During the critical moments of the Anglo-Austrian negotiations, Princess Sophie, his mother, brought him news that captured all of Franz's attention.
His uncle, Emperor Ferdinand I, was going to abdicate early and wanted him to be ready to ascend the throne prematurely.
By all that is sacred, Franz could swear in the name of God, that he had no hand in this. As the legitimate heir to Austria, he was not in such a hurry to pressure his uncle to abdicate.
The decision was not actually made by Ferdinand I himself but by the collective agreement of the Habsburg Family.
Despite Austria's conservative reputation, over the years, the public's tolerance for the mentally challenged Emperor had reached its limit, and the Vienna rebellion had elements of this frustration.
For the Habsburg Family, this was a disaster. The monarch's dignity was swept away, and jokes were frequent. If this continued, it would undermine the status of the Royal family.
