Franz Ferdinand was heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, He was also, from inheritances on both sides, one of the wealthiest men in Austria.
In 1894 Franz Ferdinand attended a ball in Prague. There he met the beautiful Countess Sohpie Chotek, a Lady in Waiting at court, and fell in love. This presented a major problem as there were strict rules as to whom Franz Ferdinand would be allowed to marry. Although Sophie had a prestigious bloodline, she was not a member of one of the reigning dynasties of Europe eligible to marry a Hapsburg so they began their romantic involvement in secrecy.
Yet Franz Ferdinand was in love and would not consider marrying anyone else. His uncle, Franz Joseph, the Emperor, refused to allow him to marry Sophia. So Franz Ferdinand enlisted the help of others to plead on his behalf-Pope Leo XIII, Nicholas II of Russia, and Wilhelm II of Germany.
Finally Franz Joseph agreed to the marriage on the condition that it would be a morganatic marriage. This meant that Sophie would not share her husband's rank, title or privileges. Their children would not be in succession for the throne and Sophie wouldn't ride in the royal carriage with him or sit in the royal box at theatres. Instead she would be Duchess of Hohenberg, which meant a raise in rank but it still left her in precedence below archduchesses who would be seated above her at all royal dinners.
They were married July 1,1990. All the high ranking members of the family were noticeably absent from the ceremony. It must have been a humiliating experience for Sophie but it would set the course her life would take, determined by the rules of succession. Her position made it difficult for them to travel together to the courts of other nations. However some, such as George V and Mary of Great Britain received them as a couple.
In spite of this Franz Ferdinand and Sophie had a loving and happy marriage, with three children, Sophie, Maximilian and Ernst.
In 1914 Franz Ferdinand was in Sarajevo watching troops on maneuver. Because he was visiting in the role of military commander rather than as royalty, his wife accompanied him in the processional car. A bomb was thrown at their vehicle but the driver accelerated out of danger. Franz Ferdinand went to the hospital to visit those who had been injured in the attack. Warned of the danger, he said "Do you think Sarajevo is full of assassins?" Sophie was advised to remain behind but her response was ."As long as the Archduke shows himself in public today I will not leave him."
On the way to the hospital an assassin drew a gun and fired two shots, hitting Franz Ferdinand in the neck and Sophie in the abdomen.
They both died from their wounds. The last words Franz Ferdinand said were "Sopherl! Sopherl! Don't die! Stay alive for our children!",
Their bodies were taken to Hofburg Palace and the Hapsburgs continued to show Sophie's lack of rank by placing her bier several inches lower than her husband's and by displaying on her coffin the gloves that signified her former position as a lady-in-waiting.
They were buried side by side at the castle that had been their summer home. Since Sohpie could not be buried in the imperial tomb, Franz Ferdinand had left these instructions so that they could be buried together and their coffins lie at equal heights.
It was only after death that Sophie could take her rightful place at her husband's side.