The Empress's season 2 finale shows Emperor Franz Joseph leaving Vienna to fight Napoleon III, his real-life story provides insight into the events.
Warning: Contains potential SPOILERS for The EmpressNetflix's series The Empress is a gripping historical drama surrounding the true story of Empress Elisabeth of Austria and her relationship and life with Emperor Franz Joseph. The Empress, which has received positive reviews for its first and second seasons, deals with the politics and troubles of mid-1800s Austria.While season 1 focused more on the relationship dynamics between Elisabeth and Franz as she adjusted to life in Vienna, season 2 gets more into the political problems brewing in Europe, especially in the Italian states and with Napoleon III. The ending of The Empress season 2 shows Franz Joseph going to the frontlines to fight against Napoleon III, leaving his fate in The Empress season 3 unclear.The season finale of The Empress shows Franz going to war with Napoleon III, and he decides to go to the frontlines to show that he is with his troops and to boost morale. While Elisabeth is devastated by this decision, she ultimately understands his choice, though she is worried about his survival. In real life, Franz Joseph really did go into battle against Napoleon III during the Second Italian War of Independence.Franz Joseph fought against Napoleon III and his armies, but Austria lost the war. In particular, Franz Joseph commanded and lost the Battle of Solferino which essentially brought an end to the war. The Second Italian War of Independence was important in the unification of Italy as it resulted in Austria giving up Lombardy to Sardinia, a fear that was growing throughout The Empress season 2.