Archduchess Sophie

 is a character on The Empress. She is portrayed by Melika Foroutan.

Biography
Sophie is the mother of Emperor Franz Joseph and Archduke Maximilian.

Sophie had a daughter named Anna. She had seizures, and was diagnosed with a rare nerve disease. Doctors attempted to treat Anna by drawing blood from her arm and putting leeches on her head. Anna screamed in pain, and Sophie could not take it, so she sent the doctors away. Anna died 4 days later. As a result, Sophie learned to be strong and that compassion is not always the right choice.

Throughout The Empress
Sophie and her son, Emperor Franz Joseph, 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 dinner, Franz disagreed with his mother over the execution of revolutionists. He and his mother received a taxidermy bear from the tsar of Russia, as an invitation for Austria to join Russia's war against the Ottoman Empire.

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 Emperor Franz Joseph on his birthday. While Helene's family were at Bad Ischl, Franz met Helene's younger sister, Elisabeth, and fell in love with her. She reminded of what he was like before he became Emperor. He proclaimed his intention to marry Elisabeth, to the surprise of everyone.

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

At a party, Elisabeth met 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.

Appearances

 * Season One


 * One's Place in the World
 * The Arrival
 * The Wedding

Quotes
"They must see your face. There are moments when a ruler shows strength."

- Sophie talks to Franz

"There are things even we can't change. The people's rage. It is like an illness. An ulcer. And ulcers must be cauterised."

- Sophie justifying the execution of revolutionists

"If something won't bend, it must be broken."

- Sophie telling Margarete she is not concerned

"There is no such thing as surprises, just poor planning."

- Sophie talking to a servant

Trivia

 * Sophie is not afraid to her use power to have the people she dislikes hanged.
 * In The Arrival, when Prince von Vasa made a comment about not discarding old things as hastily as her, Sophie told him that the last person who spoke to her like that was hanged.
 * In The Wedding, she told interior minister, Alexander von Bach, that if the empire crumbled, she would hang him first.