665
Enc^lu In the East on the other hand, Frederick oppression of the. landlords. When she sought to seemed on the point of succumbing (1761). The Eng- abolish the serfdoin in Bohemia she encoimtered un- lish did not renew the agreement to subsidize Fred- expected opposition from the emperor, whom the land- erick. His opponents, it is true, were equally ex- owners had caused to hesitate, hausted financially, as well as weary and disappomted. She was tireless in her care for the welfare and edu- The decisive turn of events was brought about by cation of her children. When they were at a distance the death of the Russian Empress Elizabeth (1762). she carried on a busy correspondence with them and Her successor^ Peter III, an admirer of Frederick's, gave them wise instruction and advice. Marie Antoi- made peace with him and even sought his alliance and nette, the Dauphiness, and afterwards Queen, of sent him 20,000 men. When Peter lost his throne France, with her light and thoughtless temperament, and life, the Empress Catharine, it is true, withdrew her frivolous disregard of dignity, her love of pleasure from the Prussian alliance, but the last successes of and her extravagance, caused her much anxiety. Frederick were lar^ly due to the Russians (Burkers- Nearest to her heart was her daughter Maria Christina dorf, 21 July; Freiberg, 29 October). As France and who was happily married to Prince Albert of Saxony- England concluded peace in Paris on 10 February, Teschen. Death was made hard for the courageous 1763, the empress was compelled to do the same. The woman. On 15 October, 1780, she made her wifl and Peace of Hubertsburg (15 February, 1763) restored to in it directed, which was characteristic of her, be- each belligerent the possessions he had held before sides generous bequests to the poor, the granting of a the war. But apart from the loss in men and treasure, month's pay to the soldiers. On 8 November she waa the war injured the policy of the empress and Count present at a hunt and appears to have caiight a cold in Kaunitz by strengthening the position of Prussia as the pouring rain. Night and day she su&red from a a great power. Frederick the ureat had maintained rackmg cough and choking fits, nevertheless she was Prussia's power in a severe ord^. but little in bed, but busied herself by putting her IV. The Evening of Life (1763-1780). — ^The papers in order, and consoling her children. On the empress had still seventeen years to rule. However. 25th she received Communion; on the 28th extreme this period no longer exclusivelv bore the impress oi unction was eiven to her, and with her own hand she her personality. Sne did not indeed give up the reins, put certain bequests on paper, among them, again but she could not make headway against the passion- characteristic of her disposition, 100,000 florins for the ate impulses of her son Joseph II, or entirelv carry out funds of the normal schools. During the night of 29 her own views. Thus the Theresian period gradually November, 1780, she died, at the age of sixty-three became the ** Josephine*' period. On 27 March, 1763, years.
Joseph was chosen as Roman king. Francis I to whom She was the last and beyond doubt the greatest of Theresa was really devoted, and to whom she had the Hapsbuigs. She is not only, as Sonnenfels de- borne sixteen children (eleven daughters and five scribed her as early as 1780, the restorer, but rather the sons), died suddenly, fifty-seven years old (1765), foimdress of the Austrian monarchy, which with a Joseph II became emperor (1765-1790), and in Aus- skilful hand she built up out of loose parts into a well tria co-regent with his mother. To her ambitious son, rivetted whole, while in all essential respects she left brimful of projects, the liberal-minded autocrat who the administration radically improved. In her per- with the noblest intentions was able to effect nothing, sonal character she was a thorough German, always she could not transmit her political talent. In many proud of her German descent and nationality, intelii- respects their views differea, particularly on religious gent, affable, cheerful, pleasant, fond of music, and at affairs. Joseph had entirely different ideas on the the same time thoroughly moral and deeply religious, treatment of non-Catholics. Indeed even under Maria In her character were united, as v. Zwiedmeck-SUden- Theresa the politico-ecclesiastical policy known as horst says, all that was amiable and honourable, all Josephinism^haditsrise, though the empress was a that was worthy and winning, all the strength and pious woman and attended strictly to her religious eentleness of wmch the Austrian character is capable, duties. Papal Bulls were only to be made public with Klop^tock was right when he appraised her as *Hhe the consent of the government, and intercourse with greatest of her line because she was the most himian", Rome was to be conducted through the Foreim OflSce. and even Frederick the Great recognized her merits Festivals were reduced in number. The jurisdiction of when he said : *' She has done honour to the throne and the Church over the laity ceased, as well as the im- to her sex; I have warred with her but I have never munity from taxes enjoyed by the clergy. The num- been her enemy."
ber of monasteries was restricted. The Jesuits lost vok Arnbtb. GeachidUe MaHaTheresias, I-X (Vienna, 1803-
their standing as confessora at the court as well as Uie ^ i^.^J^jJ^jpfr^i^fl'^X^T^yXli
direction of the theological and philosophical faculties Arnkth in the AUg. detdaehe Biographie, XX (Leipaig. 1884).
at the University of Vienna, and were confined to the p. 340-365: Khuen in Wetzer and Weltb, Kirchenlex,,
InwprflphnnU ^d ed., VIII (Freiburg, 1891), 777-786; v. Zwiedinbck-
lower scnoois. .... . , .... , . , S^dewhorst, Maria Theresia (Bielefeld and Leipzig, 1905);
The empress mamtamed a neutral attitude towards The Cambridoe Modern HUlory, vol. VI (Cambridge, 1909).
the dissolution of the Jesuit Order. Her fortune was Klemens L6ffler, devoted to the care of souls and to education. In for- eign politics a conflict of views between mother and Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, b. at Vienna, son arose on the occasion of the first Partition of 2 November, 1755; executed in Paris, 16 October, Poland. The empress not only doubted that the ac- 1793. She was the youngest daughter of Francis I, quisition of Polish territory would be an advantage, German Emperor, and of Maria Theresa. The mar- but she also recoiled from doing wrong to others. At riage of Louis XVI and Mane Antoinette was one of last she yielded to the pressure of her son and Count the last acts of Choiseul's policy (see Choiseul); but Kaunitz, but later she often regretted having given the Dauphiness from the first shared the impopularity her assent. Nor did she approve of the War of the attaching to the Franco-Austrian alliance. Ambas- Bavarian Succession, clearlv foreseei^ that Prussia sador Mercy and Ahh6 de Vermond, the former tutor would interfere. She could not sufficiently thank of the archduchess in Austria and now her reader Providence for the fortunate issue of the affair. In iJie in France, endeavoured to make her follow the pru- last ten years of her life she developed an unremitting dent counsels as to her conduct sent by her mother, activity on behalf of the improvement of the primary Maria Theresa, and to enable her thus to overcome all schools. The excellent Abbot Felbiger, the father of the intrigues of the Court. Marie Antoinette's dis- the Catholic primary schools of Germany, was sum- dain of Madame du Barr^-, the mistress of Louis XV, moned from Silesia. She also tried to improve the was perhaps, from a political standpoint, a mistake, condition of the peasantry, and to put an end to the but it is an honourable evidence of the high character
