Maria Sophia: Secrets and Feats of the Heir to the Bavarian House

This fascinating narrative, which starts with the history of a particular family, full of secrets and mysteries of the past, gradually transforms into a serious authorial research on the history of Europe in the second half of the 19th century. The fate of the heroic Maria Sophia, sister of Empress Elisabeth of Bavaria, is told by the author against the background of the most important historical events of that time. Maria Sophia is the most romantic of the sisters of the legendary Sisi. Contemporaries called her the Joan of Arc of the 19th century, an era of wars and revolutions, when the map of present-day Europe was just being drawn and shaped, when new states were being born and thrones of old monarchies were collapsing. This book is about the fragility and inflexibility of the human soul, when states crumble to dust and entire dynasties disappear under the weight of history, while love and a sense of self-worth remain the only support in life. Lorraine Kaltenbach is the author of several popular books in French. After a thorough analysis of family archives and three years of traveling through France, Germany, and Italy, she resurrects the secret love of the last queen of the Two Sicilies, Maria Sophia of Bavaria. For whom this book is: • For lovers of historical prose • For those who enjoy tales about strong-willed people who left their indelible mark on world history. Features of the publication: The book is in a convenient format, with a stylish, hardcover suitable for reading at home and on the go.