Emperor Franz Joseph

 is a character on The Empress. He is portrayed by Philip Froissant.

Biography
Franz is the Emperor of Austria.

Throughout The Empress
Franz and his mother, Archduchess Sophie, oversaw the execution of 3 revolutionists. Sophie insisted that Franz show his face, and not save any of the men. Franz is visibly upset during the execution and deliberately hurt his hand with a cross. During a meal, he disagreed with his mother over the execution of revolutionists. Theo came in the room, bringing a taxidermy bear from the tsar of Russia, and a letter inviting Austria to join Russia's war against the Ottoman Empire. Sophie believed that it was the right time to join the war, but Franz did not want to enter a war.

Archduchess Sophie arranged for Franz to marry Duchess Helene, as it would legitimise the Austrian Empire's claim over Bavaria.

Helene, her mother Princess Ludovika, and her sister Elisabeth travelled to Bad Ischl to meet Franz on his birthday.

Franz and Elisabeth first met while she was saving a little bird in the garden. The two found a liking towards each other. When the two families officially met to have lunch, Franz sat with Duchess Helene, his bride-to-be, and their mothers, while Elisabeth sat with Archduke Maximillian, Franz's mischevious younger brother and the Italian baroness Maximillian was seeing. When Maximillian made unnecessary comments, Elisabeth was quick to rebut him, which intrigued Maximillian and he later tried to pursue her. During a walk in the garden, Helene gifted Franz a handkerchief for his birthday. Shortly after, he returned the handkerchief to Helene so that she could wipe the sweat off her face.

In the afternoon, when Franz was wandering around the building, he found Elisabeth lying on the floor to cool herself. He joined her and the two shared an intimate moment where Elisabeth told him about a strand of Puck's hair that she had pinned on her hair. However, the meeting ended coldly after Elisabeth asked about a scar on his neck.

At night, Franz called Elisabeth to his room to drink champagne with him. He told Elisabeth that she made him feel alive and that she reminded him of what he was like before he became emperor. Elisabeth was happy about Franz's feelings, but she initially denied his advances as he was supposed to marry her sister. Nevertheless, Franz convinced her that he wanted her and that he was done following other people's wishes.

Hence, in the morning, Emperor Franz announced that he would like to ask for Elisabeth's hand in marriage. This surprised everyone. Helene who was disappointed at the news ran away and Elisabeth chased after her. Helene even asked Elisabeth to refuse the proposal but Elisabeth told her that she had never felt this way before. This put a strain on the two sisters' relationship.

At a meeting, Franz heard news of wars in other countries. His mother, Sophie, wanted Franz to side with the Prussians and join their war against the Ottoman Empire. However, his brother, wanted Franz to side with the West. Franz decided that the Austria would not go to war, disappointing his family and his advisors.

During Elisabeth and Franz's dance lesson with Johann Strauss, they snuck off and kissed in a room. They were caught by Countess Esterházy.

Franz discovered Max's promiscuous ways and introduced Lieutenant Krall to him. Lieutenant Krall lost an arm while fighting for the empire. His daughters Agnes and Emilie were both impregnated by Max, who had no intention of marrying either of them. Agnes died in childbirth. Emilie attempted to kill herself by jumping off a barn, and has lived in a sanatorium since. Franz told Max off and ordered that he must follow rules.

At a party, Elisabeth met Archbishop Rauscher, the archbishop who presided over her chastity test. She had a disagreement with him over the test, so Sophie and Franz told Elisabeth to go rest for the evening.

During Maximilian's soirée, Franz met up with Stephenson outside and asked him to build a railway line. Franz wanted to connect the people of his empire. Stephenson said that the money wasn't enough to build a railway. Franz asked for a few more days to secure the funds. Stephenson reminded Franz that going to war would be costly, but Franz was certain that they would not fight in a war.

Franz stands at the altar with Elisabeth, where their marriage is officiated by the archbishop.

Later at a ball, Elisabeth and Franz watched people dance. A woman, Countess Louise Gundemann, kept staring at them. Elisabeth asked Franz if he knew her. He told her he didn't, but Elisabeth wasn't convinced.

News broke out that Russian troops had entered the Habsburg border, and Franz was immediately dragged into a meeting with his key advisors. Franz stayed loyal to his stance of not entering war. At the end of the meeting, he privately told his brother, Maximilian, off for inviting Countess Gundemann. Franz angrily told his brother that bringing him back to Vienna was a mistake, which hurt Maximilian's feelings. Unbeknownst to Franz, Maximilian later backstabbed his brother by telling the ambassador that Franz did not plan to enter the war because he wanted Habsburg to prosper after the French, British and the Russians tear each other apart.

Franz returned to the dance floor, and couldn't find Elisabeth, so he chatted with Helene. Elisabeth saw this and misinterpreted their friendly gestures. Sophie saw Elisabeth feeling uncomfortable and advised Elisabeth to trust carefully and pose her faith only in those whom her instincts tell her to. She told Elisabeth that she could wed Helene off to one of the fine men in Bohemia. Elisabeth agreed and proceeded to the first dance with Franz. Helene was heartbroken when the news was broken to her.

While Elisabeth and Franz danced inside, the riots outside grew more severe.

Esterházy demanded that Elisabeth wear a gown for consummation on the wedding night. When Elisabeth entered the bedroom to join Franz, he came clean about Louise. Elisabeth revealed that she was insecure about people perceiving her as being silly, so Franz comforted her. They both lay down on the floor, just as they did when they met in the palace before. They professed their love and commitment to each other.

The next morning, Elisabeth and Franz consummated their marriage.

After Maximilian's betrayal of Franz, Napoleon severed diplomatic relations with Austria. The royal council were concerned and Sophie implored Franz to reinforce their troops. Believing that the tsar of Russia's son, Alexander, had views on war more like himself, Franz decided to invite him over to Austria to wager peace. Sophie said that there was not enough time to organise a grand reception, so Elisabeth suggested a hunting trip instead, which Franz agreed to.

Franz and Elisabeth spent time together alone by a river. Elisabeth drew a picture of Franz standing in the river, and the two then made out.

Franz no longer trusted Maximilian, but his mother Sophie recommended that Franz gives him something to fill his time. During a fencing match, Franz offered Maxi the role of Chief Commander of the Imperial Navy. Maxi took offence as he knew that Austria was not strong in Navy, so he asked to be the Governor of Bohemia, or at least Tyrol, but Franz could not trust his brother with such an important role.

The hunting trip in Auhof went extremely well, with Franz managing to barter peace with the Russian tsar's son, Alexander. However, Maximilian, who was plotting to overtake Franz as emperor and informed the council of this, showed up to the hunting trip uninvited, much to Franz's annoyance. While alone with Alexander, Maximilian told him the same thing he told the French ambassador, that Franz wanted the Russians and the West to destroy each other so that he could take the Ottoman Empire by himself. When he heard this, Alexander became angry that Franz tried to fool him into peace.

Later in the afternoon, Elisabeth joined the hunt. She walked to the tsar's son, Alexander, who made inappropriate comments and got very close to her. Before he could do anything more, he spotted a wild boar and shot at it. Alexander missed and enraged the boar, who began charging at them. He shot at the boar again and missed, so Elisabeth took out her gun and shot the boar dead.

Alexander was offended by this and argued with Franz. He claimed that Franz's pledge for peace is too good to be true. When Franz demanded that Alexander removed his troops from the Austrian border, the two agreed to meet on the battlefield.

The hunt ended badly, and Sophie reminded Elisabeth that Elisabeth did not know what she was doing when it came to politics. Franz was infuriated and headed back to the palace without her. He asked Elisabeth returned the next morning with the Court Mistresses.

Elisabeth sat in a carriage, upset. She was joined by Maximilian, who consoled her, and accompanied her on the way back to Schönbrunn Palace. The two then drank and returned to the palace drunk. Franz met them at the gate and saw the two drunkenly getting out of the carriage. Franz was not comfortable with Elisabeth constantly running to with Maximilian, as he did not trust him. He told her to get to bed and walked away. After Franz left, Elisabeth realized that she was bleeding from under her dress, indicating that she was not pregnant.

Theo woke up Franz for an early departure. Austrian troops were repositioned to the border to get ready for Russia's attack. Franz made a speech, asking the solders to maintain peace in their realm, but not to hesitate to fight if the Russians were aggressive. Franz found it difficult to make the speech, especially when his army were the ones sacrificing themselves for the country.

Baron Alexander von Bach reported disturbing news to Franz, that Baron Georg von Sina cancelled the loan because Franz broke his promise by sending sizeable troops to the border. He angrily dismissed Bach.

All of these left Franz extremely frustrated and he recalled the time when a man tried to assassinate him.

As a last resort, Franz asked to meet his ex-lover, Countess Louise Gundemann, who was now engaged to Baron Georg von Sina. Franz asked her to help to convince the baron to assist with the loan. When Louise wanted Franz to beg, he did, and Louise asked that he repay her someday. She then kissed him, but they were interrupted by Theo bringing news of the incident at the foundry.

Elisabeth was carried into the room. Both Sophie and Esterházy blamed Elisabeth for the chaos as she did not follow instructions. Franz and Elisabeth argued in private. Franz told Elisabeth that she could not get so close to people, as it was reckless, but Elisabeth disagreed. She told Franz that the very reason the people hated them was because the royals treated them with contempt.

Since the incident at the iron foundry, Elisabeth felt unwanted and her relationship with the emperor became distant. She spent most of her nights partying with Maximilian and would turn up drunk for breakfast. In an effort to make the relationship better, Franz gifted Elisabeth a horse.

Sophie felt that Elisabeth was distracting Franz and gave her two choices: to return to Bavaria and let Franz remarry or to stay at the palace but face even stricter rules. Elisabeth wanted to discuss this with Franz, but he refused to see her.

Elisabeth felt dizzy on the way back and almost fell but Maximilian arrived to help her. Again, Maximilian told Elisabeth that she would be better off with him. In the heat of the moment, the two shared a kiss but Elisabeth pulled away. When Elisabeth returned to her room, Ava confirmed that Elisabeth was pregnant.

Maximilian later talked to Franz about a peaceful transfer of power. Maxi claimed that he had the support of the army, the church and most importantly, the empress. When Maximilian implied that he and Elisabeth had a physical connection, Franz punched Maximilian and asked him to get out or he would have him hanged.

Later, when Elisabeth went to tell Franz about her pregnancy, he was upset by what Maxi had told him. He relaexed after Elisabeth reassured Franz that she only loved him, buthe agreed with Sophie that Elisabeth couldn't continue behaving the way she did. Elisabeth said if he wanted someone to follow rules, he should've married Helene, and Franz replied that maybe he should have. This hurt Elisabeth and so she decided to leave the palace for Bavaria. She did tell Franz about the pregnancy.

As Elisabeth got ready to leave the palace, Theo implored Franz to rethink about his decision to let the empress go. He gave Franz Puck's hair that Elisabeth gifted him and Franz had a change of heart. When Franz was at the door, he saw that Elisabeth was at the gate, but the police officers wouldn't let Elisabeth go due to the protestors outside the palace gates.

Nevertheless, Elisabeth demanded that they open the gates. She talked to the people and embraced them. She told them of her pregnancy. This news reached Sophie who was watching by the window. She claimed that it was great news.

Physical appearance
Franz has short curly brown hair.

Appearances

 * Season One


 * One's Place in the World
 * The Arrival
 * The Wedding
 * The Hunt
 * The Shoes
 * The God Who Us Has Freedom Sent

Quotes
"Cold winter, bad harvest. People are hungry and ill. That leads to riots and hatred. We cannot hang everyone who is discontent."

- Franz disagrees with his mother

"You reminded me of something today. You reminded me of how I was before becoming Emperor."

- Franz talking to Elisabeth

"I want you. Everyone's always told me what to do my whole life. I can't do that anymore. For months, I've felt dead, and... but with you, I suddenly want to celebrate my birthday."

- Franz talking to Elisabeth

"You tell the truth when no one else will and you don't see things like the others. I need someone like you."

- Franz talking to Elisabeth

"You cannot get so close to the people. It's reckless."

- Franz argues with Elisabeth

"You have no idea what I'm trying to do to get things to change around here! And your bleeding heart is of no help at all."

- Franz argues with Elisabeth

Trivia

 * When he was young, he knocked his brother's tooth out and secretly kept it.
 * According to his younger brother Archduke Ludwig-Viktor, Franz wrote 44 letters to Elisabeth after their engagement.
 * In the episode, The Wedding, it is implied that Prince Vasa, from Archduchess Sophie's former affair, is the biological father of Franz.
 * Franz has a scar on his neck from an assassination attempt. The man who stabbed him was hanged.