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Maria Theresa of Austria

Hofburg Palace, 13 May 1717 – Vienna, 29 Nov 1780

12 facts3 sources

Animated by AI

About Maria

Maria Theresa of Austria: Sovereign of the Habsburg Dominions

AI-assisted · edited

The collection records Maria Theresa’s birth in 1717 at Hofburg Palace, although the date is listed as probable. She was the daughter of Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor, and Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. 123

Maria Theresa ruled the Habsburg monarchy from 1740 until her death in 1780 and was the only woman to hold that position in her own right. She held the offices of Queen of Hungary and Queen of Bohemia, with both titles recorded for 1740–1780. 456

Her recorded union was with Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. The collection records her death in 1780 in Vienna, with the precise date carrying a probable confidence rating. 78

Drafted with AI and edited against the collection. Open a citation to see the record, its sources and how certain it is.

Facts and their sources

  • Born13 May 1717, Hofburg Palacenot verified1 source
  • MarriedFrancis I, Holy Roman Emperornot verified1 source
  • TitlePrince-Electoror Apostolic King of Hungary, 1740–1780 · King of Bohemia, 1740–1780not verified1 source
  • TitleApostolic King of Hungary, 1740–1780or King of Bohemia, 1740–1780 · Prince-Electornot verified1 source
  • TitleKing of Bohemia, 1740–1780or Apostolic King of Hungary, 1740–1780 · Prince-Electornot verified1 source
  • Died29 Nov 1780, Viennanot verified1 source
  • FatherCharles VI, Holy Roman Emperornot verified1 source
  • MotherElisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttelnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 13 May 1717

    Born in Hofburg Palace

  2. 1737–1756

    16 children are born

  3. 1740–1780

    Apostolic King of Hungary

  4. 1740–1780

    King of Bohemia

  5. 29 Nov 1780

    Dies in Vienna, aged 63

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 16

During her lifetime

She lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Hofburg Palace.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1710s · Maria is born in Hofburg Palace

In the news1713–1714

Last major plague epidemic of 1713-1714

A severe plague epidemic, the last in the region, struck the archduchy from January 1713 to February 1714, claiming approximately 8,000 lives in Vienna.

What people wore

Handkerchiefs served as essential purses

Men in the Habsburg lands often used tobacco handkerchiefs (Schnupftüchel) as small purses to carry money and tobacco, reflecting the widespread popularity of snuff.

Getting around

Travel times by carriage in the 1700s

In the 18th century, a 30-kilometer trip between St. Pölten and Melk took 5 to 7 hours, while a 115-kilometer journey to St. Florian took 20 to 28 hours.

The Great Northern War. Russia, Denmark and Saxony fought Sweden for the Baltic; Peter the Great won and built St Petersburg on the conquered coast.In Europe · 1700–1721

The Great Northern War. Russia, Denmark and Saxony fought Sweden for the Baltic; Peter the Great won and built St Petersburg on the conquered coast.

Imonoz · CC BY-SA 4.0

In the news1719

Trieste and Rijeka declared free ports 1719

In 1719, Emperor Charles VI declared Trieste and Rijeka free ports to stimulate Mediterranean trade, despite significant geographical barriers that made land transport to the hinterland difficult.

Music

Rural children were musically literate and skilled

In 18th-century Bohemia, Moravia, and Austria, children in rural schools were taught to play instruments like violins, hautbois, and bassoons, resulting in a musically literate population. Even in the smallest villages, peasants sang and played various instruments during High Mass.

Daily life

Home life and shared spaces

Common households relied on simple tiled stoves for heat and cooking, while tasks like laundry, wood storage, and waste management were shared in communal courtyards. Indoor light was scarce, often relying on the limited daylight filtered through small windows and basic lamps.