
There are several women named Maria who were members of the Austrian royalty and married:
- Maria Theresa, Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, married Francis Stephen of Lorraine in 1736.
- Maria of Austria, also known as Isabel, married her first cousin, Archduke Maximilian, in 1548.
- Margaret Theresa of Austria, Infanta of Spain, married Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor, in 1666.
- Maria Anna of Neuburg, aunt to future emperors Joseph I and Charles VI, married Charles VI.
This paragraph introduces the topic of when several notable women named Maria who were part of the Austrian royalty married.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Maria Theresa |
| Title | Archduchess of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, Holy Roman Empress of the Habsburg Dynasty |
| Date of Birth | 13 May 1717 |
| Date of Death | 29 November 1780 |
| Husband | Francis Stephen of Lorraine, Duke of Lorraine, Holy Roman Emperor Francis I |
| No. of Children | 16 (5 sons and 11 daughters) |
| Notable Children | Marie Antoinette, Joseph II |
| Reign | 1740-1780 |
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What You'll Learn

Maria Theresa married Francis Stephen of Lorraine in 1736
Maria Theresa, the only woman to rule the Habsburg lands, married Francis Stephen of Lorraine in 1736. She was a woman ahead of her time, becoming a role model for many women as she successfully fulfilled her public duties and raised 16 children.
Maria Theresa was born on May 13, 1717, and was the eldest daughter of Emperor Charles VI. Her father issued the Pragmatic Sanction in 1713, guaranteeing her the right to succeed to the Austrian throne and inherit his lands upon his death. This was due to the fact that Salic Law prohibited a woman from inheriting her father's kingdom, and Charles VI had no male heirs.
Francis Stephen of Lorraine was Maria Theresa's husband and father of her 16 children. They were one of the few couples at the time to marry for love, and their marriage united the Habsburg lands with Lorraine. However, due to French objections to this union, Francis Stephen had to exchange his ancestral duchy for the right of succession to the Grand Duchy of Tuscany.
Maria Theresa's marriage to Francis Stephen began a long and challenging road to securing her inheritance and maintaining her power. Despite the many obstacles she faced, she successfully ruled the Habsburg Monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780, becoming a remarkable female ruler in a male-dominated era.
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Francis Stephen became co-ruler of Austria and Bohemia
Maria Theresa, also known as Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina, was born on May 13, 1717, and died on November 29, 1780. She was the ruler of the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780 and was the only woman to hold the position. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Transylvania, and many other territories. By marriage, she was Duchess of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, and Holy Roman Empress.
Maria Theresa married Francis Stephen of Lorraine, also known as Francis I, in 1736. Francis Stephen became co-ruler of Austria and Bohemia through his marriage to Maria Theresa. At the time, it was uncommon for women to rule, and it was expected that Maria Theresa would surrender true power to her husband. However, Maria Theresa was the de facto ruler of the nation, and she began styling herself as Holy Roman Empress in 1745. She was a strong and capable leader, initiating financial and educational reforms, promoting commerce and agriculture, and reorganizing the army.
Maria Theresa and Francis Stephen had 16 children together, including Marie Antoinette, who would become Queen of France. Despite her many duties, Maria Theresa was devoted to her family and was a loving wife and mother. She was also a role model for many women, successfully fulfilling her public duties while raising a large family.
Francis Stephen's death in 1765 was a great personal loss for Maria Theresa. After his death, she made their son, Joseph II, co-regent of her Austrian dominions. However, Maria Theresa kept most of the power to herself, which led to tension between her and her son. It was only after her death in 1780 that Joseph II could fully exercise his powers as Holy Roman Emperor.
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Maria Theresa was 18 when she married
Maria Theresa was just 18 years old when she married Francis Stephen of Lorraine, who later became Holy Roman Emperor Francis I. She was born on 13 May 1717 and married in 1736, four years before she became Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Hungary and Bohemia.
Maria Theresa was one of the few people of her age to marry for love. She and her husband had 16 children, 11 of whom were daughters, and 5 of whom were sons. Ten of her daughters were given the first name "Maria", and her youngest was Maria Antonia, later known as Marie Antoinette, who would go on to marry King Louis XVI of France.
Maria Theresa's father, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI, had not prepared her for her future role as sovereign. He allowed her to attend meetings of the council from the age of 14 but never discussed the affairs of state with her. Charles spent the last decades of his life securing Maria Theresa's inheritance, but he did not teach her about the workings of government. He believed that his daughter would surrender true power to her husband, but Maria Theresa became the de facto ruler of the nation and began styling herself Holy Roman Empress in 1745.
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The marriage produced 16 children
Maria Theresa of Austria, also known as Maria Theresa, archduchess of Austria and queen of Hungary and Bohemia, married Francis Stephen of Lorraine in 1736. Francis Stephen was also known as Francis I, Duke of Lorraine.
Maria Theresa was a woman of great importance in 18th-century Europe, and she was groomed from an early age to preserve Habsburg territory and influence. She was an admirer of her husband, and despite his serial infidelity, she placed great importance on her duties as a mother. She also led Austria through several wars, preserving the majority of Habsburg territory in the face of superior military opponents.
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Maria Theresa's youngest daughter was Marie Antoinette
Maria Theresa, born on 13 May 1717, was the only woman to rule the Habsburg monarchy in her own right. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Transylvania, and many other territories. By marriage, she was Duchess of Lorraine, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, and Holy Roman Empress. Maria Theresa was the mother of 16 children, 10 of whom survived to adulthood. Her youngest daughter was Marie Antoinette, born on 2 November 1755.
Marie Antoinette, born Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria, was the last Queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the penultimate child and youngest daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor Francis I. Marie Antoinette married Louis Auguste, Dauphin of France, in May 1770 at the age of 14, becoming the Dauphine of France. Her husband ascended the throne as Louis XVI on 10 May 1774, and she became queen. Marie Antoinette was the first child and eldest daughter of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette of France, and their only child to reach adulthood.
Marie Antoinette's marriage to Louis Auguste was a political alliance, intended to end hostilities between Austria and France and to destroy the ambitions of their common enemies, Prussia and Great Britain. The marriage was also a love match, and Marie Antoinette was devoted to her husband. She was instrumental in ousting Choiseul, who had helped orchestrate the Franco-Austrian Alliance, and in exiling his sister, the Duchess of Gramont, one of her ladies-in-waiting. However, Marie Antoinette's role as a political ally of her husband and her influence over him were not always well-received. She became increasingly criticized by opponents of the domestic and foreign policies of Louis XVI, as well as those opposed to the monarchy in general.
Marie Antoinette was also known for her lavish spending habits, which concerned her mother, Empress Maria Theresa, who often reproached her for laziness and frivolity in their fortnightly correspondence. Marie Antoinette's reputation was further damaged by the Flour War of 1775, a series of riots caused by high prices of flour and bread, which led many French people to blame her for the degrading economic situation. Despite her controversial reputation, Marie Antoinette remained queen until the monarchy was abolished on 21 September 1792. She was convicted of high treason and executed by guillotine on 16 October 1793.
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Frequently asked questions
Maria Theresa of Austria married Francis Stephen of Lorraine in 1736.
Maria Theresa was the eldest daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, and many other territories. She was the only woman to hold the position in her own right.
Francis Stephen was Duke of Lorraine and later became Grand Duke of Tuscany and Holy Roman Emperor.


























