Maria Theresa ensured that her children knew where their loyalties lay – at home with their mother
Words JESSICA LEGGETT
Empress Maria Theresa has gone down in history as one of the most formidable rulers to have ever lived, which comes as no surprise when looking back at her time as the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions. Perceiving Maria’s gender to be a weakness, the other European leaders seized the opportunity to invade her territories upon her accession, attempting to take what did not belong to them.
While facing their threats to her reign, the empress also gave birth to a total of 16 children between 1735 and 1756, simultaneously balancing her life as a monarch and a mother. A woman determined to exercise control over all of her children for the greater good of her empire, Maria Theresa would go on to shape their lives in a way that they could never have imagined.
Considering the circumstances around Maria Theresa’s accession, it’s no wonder that she tried to have as many children as possible. Her father, Emperor Charles VI, anticipated that he may not produce any male heirs and began working on a contingency plan to protect the Habsburg inheritance in the case of a female successor. He enacted the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 while still childless, which would allow a daughter to inherit his possessions in the event of no male successor. He spent the majority of his reign trying to secure foreign support for it from countries including from France, Prussia, Spain and Great Britain, who all eventually promised to uphold it.
Charles’ instincts were right as his wife gave birth to two daughters – Maria Theresa in 1717 and Maria Anna in 1718 – who survived into adulthood, while another two other children died young. Although the Pragmatic Sanction ensured Maria Theresa’s right to succeed her father upon his death in 1740, her position was soon under threat as a number of the foreign rulers who had pledged their support now abandoned their promises.
Frederick II of Prussia was the first to act, invading Silesia just three months into Maria Theresa’s reign, triggering the War of the Austrian Succession. Although she would go on to win the conflict and protect her right to rule, Maria Theresa never forgave Frederick for his treacherous act and the pair remained lifelong enemies.
Maria Theresa had already produced three daughters with her husband, Francis, Grand Duke of Tuscany, at this point, although only the second eldest, Maria Anna, reached adulthood
