Joseph II

Joseph II attempted to exchange the Austrian Netherlands for Bavaria, triggering the War of the Bavarian Succession against Prussia. The conflict, known as the 'Potato War,' ended with the Treaty of Teschen in 1779, which prevented the exchange and left Joseph's ambitions unfulfilled.

Joseph II issued the Serfdom Patent, abolishing serfdom in the Habsburg hereditary lands. Peasants were granted personal freedom, the right to marry without seigneurial permission, and the ability to move freely, though they still owed labor obligations to landlords.

Joseph II issued the Edict of Toleration, granting religious freedom to non-Catholic Christians, including Protestants and Orthodox, in the Habsburg monarchy. Jews also received limited civil rights. This was a major step toward religious pluralism in a Catholic state.

Joseph II dissolved over 700 monasteries that were deemed non-contributory to society, using their wealth to fund education, hospitals, and other state institutions. This secularization policy provoked strong opposition from the Catholic Church and conservative nobles.