Kelly Faircloth's saved articles

I always enjoy a good article on history, and the 19th century royals are indeed a fascinating bunch. I also think Austria-Hungary tends to get overlooked (perhaps it's not "Western" enough?), so I quite like this on a few different levels!

The musical alone could warrant its own piece, since it's been adapted so many times! (Including by the all-female Takarazuka troupe of Japan.) Sisi's legacy tends to be a bit glossed over from the "Sissi" movies and such, but the musical is a refreshingly dark take on her life, allegedly inspired by Brigitte… Read more

I learned to cook apfelstrudel in the kitchen of Schonbrunn Palace, her summer residence. Read more

Hi Kelly! I just wanted to say that I thought this piece was wonderful :) The "fluffification" of Sisi's history is just as damaging as history casting aspersions on "evil" or "wanton" women like Catherine de'Medici, Anne Boleyn, or even Mary Magdalene. The truth (or at least what we can discover of it) is always so… Read more

It was around this time that Franz Joseph's younger brother Maximilian was killed, the culmination of his fucking fool attempt to become emperor of Mexico at the urging of Napoleon II. Read more

Sisi is one of my favorite historical ladies, thanks for this piece! I highly recommend The Reluctant Empress; it's an exhaustive read that covers every thinkable detail of her fascinating and troubled life.

I love articles like this! Thanks, Kelly.

One aside on "Mad King Ludwig": I went to Austria with my folks when I was a kid, on one of those bus tour thingies. Our guide was English, and he was very condescending about Ludwig, his mania for Wagner, his weakness, and what I now realize are sly hints about his… Read more

If I'm not mistaken, this is the same princess mentioned in a 20 yr old Sierra game called Gabriel Knight II; much of it revolves around a partially fictionalized Ludwig II, and some of the clues to the overarching mystery are found in letters between him and Elisabeth. Read more

Oh man, do I LOVE when Jez tackles ladies in history. Thank you for this Kelly!!!

Proving once again that Marie Antoinette is the better of the two glamourous Austrian royals. She actually fulfilled all her duties as queen. Sat in the council and played a part in her husband's government after his mental breakdown and was generally a great queen. She was doomed by the mistakes of her grandfather in… Read more

I just have to say that picture #2 is from Cafe Central in Vienna, a very civilized place for ein tasse cafe und apfel strudel. ***sigh*** Read more

Kelly, you kill the historical pieces, this was fascinating. Sources suggest Marie Antoinette had a similarly lonely experience, though it's unclear if she also wrote desperate poetry. Reading this gives me all the more respect for Kate Middleton, and makes me want to jail break Princess Charlene from Monaco.… Read more

My first introduction to Sisi was through the "Royal Diaries" on her. Stuff You Missed in History Class also has a pretty good episode devoted to her. Read more

My avatar approves of this article. *Goes back to read it completely* Read more

Dear America: Read more

"Heck, they're not even sure where they are on a lot of issues." Read more

You misspelled sects, as in religious. Read more

Well now that I know that he's aware of the birds and the bees I am DEF voting for him. Read more