Maria Theresa Thesis

Maria Theresa was born May 13, 1717 in Vienna, Austria, Died in 1780, was Austrian and an Empress. Specifically, an Austrian archduchess, and Holy Roman Empress of the Habsburg Dynasty. She was the only woman ruler in the 650 history of the Habsburg dynasty. Many historians think of the eighteenth century as a time when monarchical government represented a forward thinking force in economics, politics, and society.

Maria Theresa was a great success on the throne which may have been a surprise. It is important to remember the Habsburg Monarchy was not a single entity, but a group of provinces from Belgium in the west to Transylvania in the east and Silesia in the north to Tuscany in the south. At the end of Theresa's reign these provinces had achieved a great deal of unity but while ruling Theresa had to gain the loyalty of all these provinces.
When it became apparent that the Habsburg family was running out of males Maria Theresa's father, Charles VI changed the law with an internal family document called the Pragmatic Sanction in 1713. This document guaranteed the right of succession to female family members. Charles worked hard to persuade first his provinces the other European powers to recognize the Pragmatic Sanction so that his elder daughter, Maria Theresa, could inherit the Habsburg patrimony.

During the last several years of her father's reign two wars had left the monarchy financially compromised, and the army weakened. Charles VI had believed his daughter would surrender power to her husband, Francis Stephen of Lorraine, so he did not take the time to teach her about being a ruler. With no money, strong army, or knowledge of the state, Maria Theresa had to trust her judgment and strength of