Leslie Massey
Before the reign of Joseph II, Austria was ruled by his mother, Maria Theresa, who was responsible for the creation of governmental and familial institutions to protect her lands. She was a devout Roman Catholic and believed in firm state control of ecclesiastical matters outside of the strictly religious sphere. Maria Theresa's political aim was to bring together administratively diverse provinces and kingdoms that were otherwise separate, and which defended local privileges and immunities with tenacity and vigour. She also restricted religious holidays and prohibited the taking of ecclesiastic vows before the 24th birthday. Joseph, on the other hand, was a proponent of enlightened absolutism and sought to introduce administrative, legal, economic, and ecclesiastical reforms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 March 1741 |
| Date of death | 20 February 1790 |
| Place of birth | Vienna, Austria |
| Parents | Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Education | Writings of David Hume, Edward Gibbon, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, etc. |
| Marital status | Married Princess Isabella of Parma in 1760 |
| Became emperor | 1765 |
| Became sole ruler | 1780 |
| Notable policies | Secularizing, liberalizing, modernizing reforms; Edict of Toleration; monastic reforms; abolition of serfdom |
| Legacy | Ranked as one of the three great Enlightenment monarchs |
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What You'll Learn
The War of the Austrian Succession
Joseph II was born in the midst of the War of the Austrian Succession, a conflict fought between 1740 and 1748, primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. The war was sparked by the death of Emperor Charles VI in 1740, and the question of his successor to the Austrian Habsburg crown. The conflict was not only about who would succeed Charles VI but also provided an opportunity for other powers to challenge and diminish Habsburg power.
The war was fought between several European powers, with Prussia, France, Bavaria, Spain, Sweden, and Saxony on one side, and Austria, Britain, the United Provinces, and Russia on the other. The British, in particular, sought to prevent the French from overrunning the Austrian Netherlands and to protect their Hanoverian territory. The war was not confined to Europe, with related conflicts including King George's War in North America, the War of Jenkins' Ear, and the First and Second Carnatic Wars.
The war can be divided into three separate but connected conflicts. The first was the Silesian Wars between Prussia and Austria, which resulted in Prussia occupying the Austrian province of Silesia. The second conflict saw Austria and Sardinia successfully defend against Spanish attacks in Northern Italy. The third conflict was a wider global contest between Britain and France, with the French seizing the British East India Company's trading base of Madras, and the British capturing the French fortress of Louisbourg in Canada.
The war dragged on indecisively from 1746 to 1748, with the financial burden eventually pushing the powers to negotiate. The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, signed in October 1748, preserved most of the Austrian inheritance for Maria Theresa, but she deeply resented having to cede Silesia to Prussia, which undermined the Anglo-Austrian Alliance. The war demonstrated the vulnerability of Hanover, held in personal union with the British Crown, to Prussian attacks. The outcome of the war set the scene for the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in 1756, with Prussia now allied with Great Britain.
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The Austrian government was ruled by Joseph's mother, Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa (1717-1780) was the only woman to rule the Habsburg monarchy in her own right. She was 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, among others. She was also Duchess of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, and Holy Roman Empress by marriage.
Maria Theresa was the mother of Joseph II, who became Holy Roman Emperor in 1765 and sole ruler of the Habsburg monarchy in 1780. However, from 1765 until her death in 1780, Maria Theresa kept most of the authority as co-ruler with her son, despite frequent clashes between the two strong-willed rulers. Maria Theresa's father, Charles VI, had reformed the Salic Law, which had previously prevented female succession, to ensure that his eldest daughter could take the throne after him.
Maria Theresa's rule was marked by institutional, financial, medical, and educational reforms, as well as the promotion of commerce and the development of agriculture. She reorganized Austria's military, strengthening the country's international standing. She also paved the way for compulsory education in the 18th century. A devout Catholic, she despised Jews and Protestants, ordering their expulsion to remote parts of her realm on several occasions. She also attempted to exert greater state control over the church, restricting religious holidays and prohibiting clerics from taking ecclesiastic vows before the age of 24.
Maria Theresa's first major challenge as ruler came when other European powers, led by King Frederick II of Prussia, made territorial claims and invaded Silesia, an Austrian province. This conflict, known as the War of the Austrian Succession, lasted eight years and ended in 1748 with Austria forced to cede Silesia and three Italian territories to France. Despite this setback, Maria Theresa successfully defended her rule over most of the Habsburg monarchy.
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The Austrian government was co-ruled by Joseph and Maria Theresa
From 1765 to 1780, Joseph II served as Holy Roman Emperor and co-ruler of the Austrian Habsburg dominions with his mother, Maria Theresa. Maria Theresa was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780. She was the only woman to hold this position in her own right. Maria Theresa was the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles VI, and his wife, Elizabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.
Maria Theresa's husband, Francis Stephen of Lorraine, became co-regent when they married. He later became Holy Roman Emperor Francis I, and upon his death in 1765, Joseph became emperor and co-ruler with his mother. Maria Theresa, however, retained most of the authority, which often led to clashes between the strong-willed mother and son.
Maria Theresa's rule was marked by her attempts to preserve Habsburg territory and influence. She led Austria through multiple wars, including the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748), the Seven Years' War (1756-1763), and the War of the Bavarian Succession (1778-1779). She also formed an alliance with France and Russia, abandoning Austria's old alliance with England. Despite these wars, she became a champion of peace, even preventing another war with Prussia in 1779.
Maria Theresa and Joseph II, as co-rulers, instituted reforms that had a significant impact on Austria. Both were devout Roman Catholics but believed in firm state control of ecclesiastical matters outside the strictly religious sphere. Maria Theresa, for instance, restricted religious holidays and prohibited taking ecclesiastic vows before the age of 24. She also insisted that clerics be subject to state jurisdiction in non-ecclesiastical matters and that the church's land acquisition be controlled by the government.
Joseph II, influenced by Enlightenment ideas, continued to implement reforms as co-ruler. He is known for his Edict of Toleration (1781), which gave Lutherans, Calvinists, and Orthodox Christians near equality with Roman Catholics and granted Jews the right to enter various trades and study at universities. Joseph also abolished serfdom, allowing peasants greater freedom and improved status.
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Austria was a diverse nation with varying languages and customs
The diverse nature of Austria can be attributed to the historical context. Over time, different territories were acquired and incorporated into the Austrian Empire, resulting in a patchwork of lands with varying backgrounds. This diversity extended beyond language and customs, encompassing a range of legal systems and historical contexts unique to each region.
The Austrian Empire, ruled by Joseph II's mother, Maria Theresa, from 1740 to 1780, included a vast array of territories. Belgium, for instance, was part of the Habsburg holdings, as were various Italian provinces, and the Duchies of Austria itself. Additionally, the kingdom of Hungary, with its own distinct language and culture, was also under Austrian rule.
The kingdoms and provinces within the Austrian Empire were fiercely protective of their local privileges and immunities. This tenacity in defending their autonomy presented a significant challenge to Maria Theresa and Joseph II's efforts to strengthen the central monarchy. The mother-son duo shared the political aim of bringing these diverse lands together administratively while respecting their unique characteristics.
Maria Theresa, recognizing the complexities of governing such a diverse nation, established the Council of State in 1762. This was a strategic move to strengthen the central administration of her lands and facilitate decision-making in the face of varying local traditions and customs. However, despite their efforts, centralization attempts were often met with resistance from locals who were unwilling to relinquish their long-held privileges.
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The Austrian government was influenced by enlightened absolutism
Joseph II, born on March 13, 1741, in Vienna, Austria, was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 until his death in 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Emperor Francis I. He was the first ruler in the Austrian dominions of the union of the Houses of Habsburg and Lorraine, styled Habsburg-Lorraine.
Before Joseph II's reign, his mother, Maria Theresa, was the ruler of the Austrian Habsburg dominions. She was faced with the problem of succession, which caused her considerable grief, and she vowed to create governmental and familial institutions to protect her lands. She gave birth to 16 children, with Joseph being the oldest male. Maria Theresa kept most of the authority in her hands, which led to frequent clashes with her strong-willed son.
Joseph II was a proponent of enlightened absolutism, and he sought to introduce administrative, legal, economic, and ecclesiastical reforms. He was deeply interested in the ideals of the Enlightenment and believed that the rule of reason would produce the best possible results in the shortest time. This belief system influenced his numerous reforms, which were guided by the principles of freedom and equality and were based on a conception of the state's central legislative authority.
As an enlightened absolutist ruler, Joseph II introduced a series of reforms that impacted nearly every aspect of his subjects' lives. He issued 6,000 edicts and 11,000 new laws designed to regulate and reorder his empire. His reforms included the Edict of Toleration, which promoted religious freedom and reduced the power of the church, and the abolition of serfdom, which granted basic civil liberties to the peasants. Joseph also tried to modernize the empire, but his commitment to secularizing, liberalizing, and modernizing reforms resulted in significant opposition, hindering the full implementation of his programs.
Joseph's reign as the sole ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1780 until his death in 1790 was marked by his determination to implement his own policies. His reforms were influenced by enlightened absolutism, and he aimed to establish a uniform legal framework to replace the heterogeneous traditional structures. Despite facing opposition and setbacks, Joseph's reign represented a decisive phase in the modernization of the Austrian Monarchy.
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Frequently asked questions
Before Joseph II's reign, his mother, Maria Theresa, ruled as Holy Roman Empress. She was committed to centralization and strengthening the monarchy, and she and Joseph aimed to bring together provinces and kingdoms that were otherwise separate. Maria Theresa kept most of the authority during Joseph's time as co-regent, which led to frequent clashes between the pair.
The Austrian State was made up of diverse peoples, including State-Germans, Slavs, Hungarians, Belgians, and Italians, each with their own languages, histories, laws, and customs. Maria Theresa restricted religious holidays and prohibited taking ecclesiastic vows before the age of 24 to improve the economy.
Maria Theresa was Roman Catholic and believed in firm state control of ecclesiastical matters. She ordered that clerics be subject to the jurisdiction of the state in non-ecclesiastical matters. She regarded Protestants as heretics and Jews as the embodiment of the Antichrist.
