Bridgerton fans are in for a treat as Netflix releases another steamy period drama, but how much of The Empress is factually accurate?
The six-part series follows the unlikely relationship between the young Bavarian Duchess Elisabeth von Wittelsbach and the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph.
Much like other period dramas, The Empress mixes historical background with fiction to portray a compelling love story to captivate viewers.
So, how accurate was the plot and who was the real Empress of Austria? Here is everything you need to know about Netflix's latest historical drama.
Who was the real Elisabeth von Wittelsbach?
Elisabeth, also known as Sisi, was born into the house of Wittelsbach in 1837, a notoriously eccentric German royal family that ruled the region of Bavaria.
The Duchess married Emperor Franz of Austria in 1854 at the age of 16 to become Empress consort of Austria and Queen of Hungary.
The couple had four children together, and Elisabeth became famous throughout Europe for her exceptional beauty.
She was assassinated in 1898 during a trip to Geneva in Switzerland, and died at age 60.
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How did Elisabeth von Wittelsbach and Franz Joseph meet?
While Elisabeth and Franz’s fairy-tale encounter was romanticised in The Empress, a lot of the facts were accurate.
It is unclear whether the pair first laid eyes on each other in the woods, as featured in the Netflix series, but they did meet when the Duchess travelled from Munich to Austria with her mother and older sister, Helene, who the Emperor, then 23, was expected to marry.
But after meeting Elisabeth, he fell intensely in love with her, telling his mother that if he could not marry Elisabeth, then he would not marry at all.
The pair got engaged after five days and they were married eight months later.
Even smaller details about the family only having funeral clothes to wear to the wedding because their suitcase didn’t arrive was also featured in the series.
Unfortunately for Elizabeth, she wasn’t as besotted with Franz and one historical account that was missed out was her reaction to the proposal, where she supposedly said: "Oh, if only he were a tailor." before adding, "One doesn’t turn down an emperor."
Was Elisabeth really into poetry?
Elisabeth is portrayed as a prolific poet in The Empress, which she used to express her innermost thoughts and feelings.
This is historically accurate and one of the most prominent parts of her work is a central repeating motif of the show.
But one fact the series didn’t delve into was how Elisabeth had a poetry alter ego, and she would often sign off her work as ‘Titania’ - the Queen of fairies in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Elisabeth’s relationship with with the public
Elisabeth is shown as being extremely popular and loved by the people, which sticks closely to what we know of her real life.
She was also highly admired for her youthful beauty and thin physique, and became famous as a fashion icon and a trendsetter.
After her death in 1898, she continued to inspire many, from operas to literature and ballet.
The Empress is streaming now on Netflix
