Studio portraits of Countess Marie Louise von Larisch-Wallersee (1858–1940), niece of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, with Archduchess Marie Valerie (1868–1924), daughter of Empress Elisabeth. Photographed by K. Koller in Budapest, ca. 1880.
Countess Marie Louise Larisch von Moennich (also known as Countess Marie Louise Larisch-Wallersee and Countess Marie Larisch) (February 24, 1858 – July 4, 1940) was a niece and lady-in-waiting of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. She was implicated in the Mayerling Incident which resulted in the death of her married cousin Crown Prince Rudolf and his mistress Baroness Mary Vetsera, who was also her friend. She published several books with a ghostwriter about the Imperial household.
Marie received financial support from her cousin Crown Prince Rudolf. On January 30, 1889, Rudolf shot his 17-year-old mistress Baroness Mary Vetsera and committed suicide, a scandal known as the Mayerling Incident. It was subsequently revealed that Marie Larisch had acted as go-between for Rudolf and Mary Vetsera. She also used the situation to extort money from Rudolf through Mary. After the incident, she became distanced from Empress Elisabeth and the nobility, and moved to Bavaria.
Archduchess Marie Valerie Mathilde Amalie of Austria (April 22, 1868 – September 6, 1924) was the youngest child of Emperor Franz Joseph I and Empress Elisabeth of Austria. She was usually called Valerie.
On July 31, 1890, she married Archduke Franz Salvator of Austria; the marriage caused a rift between her and her siblings as their marriages had to be dynastic, while Marie Valerie’s was, as Empress Elisabeth allowed, for love and desire.
Crown Prince Rudolf, her married cousin, and his mistress, Baroness Mary Vetsera, both perished in the Mayerling Incident, in which she was also an accused party.
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