Date of Birth: 12 February 1768
House: Habsburg-Lorraine
Spouse: Elisabeth of Württemberg, then Maria Theresa of Naples, then Maria Ludovika of Austria-Este, then Caroline Augusta of Bavaria
Reign: 1792 – 1806
Predecessor: Leopold II
Summary: Few monarchs in history can say that they were the last ruler of an empire, yet Francis II was precisely that man. Ruling the Holy Roman Empire during the time of the Napoleonic Wars, he saw the 1,000-year empire finally come to an end. The emperor was born in Tuscany, the son of the grand duke but was raised in Vienna with his uncle in preparation for his eventually succession to the imperial throne. The boy was isolated from most people during his childhood to better enable him to lead without advisors. To give him martial experience, he joined the Hungarian regiment of the army and became a soldier. Emperor Joseph II died in 1790 and Francis's father, Leopold, became the new emperor. Francis served as deputy governor of Austria while his father tried to rally support for the Empire. But after only two years in office, Leopold died, leaving Austria and the Empire to the young Francis.
Francis became emperor during the years of the French Revolutionary Wars. His aunt, Marie Antoinette, was executed in 1792 and Austria maintained strained relations with France from that point forward. During the war, he constantly switched sides and profited greatly from it. Austria annexed Venice and Dalmatia, even while losing lands west of the Rhine. After the defeat at Austerlitz, Francis agreed to the Treaty of Pressurg that basically ended the Holy Roman Empire as Napoleon took over governance of Germany. With no further purpose for the title, Francis abdicated the Holy Roman Imperial throne and declared himself to be Francis I, emperor of Austria. Little else changed, though. He attacked France in 1809 but was forced to ally with France the next year, wedding his daughter Marie-Louise to him. Austria had become a vassal state of France. In 1813, Austria switched sides again and led the Allies toward France's defeat. Francis was nominated president of the Congress of Vienna and he also became leader f the German Confederation, a successor state to Napoleon's Confederation of the Rhine. Following the war, Francis downsized the Austrian army and made his government more transparent and accessible to the people. The emperor died in 1835, one of the best remembered of the Holy Roman Empire's many monarchs.
Francis became emperor during the years of the French Revolutionary Wars. His aunt, Marie Antoinette, was executed in 1792 and Austria maintained strained relations with France from that point forward. During the war, he constantly switched sides and profited greatly from it. Austria annexed Venice and Dalmatia, even while losing lands west of the Rhine. After the defeat at Austerlitz, Francis agreed to the Treaty of Pressurg that basically ended the Holy Roman Empire as Napoleon took over governance of Germany. With no further purpose for the title, Francis abdicated the Holy Roman Imperial throne and declared himself to be Francis I, emperor of Austria. Little else changed, though. He attacked France in 1809 but was forced to ally with France the next year, wedding his daughter Marie-Louise to him. Austria had become a vassal state of France. In 1813, Austria switched sides again and led the Allies toward France's defeat. Francis was nominated president of the Congress of Vienna and he also became leader f the German Confederation, a successor state to Napoleon's Confederation of the Rhine. Following the war, Francis downsized the Austrian army and made his government more transparent and accessible to the people. The emperor died in 1835, one of the best remembered of the Holy Roman Empire's many monarchs.
Date of Death: 2 March 1835
Successor: Ferdinand I
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
- Lothair I, emperor of Rome (855)
- Nicholas I, emperor of Russia (1855)
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