Francis Joseph assassinated in 1853

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz_Joseph_I_of_Austria#Assassination_attempt_in_1853

On 18 February, 1853, the Emperor survived an assassination attempt by Hungarian nationalist János Libényi. The emperor was taking a stroll with one of his officers, Maximilian Karl Lamoral Graf O'Donnell von Tyrconnell, on a city-bastion, when Libényi approached him. He immediately struck the emperor from behind with a knife straight at the neck. Franz Joseph almost always wore a uniform, which had a high collar that almost completely enclosed the neck. It so happened that the collar of his uniform was made out of very sturdy material. Even though the Emperor was wounded and bleeding, the collar saved his life.
WI the attempt had been successful?

Edit: Crap, not again. I'll tell Ian to move it.
 
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This would mean that he'd have been immediately succeeded by his next elder brother Archduke Maximillian who would NOT have become Emperor of Mexico and possibly not married Princess Charlotte of Belgium. Of course, this also meant Maximillian likely would have lived longer and possibly started a family of his own with a wife who was fertile (since Maximillian supposedly sired a few nonmarital offspring- and Charlotte likely was infertile though there's the possibility that the WWI General Weygand may have been hers). Also, there would have been no beautiful Votive Church built by Maximillian to give thanks for his brother's life being spared on the site of the deed. Since it was built similiar to a medieval cathedral, it took so long to complete that by the time it was finished it became also became a memorial to Maxillian himself. Since Maximillian's downfall was largely spending large amounts of funds on building projects that may have been better spent on military needs, the Austro-Prussian War may have proven even more disastrous to Austria.
Also, Elisabeth ('Sisi') would have likely married someone else and not have been so constantly tormented by Imperial Protocol. However; this in itself may not have guaranteed her happiness- inasmuch as few royal husbands of that era would have been as willing to fund her constant travels and elaborate projects to flee herself as Francis Joseph was- and fewer still would have hesitated in publically branding her as an adultress out of unrequitted love for her.
For all the national disasters and personal tragedies Francis Joseph would have to endure throughout his long reign, it's probably better for Austria he lived to stay emperor than not.
 
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