie, played the role of Elisabeth’s younger sister in the series. Marie or Mimi, as she was fondly known, wanted to marry for love like her older sister. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the same luck as her sister. When she turned 16, Francis II of the Two Sicilies asked for her hand in marriage, and she had no choice but to accept because of the political benefits that would result from their union.

The series does get right the fact that Mimi hadn’t started menstruating when she was told that she had to get married. However, there is one thing that The Empress leaves out. When her family received Francis II of the Two Sicilies proposal, they began to put her through various treatments in order for her period to start. She stayed with her family for a while before going to Vienna where she met with her sister and was shipped off to Sicily (via Unofficial Royalty).

2 Alexander Von Bach Didn't Quit His Job Because Of Countess Apafi

Bach's Departure: A Different Catalyst

Alexander von Bach was the Minister of the Interior during Franz's reign and played a major role in helping Austria have a better economy. Like Franz, Alexander preferred peace to war and was usually the one to question Franz when he was about to make a questionable decision.The Empress season 2 sees Alexander start a secret affair with Countess Apafi. He detested that they had to keep their relationship a secret and wanted to marry her, but she was afraid of what would happen if he were to find out that she was an impostor.

When Alexander eventually discovered that Countess Apafi had been lying to him, he ended their affair and sent her away. However, he ended up finding out that she was pregnant with his child. So he quit his job and went after her. Seeing that Countess Apafi wasn't based on a real person, it follows that Alexander must have left Franz's council for a different reason. Historical accounts report that Alexander von Bach quit his job because of the catastrophic effects the Second Italian War had on Austria (via Britannica).

1 Archduchess Sophie Took Fienchen The Moment She Was Born

A Mother's Love: A Timely Reunion

Archduchess Sophie and Empress Elisabeth had a complicated relationship that got worse as Elisabeth gained control over Franz. From the moment Sophie met Elisabeth, she despised her because of her free spirit and her belief that she was not only bad for Franz, but also because she was an unsuitable empress. The archduchess tried to control Elisabeth, but she ultimately failed to change her.

While the Netflix miniseries does an excellent job of depicting Elisabeth and Sophie's relationship, the show does leave out some key details. According to historical reports, when Elisabeth had her first child, the archduchess took her away and built a nursery near her apartment. Elisabeth wasn't allowed to have a say in how her daughter was being raised. The Empress, however, shows that the archduchess took her granddaughter away when Elisabeth was pregnant, but she had done that before the Empress was close to giving birth (via Hadsburger).

Sources: Rubicon, Museo Storico E Il Parco Del Castello Di Miramae, Unofficial Royalty, Napoleon.org, National Geographic, Unofficial Royalty, Britannica, Hadsburger

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The Empress

Drama

History

Romance

Elisabeth "Sisi" of Bavaria's life changes dramatically when she weds Emperor Franz Joseph and becomes Empress of Austria. Navigating the treacherous waters of the Viennese court, Sisi encounters both grand romance and fierce political maneuvering. As she adapts to her new position, she must assert her individuality and strength to protect her family and her empire.

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Cast

Svenja Jung , Melika Foroutan , Philip Froissant , Devrim Lingnau , Johannes Nussbaum , Alexander Finkenwirth , Hanna Hilsdorf , Noëmi Krausz

Release Date

September 29, 2022