The Geniuses in the House of Habsburg

Great historical figures – seen up close

It is a well known fact that the Habsburgs were a powerful ruling dynasty with grand political ambitions. But few people know that they were also extremely sophisticated and artistically talented, as Sigrid-Maria Größing shows in her absorbing, extremely erudite and revealing book. Aside from the business of government, political routine and ingenious marriage plans, several Habsburgers engaged in the »bellas artes« – not only as patrons of the arts and sciences, but also dabbling as composers and painters themselves. They held regular musical soirees and arranged for the staging of grandiose Baroque operas. What’s more, many members of this imperial family proved to be great reformers in the fields of education and science. Shedding fresh light on daily life at court, Größing once again opens up an exciting new chapter in Austrian history.


Sigrid-Maria Größing, PhD, has been a hugely successful author since 1990. She has published twenty books to date, which have been translated into eight languages. Previous publications at Amalthea include the bestsellers AEIOU: Joy and Sorrow in the Austrian Imperial Family, For the Crown and for Love,
Maximilian I, For Power and for Love, The Golden Apple and most recently, Tu Felix Austria.