Road to Mayerling Life and Death of Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria

The body of Crown Prince Rudolph, son of the Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph and "The Lonely Empress", Elisabeth of Austria, was discovered on January 30, 1889 in the royal hunting lodge at Mayerling next to that of the beautiful young Baroness Mary Vetsera.The death of Rudolph - officially claimed to be the result of a heart attack, followed by accusations of poisoning and later confirmation that it was a murder/suicide pact with his young mistress - is the stuff of myth. The extraordinary scene when, accompanied by her two uncles, Mary Vetsera's fully clothed and veiled body - with a broomstick attached to her back to keep her upright - was secretly removed by coach from Mayerling to avoid detection, being part of the Court's elaborate plan to deny her existence. The life of Rudolph, the only son and last hope of the Habsburgs, was no less colourful and controversial than his death. Richard Barkeley's superbly factual account reads like a fast paced thriller.Phoenix PressNON-FICTION/HISTORYUK 9.99USA $14.95CAN $22.95ISBN 1 84212 673 3Barkeley, Richard is the author of 'Road to Mayerling Life and Death of Crown Prince Rudolph of Austria' with ISBN 9781842126738 and ISBN 1842126733.