CharlesIV persuaded other Europe leaders to sign an agreement that declared they would recognize Maria Theresa his eldest daughter as the heir to all Hapsburg territories; guaranteed that she would have a peaceful reign; but she faces many years of war (Prussia)
Pragmatic Sanctation- allowed Maria to become ruler
Peasants were given more rights
Established peasant rights
1740 Maria Theresa succeeded her father 5 months after Frederick II
WAR OF THE AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION
Frederick II(the Great) became king of prussia
Frederick II wanted Austrian land of Silesia; produced iron ore, textiles, and food products
Maria Theresa was a woman; assumed she would not be forceful enough to defend her lands
- just gave birth; went to Hungary with child and asked them for aid (gave her an army)
Great Britain joined to fight France (Prussia's ally)
She lost Silesia at the treaty of Aix La Chapelle in 1748
Once the war had ended, Maria Theresa set about further reforming the Habsburg government
Silesian Count Frederick William Haugwitz; focused mainly on centralization of the empire’s power.
Assigned Bohemia and Austria to a joint ministry, &took power away from the Provincial Estates.
As a result, the affected territories lent Austria’s weakened army significantly more military power. Austria also benefited from the wealth produced by those provinces’ industries.
Maria Theresa also allowed Haugwitz to deal with yearly resource negotiations with the empire’s estates in favor of meeting to negotiate only once a decade.
Over the course of that decade, the estates would pay the central government yearly taxes. Maria Theresa reorganized several government functions, combining them in a centralized General Directory.
Maria Theresa
1717–1780
An able ruler, Maria Theresa also
devoted herself to her family. Unlike
many monarchs, she married for
love.
Maria Theresa continued to
advise her children even after they
were grown. Perhaps her most
famous child was Marie Antoinette,
wife of Louis XVI of France. Maria
Theresa often scolded Marie for
spending too much money and
making the French people angry.
As empress, Maria Theresa
decreased the power of the
nobility. Very religious, she cared
more for the peasants’ well-being
than most rulers. She limited the
amount of labor that nobles could
force peasants to do. She argued:
“The peasantry must be able to
sustain itself.”
Explanation:
not my answer, but hope it helps
