Talk:Maria Theresa of Austria

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[edit] Vaccination

It was incorrect to say that Maria Theresia supported vaccination against smallpox, as the technique was only invented after her death. She did, however, support inoculation, an entirely different (and riskier) immunisation method, and subjected all her surviving children to it. I have updated the article accordingly. Sergenz 22:57, 4 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Name

her name was Maria Theresia, not Maria Theresa.

  • Oppose move, since this is the name under which she is known in English. Martg76 30 June 2005 21:47 (UTC)

___*Oppose This does not change the fact that her name should be cited properly, not in a translation/transcription --Negationsrat 19:42, 12 November 2006 (UTC)

  • Oppose. We use here English, not German. Theresa is the English form of that name. Monarchs (particularly dead monarchs) are almost always known in translated first names. I oppose "Theresia". I would not oppose "Mary"217.140.193.123 2 July 2005 09:22 (UTC)
  • Support - 'Mary Theresa' was a lazy Victorian translation, part-compensated by changing Mary back to Maria. Novices should be told that they will come across both versions in English.Red Hurley 22:51, 29 April 2007 (UTC)

She didn't succeed her father as Holy Roman Emperor! The Pragmatic Sanction was designed to make Maria Theresa the Habsburg heir, but the office of Holy Roman Emperor was not hereditary, it was elective, and the Pragmatic Sanction did nothing to change that. Maria Theresa was never elected Holy Roman Emperor, though her husband was, on September 13, 1745. She was Empress only by virtue of being married to the Emperor. Maria was Maria Theresia Amalia Walburga, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia, of Dalmatia, of Croatia, of Slavonia, of Galicia, of Lodomeria and Illystria, Queen of Jerusalem, Archduchess of Austria, Duchess of Salzburg, of Styria, of Carinthia, of Carniola and of Bukovina, Grand Duchess of Transylvania, Margravine of Moravia, Duchess of Upper Silesia, of Lower Silesia, of Parma, Piacenza and Gustalla, of Auschwitz and Zator, of Teschen, Ragusa and Zara, Princely Countess von Habsburg und Tirol, von Kyburg, Goritz und Gradisca, Princess of Trient and Blixen, Margaravine von Ober- und Nieder- Lüsern und in Istria, Gräfin von Hohenems, Feldkirch, Bregenz und Sonnenberg, Herrin von Trieste und von der Wendisch Mark, Grand Voyvodess of the Voyvodie. But she wasn't emperor. -- Someone else 05:30 Jan 20, 2003 (UTC)

Ow, my eyes. Who became HRE in her place? -- Zoe

Imagine having to make out the placecards at THAT dinner! After her father died, Karl VII (a Wittelsbach) was elected HRE, and then the next HRE was her husband. The fact that she was married to the emperor, the apparently unusual concept of an elective monarchy, and the fact that she wielded such immense political power, seems to make a lot of folk think she was Empress in her own right. I suppose there's nothing to do but actually write something on the Pragmatic Sanction -- Someone else 05:43 Jan 20, 2003 (UTC) (dreading it!)
What I don't understand is that the ruler of Austria was called emperor, right? Like Emperor Franz Joseph. So why was Maria Theresa only an archduchess when she inherited Austria from her father? Alensha 14:06, 31 Jul 2004 (UTC)
That's because the Empire of Austria, at least nominally, did not exist at the time, Austria was an archduchy in the Habsburg and/or Holy Roman Empire. Only a few decades after did such a name come to be used. --Shallot 14:22, 31 Jul 2004 (UTC)
Thanks, I didn't know that. Alensha 17:15, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

I have to do a project acting out the person, I need to know a little more about her personality, thanks


I think Mary Theresa was not the Queen of Jerusalem in her own right. Jerusalem came to the titulary of later Habsburg emperors because it was inherited from the Lorraines, Mary RTheresa's husband, who had inherited that claim from René of Anjou

Salzburg was at that time an ecclesiastical principality. It came to Habsburgs only after secularizations during Napoleon's time, and that was long after Mary Theresa was dead. Thus,an anachronism.

Galicia and Lodomeria came to Habsburgs only in partitions of Poland, and were not a part of the inheritance of Mary Theresa. 62.78.105.191 13:35, 1 May 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Holy Roman Empress

I removed the title Holy Roman Empress from the list of titles in the beginning and changed the sentence that she became such to that she called herself "Roman Empress." This is the wording of the Austrian Encyclopedia (aeiou.at) which I have put at the top of the external links. The fact that she was never crowned Empress is not mentioned there, but found in the German Wikipedia.

The wife of the Holy Roman Emperor was not automatically considered Empress officially, but some have been crowned, so this is a valid difference. 213.47.127.75 20:56, 3 November 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Mistake

Maria Theresia was the ruler of Austria from 1740, but she rules Hungary from 1741 and Bohemia from 1743, until her death in 1780, respectivly. Sargeras 13:38, 17 July 2005 (UTC)

I dont thing so. She was from 1740 the ruler of Austria, Hungary and Bohemia (and of other small territories). The years mentionned above are 1741 coronation in Pressburk (Bratislava) to Hungarian Queen (but she was the Queen since 1740) and 1743 coronation in Prague (but she was legal ruler of the Lands of the Czech Crown = Bohemia+Moravia+Silesia - already since 1740).--Jan Pospíšil 11:12, 16 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] It seems

It seems, this woman-ruler was baptized as (in German) „Marie Tereza Walburga Amalie Kristina“ and the name „Maria Theresia“ is the latinized form for official use (in Latin language) in documents, on coins and medals with her portrait.

Can anybody confirm it? Jan Pospíšil 11:12, 16 September 2005 (UTC)

I find this very hard to believe, given the form of the names: "Tereze" and "Kristina" are certainly not German (probably Czech), while "Marie" and "Amalie" are French (possibly French was spoken in court). The German form of this list of names would be "Maria Theresia Walburga Amalia Christina." Martg76 16:37, 18 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Family

The source I used when I corrected some things here was Friedrich Weissensteiner's Die Töchter Maria Theresias.

Also, I think the "family" section should be moved under the "reign" section. Having 16 children is remarkable, but that's not what she is known for.

–Alensha 13:29, 22 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Birth

Does anyone know where she was born? The introduction doesn't mention it (nor where she died, for that matter, only where she was buried), and the article jumps right into descriptions of her claim to the throne of Austria. That information could be useful to people like me. Happy editing! --Cromwellt|Talk 16:59, 14 February 2006 (UTC)

I added both. Alensha 00:44, 21 February 2006 (UTC)

[edit] HRH

Was she an HRH? Aren't ruling soverigns usually HMs (or if she was HRE through marriage, despite the above) an HI&RM?71.99.110.7 05:18, 2 August 2006 (UTC)

  • I think the style of HI&RM only dates from the Ausgleich. I don't know whether the wife of the HRE got a special style of address - but as Queen of Bohemia and Hungary, she'd have been at least an HM anyway. AlexTiefling 09:48, 2 August 2006 (UTC)
As Queen of Hungary and Bohemia she was styled Majesty and then Imperial Majesty or Imperial & Royal Majesty as Holy Roman Empress. Her children were all styled Royal Highness. Charles 15:55, 2 August 2006 (UTC)
Franz Joseph in 1859/60 was referred to in diplomatic documents as "His Imperial and Apostolic Majesty." The Duke of Modena and Grand Duke of Tuscany were "Imperial and Royal Highnesses" john k 17:17, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
  • True. But between Maria Theresa and 1859 lie two substantial reorganisations of the Habsburg domains - firstly the shift from Holy Roman Empire to Austrian Empire in 1804-6, and secondly the Ausgleich, changing the Austrian to Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867. AlexTiefling 09:40, 23 October 2006 (UTC)
    Er, the Ausgleich, in 1867, is after 1859. My point was that the double style came before the Ausgleich, which is what you claimed. I'm not sure if it was only a post 1804 thing or not. François Velde indicates the following:
    Since April 19, 1755 the members of the emperor's family received the style of Royal Highness (königliche Hoheit) and the predicate Durchlauchtigst, with the eldest son styled Durchlauchtigster zu Hungarn und Böheim königliche Erbprinz, Erzherzog zu Österreich). From August 11, 1804 the style became Kaiserlich-Königliche Hoheit.
    So it would appear that "Imperial and Royal" came in 1804, rather than 1867. john k 11:41, 23 October 2006 (UTC)
  • Er, you're right. I must have been half asleep. I honestly thought you'd posted something from 1869, not 1859. AlexTiefling 14:08, 23 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] 'Queer Life'??

Why is there a section headed 'Queer Life' on the page about Maria Theresa?

It seems meaningless and irrelevant. The heading should either be changed or explained.

Dozyveeny 08:25, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Confusing

It's hard to describe how confusing the article is, but here's a start: some paragraphs are too long and periods of her reign aren't divided well. The political and military rundown of her reign later in the article is particularly bad.

Furthermore, though this is less about confusion, unsubstantiated claims about her confidence as a ruler are made (maybe she was an insecure ruler, but you certainly need to cite your sources, because currently it looks like this article is mind reading someone that's been dead for over two hundred years . . .).

I came looking for some more information about her, and the only new facts I've learned are her names in other languages (not that that's a bad thing, but it certainly wasn't what I was looking for, and it probably isn't as important as, say, how she secured Hungary's loyalty during the War of the Austrian Succession). 128.119.165.5 14:37, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

I agree. There is not a single mention of where and when she was crowned, for example. I'll look into it when I find the time.--Svetovid 16:00, 3 May 2007 (UTC)


[edit] The first Taliban

Her roman-catholic faith is very well known. She tried to convert to catholicism any, and every soul of her big empire. Her eastern province: Transylvania had mostly christians, plus a few Juishes, but only a small minority of cca. 5-10 % were catholics. Therefore her reign meant tough prosecutions of the: protestants of all kinds, of juishes, of christian-orthodoxes (See The History of the Romanian Orthodox Church). Maria Theresa is seen as "the first Taliban" (avant la lettre) because she ordered, and the Austrian army executed with german accuracy, the demolition by cannon fire of all the orthodox romanian monasteries (around 50) of Transylvania and Eastern Hungary, around the year 1770. A similar act committed Afghanistan talibans when demolishing their famous statues of Buddha.Sorinutsu 04:50, 22 July 2007 (UTC)SotinutsuSorinutsu 04:50, 22 July 2007 (UTC)8:00 22 July 2007

-Expulsion of Jews from Prague-

Maria Theresa expelled the Jews from Prague in 1744 (not 1741) after the city had been recaptured from the Prussian and French forces. She suspected that the Jews had sided with the opposing forces. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.72.88.212 (talk) 15:49, 4 December 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Related with her husband

Maria Theresa's Grandfather (fathers side) Leopold I. of Austria and Francis I. Grandmother (fathers side) Eleonora of Austria were Halfsiblings.

So Maria Theresa and Francis I. were cousin third degrades.

Elizabeth II. of England and Prince Philipp are also in the same grade related.

--AndreaMimi (talk) 18:22, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

Maria Theresa and her husband were half-second cousins, as great-grandchildren of [[Ferdinand :ut Elizabeth and Philipp are also related to the british-line of the throne. The are both great-grand children from Queen Victoria. Elizabeth' grandfather King Edward VII (1841-1910) and Philipps grandmother Alice of Hessen-Darmstadt (1843-1878) are silblings.

--AndreaMimi (talk) 18:31, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

They are actually both great-great-grandchildren of Victoria, which also makes them third cousins. It is also their most famous relationship. However, the closest relationship is through King Christian. Grand Duchess Alice of Hesse and by Rhine was Philip's great-grandmother and Edward VII was Elizabeth's great-grandfather. Charles 18:34, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

It's so complicated. ;) But a very interessted topic. Look, what I said above about Elizabeth and Philip. ;)

--AndreaMimi (talk) 19:36, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

It's difficult to find any Monarch or Royal of the period who wasn't related to their spouse to some degree. Take for example the Kings of Britain/UK :

George I / Sophia Dorothea of Celle - 1st cousins

George II / Caroline of Ansbach - 3rd cousins once removed

George III / Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz - ::3rd cousins once removed

George IV / Caroline of Brunswick - 1st cousins

William IV / Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen - 3rd cousins once removed

Victoria / Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha - 1st cousins


It must be noted that the British monarchs tended to chose marriage partners who were less related to them than was the norm for European Royalty.

-Lec CRP1 (talk) 18:47, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

@Lec CRP1

Thank you also for your help.

It's good not to be a prince or a princess. ;) I'm very sure, that I'm not related to a monarchy in europe. And I think, Charles and you too.

--AndreaMimi (talk) 18:58, 22 February 2008 (UTC)

Well, actually, my ancestry has a number of people with surnames with von (including my own surname) and de, so you can never really know who a Wikipedian is or isn't ;-) Everyone, I imagine, is a descendant of some king or prince, whether distance or close. Charles 20:36, 22 February 2008 (UTC)