The birth of the eldest son made many people breathe a sigh of relief. The entire Vienna Court was filled with laughter and joy, speaking of the delight brought by the newborn.
European naming conventions were so casual that they were astonishing. As far as Franz knew, there were even families where a single name had been used continuously for more than ten generations, from grandfather to grandson.
He truly had no idea how they got along in everyday life. It was manageable enough when father and son shared a name—they could be distinguished as the elder and the younger—but if five generations lived under one roof, wouldn't those forms of address drive people straight to collapse?
Considering such terrifying consequences, Franz decided it was better to be cautious. He first ruled out unlucky names; the names of two unfortunate fellows from history, one who had committed suicide and one who had been murdered, were the first to be eliminated.
At the family meeting, Franz asked, "Do you think the little fellow should be called Caesar, Peter, Friedrich, or Leopold? Of course, you may suggest other names as well."
Empress Dowager Sophie was the first to speak. "I think Rudolf would be better. It would spare us too many duplicate names among the nobility."
Franz finally understood where the historical name Rudolf had come from. So it had been decided by her.
But things were different now. Faced with the precocious Franz, Empress Dowager Sophie's influence had greatly weakened.
When it came to the right to name the child, he himself had more say. The reason he had brought it up for discussion now was that Franz himself was confused, uncertain what his eldest son ought to be called.
Archduke Charles suggested, "I think Charles would be best. I'll be