Death of Emperor Joseph I.

Source: aeiou Emperor Franz Joseph I

On 21 November 1916, Emperor Franz Joseph I dies at Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. Since 1848 – over 66 years – he guided the Danube monarchy’s fortunes. His grand nephew Karl is crowned as his successor. Karl I intends to pursue policies more independent of the German Reich and sets his sights on concluding a separate peace with France. Negotiations with Paris drag on until March 1918. They finally collapse because the Entente powers (Great Britain and France) insist on Austria’s cession of South Tyrol to Italy, which London had already pledged to Rome in a secret agreement.