Rudolf's Reform: Austria's Lost Liberal Moment

Crown Prince Rudolf is remembered for the Mayerling tragedy, but in the 1870s and 1880s he was a restless liberal reformer, privately mocking the aristocracy and pushing for constitutional change. This episode explores Rudolf's political writings, his secret collaboration with liberal journalists, his friendship with the Jewish writer Moritz Szeps, and his failed attempt to influence Franz Joseph's policies. We examine the 'Rudolfian' vision of a federalized Austria, his bitter opposition to the 1879 Iron Ring, and the police surveillance that tracked his every move. How close did the Habsburg heir come to reshaping the empire? And did his frustration lead directly to Mayerling? #CrownPrinceRudolf #Mayerling #AustroHungarianEmpire #Habsburgs #LiberalReform #MoritzSzeps #FranzJoseph #IronRing #NeueFreiePresse #Vienna #19thCentury #ConstitutionalStruggle #Federalism #Ballhausplatz #MaximilianGemmill #RudolfianReforms #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo