The Doomed Mistress
Mary Vetsera was a noblewoman from an ambitious family that had grand intentions of climbing the Austro-Hungarian social ladder. A hopeless romantic, Mary herself would embrace her family’s dreams as her own. Only, instead of a happily ever after, she met a tragic and grisly end.
1. Her Parents Had A Scandalous Backstory
Mary Vetsera was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire on March 19, 1871. Her parents were new-money wealthy...even though her father had been her orphaned mother's guardian as she grew up. Unfortunately, this messed-up romance was just the beginning of Mary's tragic luck in love.
Adele Perlmutter, Wikimedia Commons
2. Her Mother Was A Social Climber
Mary's mother Eleni had one goal in life: social climbing. She was endlessly embarrassed of her new-money status, and insisted that her daughters act as high-class as possible. As such, Mary grew up in an incredibly strict household where manners and “properness” were rigorously enforced, closely mirroring the stuffy Austrian royal court at the time. But that wasn't all.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
3. She Was A Pawn
Mary's mother didn't stop at good manners; she also wanted her daughters to marry into a higher class, thus giving the family more credibility. This goal turned desperate overnight. Although Mary had an older brother, Laci, who could have helped the family name in forging a diplomatic career, he perished in 1881, leaving the family with only daughters to focus on.
Her mother wasted no time turning Mary into the perfect bride-to-be.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
4. She Was The Perfect Bride
Mary’s mother’s ambitions for her daughters stretched even into their schooling. Mary received her education at a Viennese convent, the Institute for the Daughters of the Nobility. As its name might suggest, the young girls in attendance learned manners and etiquette in preparation to become the wives of noblemen.
But when Mary got out of the school, the real gauntlet began.
Othmar von Türk, Wikimedia Commons
5. Her Mother Paraded Her Like Livestock
As soon as she came of age, Mary’s mother began to throw parties with the sole intention of finding a suitable courter for her daughter. More than that, as the family wasn't yet high-class enough to even attend the Austrian royal court, they had to sniff around the edges of the aristocratic scene. There was, however, a twist.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
6. She Caught The Attention Of The Empress
Despite the outside-looking-in quality of her life, the royal family was well aware of Mary's family's martial efforts and even encouraged them. No less than Emperor Franz Joseph's wife, Empress Elisabeth, knew about it. Soon, Mary would be having an uncomfortably close relationship with those two—but for now, the bigger problem was her mother.
Schloss Hof, Wikimedia Commons
7. She Felt Unloved
Unsurprisingly, Mary felt immense pressure from her mother to be perfect. This took a heartbreaking toll on their relationship. She confided in a friend that she felt her mother didn’t really love her, stating bluntly, “Ever since I was a little girl, she has treated me like something she means to dispose of to the best advantage”.
Still, she was about to get a brief, if tragic, respite.
Atelier Nemesbanyi Arp., Wikimedia Commons
8. She Escaped
Being the daughter of a diplomat did have its advantages. In the winter of 1887, Mary got the opportunity to travel to Cairo with her family. The circumstances were not ideal, however. Mary’s father had grown ill and sought treatment in the Egyptian capital. Despite the pallor that hung over the trip, Mary still managed a scandal.
Henry Kellner, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
9. She Had A Desert Affair
While the family was in Cairo, Mary finally rebelled against her upbringing. If the rumors are to be believed, it was there that she met an English officer and they began an affair as torrid as the local climate. It was one of the rare times Mary pursued a relationship based on her own desires and preferences.
But her mother’s ambitions would ultimately win out.
Antonio Beato, Wikimedia Commons
10. She Chose Money Over Happiness
By 1888, tragedy had visited Mary in twos. First, her father never made it out of Cairo alive, succumbing to the illness that had brought him there. Her affair couldn't survive either; Mary reportedly confided to a friend that the officer's "lack of money and prospects” doomed their relationship.
After all, her mother wanted more for her than that. She would soon get her wish—but as they say, be careful what you wish for.
Bain News Service, Wikimedia Commons
11. She Developed A Royal Crush
Upon returning from Cairo after her father’s passing, Mary re-entered the aristocratic social scene. That's when her life changed forever. This time, she came into contact with the Crown Prince of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Rudolf, and quickly developed an infatuation with him.
After all, who could be more aristocratic than the Crown Prince of Austria? Except this was most definitely not a good thing.
Károly Koller, Wikimedia Commons
12. He Was Dangerous
Mary’s newest infatuation was completely inappropriate for her. Not only was Rudolf already married to the Crown Princess Stéphanie and had a child with her, but he was also 13 years Mary’s senior. Besides that, Mary hadn't even met the man. Still, Mary didn’t let any of these facts stop her. Unfortunately, neither did the prince.
Austrian National Library, Wikimedia Commons
13. She Began An Illicit Romance
17-year-old Mary actually managed to meet the 30-year-old Crown Prince several months after first becoming infatuated with him, and before long the pair began a clandestine affair that could—and indeed would—topple the kingdom.
If you're wondering why Rudolf was even bothering with a lovestruck teenager, well, the answer is worse than you might think.
Eugen Felix, Wikimedia Commons
14. Her Lover Was Badly Adjusted
Since Rudolf was a child, his life had been all kinds of messed-up. He suffered under an exacting father who thought his son was a weakling, and often endured long absences from his mother, who hated the Austrian court. Added to all that, since he had hit puberty, women considered it a "patriotic duty" to bed him, before and after his marriage.
All in all, Mary's new lover was desperate for attention, and yet quickly bored of it. This was not a good combination.
Emil Rabending, Wikimedia Commons
15. She Had A Go-Between
During their affair, Mary had enlisted the help of her friend and Rudolf’s cousin, Countess Marie Larisch, in facilitating communication between the lovers. Countess Larisch would often help Rudolf by acting as a go-between, giving Mary letters and money from her lover.
But however clandestine they thought they were being, people found out—and they weren't happy.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
16. Her Family Were Furious
Considering Mary's family's quest for higher social status, one would think they would be over the moon for Mary and Rudolf. On the contrary. They thought she was foolish, and her mother feared that a revelation of the Archduke’s affair would only bring shame on their family and ruin all their lives. They weren't the only ones distressed by the news.
17. The Emperor Disapproved Of Her
Mary’s entry into the Crown Prince’s orbit may have been just as concerning for Rudolf’s family. According to one rumor, Rudolf had a violent row with his father over the affair. It produced a chilling ultimatum. The Emperor allegedly demanded his son end his relationship with Mary.
Tragically, Mary was already in too deep.
Philip de László, Wikimedia Commons
18. She Wanted Him To Herself
Mary quickly fell desperately in love with Rudolf, and with this came all the delusions one would expect from a smitten teenager. Rudolf's wife and child didn't faze Mary at all. In fact, she believed she was a credible threat to usurp the position of Rudolf’s actual wife. A friend later recounted that Mary told her, “That stupid Crown Princess knows I am her rival”.
Only, Mary was more ignorant than even her family knew.
Othmar von Türk, Wikimedia Commons
19. She Wasn't The Only One
Throughout their torrid affair, Rudolf was hiding an even darker secret from Mary. She wasn't the only other woman he was "entertaining" during this time. He was also romantically involved with actress and prominent courtesan Mizzi Kaspar. That was just the beginning, though.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
20. He Had History
Rudolf had never been happy in his marriage to Princess Stephanie, and had grown truly apart after their daughter was born in 1883, a full five years before Mary set her sights on the Crown Prince. It was then that Rudolf, who had suffered from melancholy since he was young, allegedly began drinking heavily and stepping out in earnest.
Atelier Türk, Wikimedia Commons
21. He Was A Reckless Womanizer
By the time Mary met Crown Prince Rudolf, the rumors about his womanizing were legendary, with claims that he had fathered several illegitimate children. Only, that wasn't the worst part. After years of this kind of behavior, Rudolf treated most women with disdain, once dismissing them as “eternal victims of self-delusion”.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
22. He Had A Disgusting Black Book
So numerous were the Crown Prince’s exploits before meeting Mary that he went so far as to keep a bureaucratic ledger of his conquests. He even color-coded the record, using red pen for women he “deflowered” and black for those partners who were more experienced. He would make distinguishing marks next to names that denoted nobility and status.
It was with all this baggage that one day, Rudolf made Mary a bone-chilling proposition.
H. Eckert, Prague, Wikimedia Commons
23. She Received A Grim Proposition
After years of carousing with women, drinking himself into oblivion, and crawling back home to his loveless marriage, the ever-melancholic Rudolf came to a disturbing conclusion: He wanted to end his life. But it was more than that. He didn't want to go alone—and so he asked Mary to enter into a death pact with him.
Her reply was gut-wrenching.
Géruzet Frères, Wikimedia Commons
24. She Was Naïve
Mary enthusiastically agreed to the grim commitment with Rudolf. Many factors likely contributed to this, including her hurt feelings around her mother’s treatment of her, but the main reason was almost certainly Mary’s young age, impressionable nature, and her infatuation with the Crown Prince. In fact, her first reaction was cringe-worthy.
25. She Was A Hopeless Romantic
Mary’s first reaction to Rudolf’s proposal was, believe it or not, to swoon. She interpreted the plan as proof that she and the Crown Prince were star-crossed lovers against the world, expressing their love by uniting forever in a double-suicide. She even said, "If I could give him my life, I should be glad to do it, for what does life mean for me?”
Despite all the signs telling her to run away, Mary and her lover quickly set their plans in motion.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
26. Her Demise Began With Deception
On January 29, 1889, just months after first meeting Mary, Rudolf excused himself from a family dinner, claiming he was feeling ill. Instead of going to bed, though, he went instead to find his teenaged mistress to set up the first stage of their pact.
Yet when he arrived at her quarters, he was in for a nasty surprise.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
27. Her Mother Locked Her Up
The night Rudolf excused himself from dinner to go to Mary, it just so happened that her family had put their foot down—Mary's mother had locked her in her room in response to her daughter’s scandalous conduct with Rudolf. If things had been different, that might have been the end of the story.
Tragically, they weren't different, and it wasn't the end.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
28. She Was Secreted Away
Faced with this barrier to his plans, Rudolf enlisted the help of his cousin Countess Larisch yet again, asking her to convince Mary's mother to let the girl go for a drive with her. The matron relented, and the Countess brought the young mistress to meet Rudolf. The Countess would soon deeply regret her actions.
29. Her Lover Kidnapped Her
When Mary and the Countess arrived, Rudolf begged and pleaded to have just 10 minutes alone with Mary. The Countess, not suspecting anything was particularly amiss, agreed. It turned sour. When Rudolf came back—a full hour later—he was alone, and instructed the confused Countess to tell Mary's mother that her daughter had run away.
No one at the royal court would see her alive again.
Ferenc Kozmata, Wikimedia Commons
30. She Was Secreted Away
Neither the Countess Larisch or anyone else close to the couple could have possibly understood what the pair were planning, but it all became frightfully clear in a matter of hours. Rudolf, who had planned a hunting trip to the royal Mayerling Lodge just outside Vienna the next day, went to this secluded spot with his mistress.
The rest of the story lives in infamy.
Unknown Author, Wikimedia Commons
31. It Was Too Late
Knowing that Rudolf was supposed to hunt the morning of January 30, his valet and another companion arrived at the lodge ready for a day of relaxing. They got something else entirely. After receiving no answer when they knocked on Rudolf's door, they grew desperate and busted their way in.
The room inside was darkened. But as their eyes adjusted, their blood must have run cold.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
32. She Was Discovered
Inside the room, Crown Prince Rudolf sat motionless beside the bed, with blood leaking from his mouth and a glass and a mirror on the bedside table nearby. On the bed next to him lay the body of Mary Vetsera. The two young bodies had been gone for quite some time; rigor mortis was already present.
The men began jumping to conclusions that would haunt the royal family—and the memory of Mary Vetsera—for years.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
33. Everyone Had Theories
Rudolf's valet was too stunned to think clearly, but he did think he knew what happened. After inspecting the glass at the bedside table, he believed the Crown Prince must have drunk poison. The valet was particularly aware that strychnine could cause this kind of bleeding.
As for poor Mary? The men barely glanced at her body. Instead, they sprung into action.
34. The Imperial Family Found Out
Rudolf's hunting companion, Joseph Hoyos, ran from the room and took the next train to Vienna to inform the Emperor and Empress personally. After wading through royal protocol after royal protocol, he finally managed to tell them their son and his teenaged mistress were dead.
However it had happened—and certainly, no one truly understood at that point—the Imperial family was certain of one thing: The truth couldn't be good. So they made an infamous decision.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
35. She Was In The Middle Of A Cover-Up
Faced with the ignominy of some kind of suicide, the Emperor and Empress decided they had to completely cover up what happened. Instead, they made an announcement stating that Rudolf perished "due to a rupture of an aneurysm of the heart", thus sweeping up what they believed was a poison plot under the rug.
As for our Mary? Her fate was even worse.
Georges Jansoone, Wikimedia Commons
36. They Tried To Erase Her
The Imperial family was eager to set things right for their son Rudolf, but when it came to Mary they wanted nothing more than for her to disappear—almost literally. In the coming hours and days, they tried to obscure Mary's involvement in what was to become known as the Mayerling Incident.
For a time, even Mary's own family didn't know the whole truth. But they'd eventually find out in a chilling way.
Philip de László, Wikimedia Commons
37. Her Uncles Desecrated Her
The statement the Imperial Palace wanted to peddle was that Mary had died on her way to Venice in a completely unrelated incident. In order to achieve this, they had to inform Mary's family finally of the truth—and then give them a horrifying command.
In order to get any suspicious minds off the scent, the palace ordered Mary's uncles to go to the lodge, prop up Mary's body with a broomstick so that it looked like she was still alive, and carry her out this way. Then they twisted the knife in.
brandstaetter images, Getty Images
38. They Refused Her A Proper Burial
The Royal Family instructed Mary’s uncles to bury her remains as discreetly as possible. They took the body to the nearest cemetery where it was quickly disposed of with bodies of other cases like hers.The abbot at the cemetery at first refused to grant Mary a proper Christian burial, and only relented when her uncles argued for her temporary insanity.
It was only the beginning of the pain her passing would bring to her family.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
39. They Denied Her Mother Access
After all they had asked of Mary's family, the royals prevented her mother from attending the funeral service. Indeed, as determined as they were not to let Mary's demise look like it had anything to do with Rudolf, they wouldn't even let her mother see her grave for two entire months after the incident.
Meanwhile, their treatment of Rudolf was much different.
Mayerling Museum, Wikimedia Commons
40. Her Lover Was Buried In Style
The Imperial Family fought tooth and nail for the Church’s blessing to bury Rudolf in the Imperial Crypt, which was against Church law, considering the Crown Prince deliberately took one life and his own the day he passed. But the Vatican ultimately issued a special dispensation citing “mental imbalance", and they buried Rudolf with his ancestors in the end.
For all these precautions, it was only a matter of time before the truth came out.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
41. Her Mother Dug Her Up
After two long months, Mary’s mother finally got the opportunity to give her daughter a proper burial. She exhumed Mary’s body from the wooden coffin she had been hastily buried in, arranged for her reburial in a copper coffin, and also made sure she was wearing one of her favorite dresses. The dress carried a grim significance of its own.
Dguendel, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
42. Her Last Photo Was Darkly Prophetic
The last known photo of Mary was taken in 1888. She took the photo alongside her friend Countess Larisch. Coincidentally, this photo of the young girl shows her wearing the dress attendants would bury her in. She may have requested this at an earlier date, and her mother honored her wishes.
Adele Perlmutter, Wikimedia Commons
43. The Truth Came Out
In the days following Mary's tragic end, investigators realized what had really happened. As they scoured Mayerling for clues, they came to the conclusion that this was no poison plot. Instead, they believed Rudolf had shot Mary in the head and then turned the weapon on himself. And that wasn't all.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
44. The Emperor Shut The Whispers Down
With the Mayerling Incident making international news, rumors began swirling about what had happened, and no one was satisfied with the "heart aneurysm" cover up. Eventually, people even understood that Mary had been involved in the tragedy and that Rudolf shot her—before the authorities, likely with pressure from the Emperor, closed their case.
History, however, wouldn't leave the matter alone.
Studio of Károly Koller, Wikimedia Commons
45. Her Death Led To A Massive Conflict
Mary’s involvement in the demise of a Crown Prince cemented her place in history. Following Rudolf’s passing, there was a crisis of succession in the Hapsburg dynasty, and eventually Archduke Franz Ferdinand became the heir presumptive—until this infamous assassination triggered WWI.
Had Mary not agreed to Rudolf’s pact, who knows how differently history may have unfolded.
Ferdinand Schmutzer, Wikimedia Commons
46. Holy Men Disturbed Her Grave
For decades, Mary's story lay rotting with her body. Then, after WWII, this all changed. In 1955, a group of monks were repairing Mary's grave after the battles had destroyed it, and they decided to inspect the coffin. Inside they found a small skeleton, as expected. Only, there was one thing missing.
The monks failed to find any bullet hole in the skull, unraveling everything once more.
HeinzLW, CC BY-SA 3.0 AT , Wikimedia Commons
47. She Was Exhumed Again
In 1959, a Vetsera ancestor, Gerd Holler, followed up on the monks' claims and also concluded that there was no bullet hole in the skull. Her skull did have some trauma, though this could have happened in the intervening years since her death. Missing this crucial bullet, Holler posited a jaw-dropping theory.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
48. The Mystery Of Her Death Persists
Holler suggested that Mary was pregnant at the time of the incident, and that her death was the result of her trying to end the pregnancy. Still, this likely isn't true—there are letters where Mary admits Rudolf took her virginity just two weeks before the Incident, meaning if she was pregnant, she couldn't have possibly known.
Even so, that missing bullet still haunts many experts. Multiple theories now exist to explain it or explain it away, none of them convincing enough to get the final say. And there was one final twist.
Theodor Mayerhofer, Wikimedia Commons
49. Her Letters Revealed The Truth
In recent years, a series of Mary's letters were found in a safety deposit box in a bank in Austria. The correspondence turned out to be farewell letters she penned just prior to the Mayerling Incident, and their words were haunting. In a letter to her mother, Mary wrote "I could not resist love...I am happier in death than life".
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
50. She Passed Away Lamentably Young
The biggest tragedy of the Mayerling incident is undoubtedly Mary’s age. She was just 17 years old when she died, only a year older than her brother when he prematurely perished. While the letters she wrote conveyed her confidence and clarity of mind regarding her decision, can we really say that a 17-year-old girl knew that she wanted her life to end?
Wuhazet - Henryk Żychowski, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
51. It All Went Wrong For Her
In perhaps one of the most tragic developments in Mary Vetsera's story, Rudolf's own farewell letter to his mother actually contained a request to be buried alongside his teenage lover, calling Mary his "atoning angel". His family, obviously, didn't respect his wishes—but Rudolf himself disrespected Mary in one final way.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
52. She Wasn’t His First
We know now that Crown Prince Rudolf was deeply depressed before his death, and spent his time distracted by many other mistresses like Mizzi Kaspar, not just Mary. But perhaps the cruelest truth? Rudolf had actually asked Mizzi Kaspar to die with him first, only to have her refuse. Poor Mary was just his backup plan.
As for why this senseless tragedy happened? Well, for Rudolf anyway, it may not have been that senseless.
MR Filmproduktion, Crown Prince Rudolf (2006)
53. Her Lover Had A Secret Infection
Though there is no evidence he ever informed Mary of it, Crown Prince Rudolf had long been suffering from a syphilis diagnosis. He had even passed it onto his wife Princess Stephanie, rendering her infertile. Some historians suggest Rudolf’s guilt over this was partly what pushed him to take his own life, and to take Mary down with him.
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