Marie Antoinette's Tragic End: Death Of A Queen

Maria Theresa of Austria was an Austrian archduchess and Holy Roman Empress of the Habsburg Dynasty from 1740 to 1780. She was also the mother of Marie Antoinette. She died on 29 November 1780, at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. This introduction will explore the circumstances of her death.

Maria Theresa's death on 29 November 1780

Maria Theresa, the Austrian archduchess and Holy Roman Empress of the Habsburg Dynasty, died on 29 November 1780 at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. She was the only woman to hold the position suo jure (in her own right).

Maria Theresa was born on 13 May 1717 in Vienna. She was the daughter of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, who died on 20 October 1740, probably of mushroom poisoning. Charles VI spent his entire reign securing the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, which paved the way for Maria Theresa's accession.

Maria Theresa started her 40-year reign when her father died. She was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy and the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Transylvania, Slavonia, Mantua, Milan, Moravia, Galicia and Lodomeria, Dalmatia, the Austrian Netherlands, Carinthia, Carniola, Gorizia and Gradisca, Lusatia, Styria and Parma. By marriage, she was Duchess of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, and Holy Roman Empress.

Maria Theresa led Austria through the War of the Austrian Succession and two other wars, preserving the bulk of Habsburg territory in the face of a series of militarily superior opponents. She is interred next to her husband in an ornate double sarcophagus beneath Vienna’s Capuchin monastery. The crypt that houses the sarcophagus is the official resting place of the Habsburg line, some 150 members of which were laid to rest there.

With her death, her son Joseph II assumed full responsibility as Holy Roman Emperor.

Her 40-year reign as Holy Roman Empress

Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina) was the Holy Roman Empress of the Habsburg Dynasty from 1740 to 1780. She was the only woman to hold the position suo jure (in her own right).

Maria Theresa's 40-year reign began when her father, Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, died on 20 October 1740. Charles VI spent his entire reign securing her accession with the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 and through international diplomacy. However, he left Austria in a state of impoverishment, bankrupted by the Turkish war and the War of the Polish Succession. The treasury contained only 100,000 florins, and the army had been reduced and scattered across the Austrian Netherlands, Transylvania, Silesia and Tuscany.

Within months of Charles VI's death, Frederick II of Prussia invaded Silesia, a Habsburg province, beginning the War of the Austrian Succession. Maria Theresa led Austria through this and two other wars, preserving the bulk of Habsburg territory in the face of militarily superior opponents.

Maria Theresa defined herself as the "benevolent mother of her people", choosing a policy of closeness to the people, which represented a break from traditional power. She appealed to the chivalry of the day by strolling freely around Vienna with her children and making it known that she would receive anyone who sought an audience.

Her husband, Holy Roman Emperor Francis I

Maria Theresa's husband, Holy Roman Emperor Francis I, reigned from 1745 to 1665. He was the father of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, who succeeded him.

Francis I was married to Maria Theresa, who was the archduchess of Austria and queen of Hungary and Bohemia. She was also Duchess of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, and Holy Roman Empress. Maria Theresa was the only woman to hold the position suo jure (in her own right).

Maria Theresa led Austria through the War of the Austrian Succession and two other wars, preserving the bulk of Habsburg territory in the face of a series of militarily superior opponents. She was interred next to her husband in an ornate double sarcophagus beneath Vienna's Capuchin monastery. The crypt that houses the sarcophagus is the official resting place of the Habsburg line, with some 150 members of the family laid to rest there.

Her son, Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II

Maria Theresa died on 29 November 1780, at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. She was the mother of Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II, who assumed full responsibility as Holy Roman Emperor after her death.

Joseph II was the son of Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I. He was born in 1741 and became Holy Roman Emperor in 1765, reigning until 1790. During his reign, Joseph II implemented a number of reforms, including the abolition of serfdom and the establishment of religious tolerance. He was also a strong supporter of the Enlightenment and sought to modernise the Austrian Empire.

Joseph II's reign was marked by a number of challenges, including the ongoing War of the Austrian Succession and the rise of Prussia as a military power. He also had to contend with the growing influence of the Russian Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Despite these challenges, Joseph II was able to preserve the bulk of Habsburg territory and maintain Austria's position as a major European power.

Joseph II's policies were not without controversy, however. He was criticised for his centralisation of power and his attempts to impose German language and culture on the non-German-speaking territories of the Austrian Empire. He was also accused of being overly autocratic and of ignoring the traditional privileges of the nobility and the church.

Despite these criticisms, Joseph II is generally regarded as a capable and enlightened ruler who did much to strengthen and modernise the Austrian Empire. He was also a devoted son who sought to continue the legacy of his mother, Maria Theresa.

Her father, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, who died of mushroom poisoning

Maria Theresa of Austria, born Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina, died on 29 November 1780 at Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria. She was the archduchess of Austria and queen of Hungary and Bohemia. She was also the Holy Roman Empress of the Habsburg Dynasty from 1740 until her death in 1780.

Her father, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, died on 20 October 1740, probably of mushroom poisoning. Charles VI spent his entire reign securing the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, which paved the way for his daughter's accession. However, his efforts to secure international support for his daughter's rule left Austria in a state of impoverishment. The treasury was depleted, and the army had been reduced in size and scattered across the Austrian Netherlands, Transylvania, Silesia, and Tuscany.

Prince Eugene of Savoy had urged Charles VI to focus on filling the treasury and equipping the army rather than on acquiring signatures of fellow monarchs. Unfortunately, the Emperor's inattention to these matters left Austria in a vulnerable state. Within months of his death, Frederick II of Prussia invaded Silesia, a Habsburg province, beginning the War of the Austrian Succession.

Despite the challenges she faced due to her father's policies, Maria Theresa successfully led Austria through the War of the Austrian Succession and two other wars, preserving most of the Habsburg territory. She is known for her policy of closeness to the people, which represented a break from traditional power. She appealed to the chivalry of the day by strolling freely around Vienna with her children and receiving anyone who sought an audience with her.

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