Monday, September 5, 2016

Letters on the Death of Emperor Francis Stephen

From Geri Walton:
Marie Antoinette’s father, Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor, reigned twenty years and died unexpectedly on August 18, 1765, while at Innsbruck from a massive apoplexy attack. His death greatly affected his wife, Maria Theresa of Austria, and, in fact, she never recovered and thereafter wore widow weeds. Replacing the Emperor was his oldest son, Joseph who became Joseph II and who reigned in conjunction with his mother, Maria Theresa.

In response to Francis I’s death, Maria Theresa and Joseph II wrote separate heartfelt letters to the Archduchesses (Maria Theresa’s daughters and Joseph’s sisters). At the time there were seven—Maria Anna, Maria Christina, Maria Elisabeth, Maria Amalia, Maria Josepha, Maria Carolina, and the youngest, Maria Antonia, who was the future Marie Antoinette and nine years old at the time (Read more.)
 More on Emperor Francis from Catherine Curzon, HERE. Share

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