danataiko historia

Mistresses: Maria “Mizzi” Kaspar

Not much is known about Maria’s early life before she met Crown Prince Rudolf. She was born in Graz and it is assumed that she was an actress and a prostitute. Her affair with Rudolf must have begun before 1887 when he bought her a three-story house in Vienna for 60,000 Guilder. By some, she is described as his first (and only true) love.

Although he would have many mistresses throughout his life, he always stayed in contact with Mizzi. He even spent his last night before the murder-suicide with Baroness Maria “Mary” of Vetsera with Mizzi. It was actually Mizzi who he had wanted as his suicide partner but she declined and reported his intention of suicide to the police. They unfortunately ignored her warning and concern.

After the tragic Mayerling incident, Mizzi inherited 30,000 Guilder from Rudolf. She never gave an interview after his death and began a secluded life. A year after Rudolf’s death she sold the house he had bought her.

Maria died on January 29th, 1907, at the age of 42 in Vienna. Hardening of the medulla, an aftereffect of syphilis, was given as the cause of death. She was buried in Mödling. Her grave does not exist anymore. She left no personal records like diaries, memoirs or letters.

Known as the EID MAR, is a coin minted between 43 and 42 BC to celebrate the assassination of Julius Caesar. On the reverse are the symbols: Phrygian/Liberty Cap (Latin: pileus, symbol of the Dioscuri, the liberators of Rome), two daggers, and EID MAR (short for Eidibus Martiis – on the Ides of March)

Cassius Dio (History of Rome XLVII 25.3.) mentions this coin: "Brutus had on the coins his own image and a cap and the two daggers and with the inscription that he and Cassius had liberated the fatherland".

"An augur had warned Caesar of the danger that threatened him on the Ides of March. And that day when Caesar found the augur , ,laughingly said : « The Ides of March have already arrived »'; to which the augur compassionately replied: « Yes, but they are not over yet. » (Plutarch).

Current New Yorker magazine, celebrating the 2024 Paris Olympics with a Jacques Tati cover.

Mari Carmen Torre, Edurne Zabala, Mirenlur Erkoreka.