The Last Emperor of Mexico

Mexico, 19th June 1867. Dressed in black and carrying a crucifix, a tall blonde bearded man steps out of his carriage. As he turns to face the firing squad, his last words ring out under the cloudless sky: 'Long live Mexico, long live independence.' The execution of Ferdinand Maximilian is the climax of one of the most extraordinary stories in history. This young Austrian archduke was born into Europe's most illustrious royal family, second in line to the Habsburg throne. Why did he die as th ...