Maria Theresa: The Mother of Empires cover art

Maria Theresa: The Mother of Empires

Maria Theresa: The Mother of Empires

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 The provided episode details the life and reign of Maria Theresa (1717–1780), the sole female ruler of the Habsburg monarchy in her own right. The episode outlines her early life, including her marriage to Francis Stephen and the challenges posed by her accession in 1740, which led to the War of the Austrian Succession. We chronicle her successful defense of her realms (despite losing Silesia to Frederick the Great of Prussia) and her later involvement in the Seven Years' War, as well as her role as a mother to sixteen children, some of whom died from smallpox. Critically, the episode details Maria Theresa's significant institutional, legal, and educational reforms, while also addressing her conservative religious views and sometimes intolerant policies toward Protestants and Jews.
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.