Habsburg Jewel Find: The Treasure of the Last Empress Discovered!

Habsburg Jewel Find: The Treasure of the Last Empress Discovered!

The treasure of the last empress is on everyone's lips again. This exquisite find recently appeared in a Canadian bank safe. Karl Habsburg-Lothringen, grandson of the last Emperor Charles I, has announced that the family is having the matter reviewed. A report speeds things up: It states that it is private property and that the Republic of Austria has no claims whatsoever on it courier reported.

The history of the imperial assets is complex and dates back to the time of Charles I, who had the last display cases of the imperial treasury emptied on November 1, 1918. The Habsburgs saw themselves in a historical vortex of loss of power and uncertainty. A car with the engine running was already waiting for the family at Michaelerplatz to take them to Switzerland. On November 11th, Karl abdicated and went with his wife Zita to Eckartsau, which was privately owned by the Habsburgs. A circumstance that historian Oliver Rathkolb sheds light on: He reports on the ambiguities surrounding the claim that Zita always carried the jewels with her.

From imperial times to the present

Historian Stefan Karner makes it clear that in the final days of the First World War the Habsburgs saved everything they considered their own. However, Karner can rule out a misinterpretation that raises the accusation of intentional theft. He explains that Charles may have just wanted to regain the throne. Crises and power struggles of the Habsburgs are deeply anchored in history, which begins with Rudolf I as the first Habsburg king of the Holy Roman Empire and continues over the centuries until the replacement of the monarchy in 1918.

The rise of the House of Habsburg was difficult. Rudolf I had to overcome numerous hurdles to establish his dynasty. The family failed several times in its attempt to maintain the imperial crown, until finally Frederick III. from the Styrian line achieved the long-awaited success. From 1806 onwards, the Habsburg influence was finally completely characterized by hereditary lands that were intertwined with dynastic power politics, which was also reflected in the creation of the Austrian Empire, such as Habsburger.net illustrated.

Recently in focus again

The latest developments surrounding the treasure do not allow historians and experts to calm down. There are growing calls for a commission of experts to closely examine the case and Italy's claims to the Florentine diamond. Who would have thought that the visible treasures of the Habsburgs could still provide so much fuel even after all these years?

An exciting affair that shows that even past imperial families play a role in the present. Coming to terms with our heritage remains important, and with the current revelation of the treasure of the last empress, the history of the Habsburgs is once again in the spotlight.