!!!Maria-theresianische Epoche

Maria Theresia, Age of: The rule of Maria Theresia was characterized 
by the emergence of the Enlightenment, which superseded Baroque 
conceptions of state and society. The first years of her reign were 
marked by a number of failures in the field of foreign policy, e.g. 
major defeats in two wars against Prussia (1740-1742 and 1743-1745) 
which led to the loss of Silesia, as well as to the loss of smaller 
territories during the  Austrian Succession, War of (1741-1748). The 
poor state of the Austrian army and the amount of money she had to 
spend on national defence made Maria Theresia introduce a number of 
reforms in 1749 which had long lasting effects on the Habsburg empire. 
These reforms included the founding of a state chancellery, a state 
council (consisting of Maria Theresia´s closest advisers) and 
the "directorium in publicis et cameralibus" charged with the 
management of internal affairs, excluding justice and defence matters 
(again subdivided into the Austro-Bohemian court chancellery 
(Boehmische Hofkanzlei) and court chamber later on), a tighter 
administration, the introduction of district commissions, the drawing 
up of a general land register, the conclusion of long-term agreements 
with the Estates, a reinforcement of the army and the foundation of a 
military academy (at the town of Wiener Neustadt). The new state 
chancellor W. A.  Kaunitz, who was in charge of Austrian foreign 
policy from 1753, brought about an alliance with France ("reversal of 
alliances") which could not, however, prevent the defeat of the 
Habsburgs in the ensuing Seven Years´ War (1756-1763). Equalling 
Austria in strength, Prussia became Maria Theresia´s most 
determined foe within the Holy Roman Empire and thus decisively 
influenced her foreign policy. In 1765 the empress´s eldest 
child, Joseph II, became co-ruler in the Habsburg dominions. At that 
time the main purpose of the two rulers was to gain new territories in 
order to make up for the loss of Silesia. Consequently Galicia, the 
Bukovina (reward for mediation in a Russo-Turkish conflict) and the 
Innviertel (one of Upper Austria´s four main regions) were added 
to the Habsburg possessions.

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The implementation of major internal reforms led to continuous tension 
between the empress and her son. Nevertheless, Maria Theresia 
abolished the trade barriers which had existed between the Habsburg 
dominions in order to enforce a common economic policy. She 
furthermore strove to ease the life of her peasants by limiting forced 
labour and promoting the introduction of new agricultural techniques. 
She founded a school type, the Volksschule (approx. = primary school) 
in 1774, which is symptomatic of her efforts to improve educational 
standards. Interventions in the internal management of religious 
orders, the abolition of the Jesuits in 1773, as well as the 
limitation of religious feast days resulted in the increasing 
subordination of the church to the authority of the state, a 
development which was particularly favourable to the rulers. The new 
philosophy of the Enlightenment made itself felt in the abolition of 
torture and the use of milder forms of punishments. During Maria 
Theresia´s reign, the organization of the army and the status of 
its soldiers were improved, the administrative system was reorganized 
(e.g. cadastral districts were created, a register of houses was drawn 
up, a state-wide system of conscription was introduced and the grounds 
for exemption from military service were defined).

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Although Maria Theresia had always respected the status of Hungary as 
different from that of the Habsburg dominions and had thus avoided the 
implementation of major reforms there, all parts of the monarchy 
experienced the introduction of changes during her forty years´ 
reign

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All the developments mentioned above were made possible by a number of 
remarkable men of intellect the empress managed to draw into her 
council, e.g. W. A.  Kaunitz her foreign policy adviser, 
F. W.  Haugwitz her adviser in matters of internal policy, 
L. J.  Daun, E. G.  Laudon and Count F. M.  Lacy, her 
military commanders and advisers in the field of national defence and 
J. I.  Felbiger her adviser in matters of education. However, 
Maria Theresia also relied on an increasingly efficient staff of civil 
servants who swiftly carried out her wishes, as well as the state 
council´s decisions.

!Literature
K. Vocelka, Ausgewaehlte Bibliographie zur Zeit Maria 
Theresias, in: W. Koschatzky (ed.), Maria Theresia und ihre Zeit, 
1979; exhibition catalogue, Schoenbrunn 1980; Maria Theresia als 
Koenigin von Ungarn, exhibition catalogue, Halbturn 1980.


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