Empress Who Championed Secret Peace Negotiations

Zita of Bourbon-Parma became Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary upon her husband Charles I's accession in 1916. During World War I, she served as a close political adviser to the Emperor, strongly supporting his efforts to secure a separate peace for Austria-Hungary. She played a central role in the secret 1917 Sixtus Affair, utilizing her family connections to negotiate with Allied powers. Following the empire's collapse in 1918, Zita joined her husband in exile and dedicated the rest of her life to raising their eight children and advocating for the Habsburg legacy.

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