History UsefulNotes / MariaTheresa

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Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (or, in German and Latin, ''Maria Theres'''i'''a'', 13 May 1717 – 29 November 1780) was one of the most remarkable rulers in European history.

During her 40-year-long reign, Maria Theresa reorganised Austria's ramshackle military to defend her territory from neighboring rulers (especially her former nominal subject, Frederick II of UsefulNotes/{{Prussia}}), promoted commerce and agriculture, as well as began many social reforms which her son Joseph would expand. She is considered intolerant for despising the Jews and Protestants, whom she occasionally expulsed to remote parts of her realm. Even so, her goverment reforms are admired to this day - except for children, who usually only remember that she had the [[SchoolIsForLosers bright idea of mandatory basic schools]]. Speaking of children, she had ''16'' (of which four sons (including future Holy Roman Emperors Joseph II and Leopold II)) and six daughters survived to adulthood); in an era when hygiene was non-existent, surviving 16 childbirths was little short of miraculous. Her youngest daughter was UsefulNotes/MarieAntoinette, who became even more famous than her mother, although for [[UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution very unfortunate reasons]][[note]]Marie-Antoinette's birth order meant that she was not a prime candidate for a good political marriage and so Maria Theresa did little to prepare her for the task that was being a successful spouse to a powerful husband. As fate would have it, many of Marie-Antoinette's elder sisters either died prematurely or were disfigured by smallpox; two (Maria Anna and Maria Elisabeth) remained unmarried for the rest of their lives (Maria Anna was sickly throughout her life while Maria Elisabeth was scarred by smallpox).[[/note]].

During her 40-year-long reign, Maria Theresa reorganised Austria's ramshackle military to defend her territory from neighboring rulers (especially her former nominal subject, Frederick II of UsefulNotes/{{Prussia}}), promoted commerce and agriculture, as well as began many social reforms which her son Joseph would expand. She is considered intolerant for despising the Jews and Protestants, whom she occasionally expulsed to remote parts of her realm. Even so, her goverment reforms are admired to this day - except for children, who usually only remember that she had the [[SchoolIsForLosers bright idea of mandatory basic schools]]. Speaking of children, she had ''16''; in an era when hygiene was non-existent, surviving 16 childbirths was little short of miraculous. Her youngest daughter was UsefulNotes/MarieAntoinette, who became even more famous than her mother, although for [[UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution very unfortunate reasons]][[note]]Marie-Antoinette's birth order meant that she was not a prime candidate for a good political marriage and so Maria Theresa did little to prepare her for the task that was being a successful spouse to a powerful husband. As fate would have it, many of Marie-Antoinette's elder sisters either died prematurely or were disfigured by smallpox; two (Maria Anna and Maria Elisabeth) remained unmarried for the rest of their lives (Maria Anna was sickly throughout her life while Maria Elisabeth was scarred by smallpox).[[/note]].

During her 40-year-long reign, Maria Theresa reorganised Austria's ramshackle military to defend her territory from neighboring rulers (especially her former nominal subject, Frederick II of UsefulNotes/{{Prussia}}), promoted commerce and agriculture, as well as began many social reforms which her son Joseph would expand. She is considered intolerant for despising the Jews and Protestants, whom she occasionally expulsed to remote parts of her realm. Even so, her goverment reforms are admired to this day - except for children, who usually only remember that she had the [[SchoolIsForLosers bright idea of mandatory basic schools]]. Speaking of children, she had ''16''; in an era when hygiene was non-existent, surviving 16 childbirths was little short of miraculous. Her youngest daughter was UsefulNotes/MarieAntoinette, who became even more famous than her mother, although for [[UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution very unfortunate reasons]][[note]]Marie-Antoinette's birth order meant that she was not a prime candidate for a good political marriage and so Maria Theresa did little to prepare her for the task that was being a successful spouse to a powerful husband. As fate would have it, Marie-Antoinette's elder sisters either died prematurely or were disfigured by smallpox.[[/note]].

During her 40-year-long reign, Maria Theresa reorganised Austria's ramshackle military to defend her territory from neighboring rulers (especially her former nominal subject, Frederick II of UsefulNotes/{{Prussia}}), promoted commerce and agriculture, as well as began many social reforms which her son Joseph would expand. She is considered intolerant for despising the Jews and Protestants, whom she occasionally expulsed to remote parts of her realm. Even so, her goverment reforms are admired to this day - except for children, who usually only remember that she had the [[SchoolIsForLosers bright idea of mandatory basic schools]]. Speaking of children, she had ''16''; in an era when hygiene was non-existent, surviving 16 childbirths was little short of miraculous. One of her children was UsefulNotes/MarieAntoinette, who became even more famous than her mother, although for [[UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution very unfortunate reasons]].

When her father, Emperor Charles IV, died in 1740 without male issue, Maria Theresa came to the [[UsefulNotes/TheSoundOfMartialMusic Habsburg]] throne. She was young, amiable but over-sheltered, and her father had amazingly neglected to train her properly, though [[JustifiedTrope in fairness]] this was likely because he had to devote most, if not all, of his time fighting tooth and nail for her succession. Despite those crippling disadvantages, she learned on the job.

When her father died in 1740 without male issue, Maria Theresa came to the [[UsefulNotes/TheSoundOfMartialMusic Habsburg]] throne. She was young, amiable but over-sheltered, and her father had amazingly neglected to train her properly, though [[JustifiedTrope in fairness]] this was likely because he had to devote most, if not all, of his time fighting tooth and nail for her succession. Despite those crippling disadvantages, she learned on the job.

* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: Her main trait.

* She was played by Sonja Hlebs in ''Film/LaTourPrendsGarde''.

* Played by Creator/MarianneFaithfull in ''Film/{{Marie Antoinette|2006}}'' (the 2006 film), in which she spends most of her limited screen time pleading with her daughter to consummate her marriage.

* Played by Marianne Faithfull in ''Film/MarieAntoinette2006'', in which she spends most of her limited screen time pleading with her daughter to consummate her marriage.

* She was played by Sonia Hlebs in ''Film/LaTourPrendsGarde''.

* She was played by Sonia Hlebsova/Klebs in ''Film/LaTourPrendsGarde''.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: It is said that she was travestied as the Queen of the Night in Mozart's ''[[Theatre/TheMagicFlute Die Zauberflöte]]'' for her anti-progressivism and favoring the Jesuits.

During her 40-year-long reign, Maria Theresa reorganised Austria's ramshackle military to defend her territory from neighboring rulers, promoted commerce and agriculture, as well as began many social reforms which her son Joseph would expand. She is considered intolerant for despising the Jews and Protestants, whom she occasionally expulsed to remote parts of her realm. Even so, her goverment reforms are admired to this day - except for children, who usually only remember that she had the [[SchoolIsForLosers bright idea of mandatory basic schools]]. Speaking of children, she had ''16''; in an era when hygiene was non-existent, surviving 16 childbirths was little short of miraculous. One of her children was UsefulNotes/MarieAntoinette, who became even more famous than her mother, although for [[UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution very unfortunate reasons]].

Most people aren't aware that Maria Theresa never held the title [[UsefulNotes/HolyRomanEmpire Holy Roman Empress]], because it didn't exist. She was [[SheIsTheKing King of Hungary]] [[OverlyLongName and Archduchess of Austria and Queen of Bohemia, and had dozens of other titles]] in her own right, but for the first five years of her reign, the title of Holy Roman Emperor went to her cousin's husband, the duke of Bavaria. When he died, her own husband got it, and so she was the HRE's wife. Additionally, she was the last 'actual' Habsburg. Her children would have belonged to the dynasty of Lorraine, but due to the prominence of the Habsburg dynasty, her children became ''von Habsburg-Lothringen''.

When her father died in 1740 without male issue, Maria Theresa came to the [[UsefulNotes/TheSoundOfMartialMusic Habsburg]] throne. She was young, amiable but over-sheltered, and her father had amazingly neglected to train her properly, though [[JustifiedTrope in fairness]] this was likely because he had to devote most, if not all, of his time fighting tooth and nail for her succession. Despite those crippling disadvantages, she learned on the job. During her 40-year-long reign, she reorganised Austria's ramshackle military to defend her territory from neighboring rulers, promoted commerce and agriculture, as well as began many social reforms which her son Joseph would expand. She is considered intolerant for despising the Jews and Protestants, whom she occasionally expulsed to remote parts of her realm. Even so, her goverment reforms are admired to this day - except for children, who usually only remember that she had the [[SchoolIsForLosers bright idea of mandatory basic schools]]. Speaking of children, she had ''16''; in an era when hygiene was non-existent, surviving 16 childbirths was little short of miraculous. One of her children was UsefulNotes/MarieAntoinette, who became even more famous than her mother, although for [[UsefulNotes/TheFrenchRevolution very unfortunate reasons]].