The Empress season two ending explained: What will happen to Franz after going to war?

The Empress season two had the most dramatic ending which saw Emperor Franz Joseph I go off to fight in the war. Season two, which is based off of the life story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria is set a few years after season one took place. Season one of The Empress was all about Elisabeth and Franz’s marriage and the challenges at the Viennese Court, but season two took us in a different direction which focused on her motherhood journey and the rivalry between Austria and the Italian-speaking territories. The scariest part is it’s all based on true stories. It’s all a bit confusing, so here’s The Empress season two ending explained if you couldn’t quite keep up with the show or your history class.

The ending of season two explained

The Empress season two finale had Elisabeth nearly dying in childbirth after being under so much pressure to produce an heir. When she decided she didn’t want to be pregnant again, Franz was not having any of it because he needed his heir to succeed him. He also really struggled with the loss of his daughter, and in combination with failing to resolve the conflict in the Lombardy-Venetia territory, it wasn’t a good time for anyone. There’s a war on the horizon!

Why did Franz go with his army to the battlefield?

via Netflix

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So, why did Franz go with his army to the battlefield to fight? Well, deep down he knew it was his duty to be with his soldiers helping them fight. After months of rebelling against his rule, he had no choice but to declare war on the Kingdom of Piedmont to stop the violence and killing of his citizens. The Empress season two had been building that bombshell up from the very first episode, but Franz heading down there himself was a huge shock. It was one of those moments where moral character really comes into play. And, when he declared that war, he had no idea Napoleon III was the reason why they were so confident in challenging him.

It’s obvious Franz would have preferred a quiet life as just a husband and father, and that’s what makes him so empathetic – the same emotion that put him in his soldiers’ shoes and made him go down to the war front.

Why did Napoleon want to declare war on Austria in the first place?

Napoleon III actually played a huge role in the Second Italian War of Independence Earlier in the series, Maximilian went to France to ask for Napoleon’s help in shutting down the unrest in the Italian-speaking territories. Napoleon, who had his own schemes, couldn’t agree to work with the Austrians but did say he would think about it. Austria was the biggest kingdom in the region at the time, and Napoleon wanted to defeat the Austrians so they could lose some of their territories so that France could take the top spot.

What happened to Maximilian?

via Netflix

Maximilian was not pleased with how Franz handled the Austrian and Kingdom of Piedmont conflict. After causing chaos in season one, Franz gave Max his blessing to get married to Marie, Princess of Belgium, in hopes it would improve the relationship between Austria and Lombardy. Maximilian did everything right, but everything that he’d done to win the citizens of Lombardy over was ruined when Franz granted General Gyulai complete power.

After losing his funding and paying the consequences, Max travelled to Austria to talk to his brother but he was too late as they were already about to go to war. For Franz to show the Lombardians that the Austrian royalty knew they had failed them, he took away Max’s title as the Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia. Max wanted to make up with Franz but realized he would never trust him with a position in his government again, so he and Marie left the palace for good.

What Happened To Countess Apafi?

Alexander didn’t get why Leontine couldn’t marry him, especially because he knew she loved him. So, he took it upon himself to invite the real Countess Apafi’s father in order to ask for his blessing. Alexander was shocked when her father showed him a picture of his daughter, which revealed Leontine was an impostor. When he found out who she really was, Alexander sent Leontine away, and she left the castle in the dead of night without telling anyone. The scandal!!

What will happen in The Empress season three?

via Netflix

Several storylines were set up for season three, such as Archduchess Sophie’s youngest son and the baron he likes, Franz at the front lines, Leontine’s fate and whether they succeed or fail in uniting Austria. It’s all too much for me to wait for!

The Empress season two is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news, drops, quizzes and memes like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.