Maximilian of Mexico - The Dream of Empire

Since childhood, Archduke Maximilian, brother of Emperor Franz Joseph I., has wished for nothing more than to emerge from his sibling's shadow. His dream finally comes true when he becomes Emperor of Mexico. However, the dream unexpectedly and rapidly becomes a nightmare: Maximilian believes he is welcome in Mexico, but the opposite is true. He is finally captured by his adversary, Benito Juarez, and sentenced to death. Maximilian's dreams of becoming a glorious ruler die with him, cut down by a firing squad. To mark the 150th anniversary of Maximilian's ascent to the throne in 1874, this docudrama examines the fate of the contradictory and complex Habsburg prince, and investigates the circumstances that led to his tragic failure.